Photos of pain and terror

March 7, 2015

Fukushima photographer exhibits pre-disaster pictures to share what 3/11 took away

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150307p2a00m0na007000c.html

Nearly four years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, an amateur photographer is sharing her collection of photographs taken before the disaster to show the public the extent of what the disaster took away.

Chiyoko Kanno, 68, was a nurse in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, before the March 2011 nuclear disaster forced the evacuation of the area, including the adjacent village of Iitate. From the summer of 2010 through the winter of 2011, Kanno had photographed the daily lives of Iitate villagers, building up a collection of pictures. She says that none of them minded being in front of the camera.

"Everyone smiled, and when I was done taking pictures they gave me vegetables to take home with me," she recalls.

Her photos include farmers smiling with their Japanese radishes in hand, an old lady walking with a goat, and children playing in a river, their faces full of life. Just when she was thinking of opening an exhibition to show people these photos, the nuclear disaster hit.

After the disaster, Kanno evacuated to Tochigi Prefecture. Still, when she finds time she returns to Fukushima Prefecture and visits the people from Iitate who live in temporary housing, taking their pictures while listening to their stories. She discovered that the woman with the goat had to get rid of it when she evacuated out of Fukushima Prefecture. Another gave up on her practice of drying Japanese radishes, because the climate in her new location wasn't suitable.

Kanno also took a photo of two schoolgirls just after the disaster. Their eyes seem to criticize the adults of society.

"I want to express the pain of being chased from my land and the terror of the disaster," says Kanno.

Kanno's photos have already been displayed in several places across Japan, including Sapporo and Kobe. Starting March 6, they went on display at "Gallery Kadokura" in Maebashi, in their 13th exhibition.

The Maebashi exhibition runs through March 12 and admission is free.

March 07, 2015(Mainichi Japan)