初めて屋久島を訪れたのは、三年前。当時、私は師匠の撮影に同行し、森に数日間通っていた。深い森の中で凛々しく根を下ろす木々、そこに差し込む光、獣たちの気配。森のエネルギーが体に吹き込まれ、体中が歓喜で沸き立った。その撮影期間中、森に向かう道中で里の墓地に活けられた花々の華やかな様子に目を惹かれた。墓地には人々が毎日のように訪れ、お墓を洗い、花を活けかえ、線香に火をつけ、手を合わす。何気ないその光景に、とても嬉しい気持ちになったのを覚えている。 　昨年、改めて屋久島を訪れる機会を得た。三度目の屋久島。初めて里をゆっくりと見た。透き通る海に差し込む光、草花を揺らす風。相変わらず墓地は華やいでいた。人びとは眩しい笑顔を見せ、それぞれが様々な思いで、里で暮らす。きっと、家族のこと、将来のこと、様々に思いを巡らせ暮らしている。その姿を見ていると、ふと三年前森の中で感じた歓喜を思い起こす。人びとは、森の中の木々と同じように凛々しく立っていた。

I visited Yakushima for the first time three years ago. On that occasion, I was accompanying my teacher on a photo shoot and we travelled through the forest for several days. The commanding presence of the trees rooted deep in the forest, the light penetrating the space, the signs of wild animals. My body absorbed the energy of the forest, filling it with a rapturous joy. During the photo shoot, while we were on the road to the forest, I became captivated by the beautiful flowers arranged at the gravesites of the village cemetery. People would visit the cemetery on a daily basis, wash the gravestones, arrange flowers, light incense and bring their hands together in prayer. I remember feeling a sense of happiness while watching this casual scene.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit Yakushima again. Yakushima on my third visit. I looked through the village in a leisurely way for the first time. The light that shone on the crystal clear sea, the wind that swayed the grasses and flowers. The cemetery was as festive as ever. The people lived in the village wearing dazzling smiles on their faces, each thinking various thoughts. They are most surely thinking about their families, their future and all manner of other things. When I look at them, I suddenly remember the joy I felt those three years ago in the forest. The people have the same commanding presence as the trees that I saw there.

道用　浩一（Koichi Doyo）／写真家

1981年東京都生まれ。富山県・石川県で幼少時代を過ごす。
スタジオ勤務を経て、2008年上田義彦氏に師事、2013年独立。

Photographer.Born 1981 in Tokyo,spent his childhood in Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures.
After working in a photog-raphy studio and stuying under Yoshihiko Ueda, he launched his carcer as independent photographer in 2013.

■Exhibition　「Laetitia」Gallery916 small 2013.9.23~10.12

ウェブサイト／Doyo Koichi