- SKU: 9784096825075
- タイプ： Photography Books
PREORDER Sanctuary – Amami Breath of Life: World Heritage Island
Please note: This is a preorder item that will be ordered when an order is received. It may take additional time to ship beyond the delivery estimate shown below.
A masterful culmination of a photographer’s lifelong devotion to Amami—the miracle islands. Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima were registered as UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites in 2021. Known for exceptionally high biodiversity and a unique ecosystem, the islands are home to numerous natural monuments, endemic species, and critically endangered wildlife. Although the islands are famous for their beautiful coastlines, their true heart lies in the deep forests at the center—places so remote that even locals rarely enter.
Long before the heritage registration, one photographer ventured alone into these forests, staying for nights at a time, documenting precious creatures such as the Amami rabbit. Over more than forty years, he continued to record the unseen reality of Amami’s wilderness. This book is the definitive archive of that “miracle island,” revealing the true face of the forest that the world must witness.
Editor's Note:
People of Amami often visit the coast, but almost never the forest. To enter the forest, one must climb steep slopes, face venomous habu snakes, and contend with the mischievous yokai known as kenmun. Yet the photographer began entering these forests alone around 45 years ago, staying multiple nights. Locals were astonished—unsure whether he was courageous or simply reckless.
When asked if he was afraid, he replied calmly, “If I worried about that, I couldn’t photograph anything.” Pressed further, he admitted he had experienced what seemed like kenmun trickery two or three times.
The photographs in this book were taken with pure determination—driven only by the desire to understand the forest no one knew. Without such passion, Amami’s forest might still be an unknown place, waiting only for development. The hope is that this book will inspire more people to care about Amami’s natural treasures.
About the Author:
Hamada was born in 1953 in En, Tatsugō Town, Amami Ōshima, Kagoshima Prefecture. In 2017, he received the Excellence Award in the Motion Category of Nature’s Best Photography, hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the United States. He was also honored with the 68th Minami Nihon Cultural Award (Minami Nihon Shimbun) and, in 2018, the 51st MBC Award (MBC Hatachu Cultural Foundation, Minami Nihon Broadcasting).
He continues his long‑term research and photographic documentation of the Amami rabbit’s ecology. Hamada is a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and a visiting researcher at the Kagoshima University Center for International Island Studies.
Book Details:
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Release Date: December 16, 2025
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Format: B12 variant
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Pages: 120 pages
- Author: Futoshi Hamada
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PREORDER Sanctuary – Amami Breath of Life: World Heritage Island
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