Yasuhiro Ogawa: Into The Silence

The story of Matsuo Bashō’s journey through the northern provinces of Japan in the 17th century, as recounted in his travelogue “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” (“Oku no Hosomichi”) is a testament to the enduring mystique of the country’s interior. In the summer of 1689, Bashō set out on his journey with his traveling companion Sora. They traveled on foot, carrying only minimal provisions and staying in humble lodgings along the way. Bashō was seeking inspiration for his poetry, and he found it in the natural beauty and cultural richness of the places he visited.

Despite its rich cultural and natural heritage, this region remains relatively unknown to many people, both within and outside of Japan. However, a recent photo-book by Yasuhiro Ogawa titled ‘Into the Silence’ offers a glimpse into this little-explored world, highlighting both the beauty and challenges of this remote region.

Like Bashō before him, Ogawa set out on a journey through the Tōhoku region, unlike Bashō, who traveled on foot with pen in hand, Ogawa preferred to move by train and occasional ferry with camera in hand. His photographs capture the rugged beauty of the landscape, from snow-covered mountains to misty forests but also include mondain house formations, deserted roads and glimpses of wild oceans, often shot through foggy windows on a train in motion. Through his lens, Ogawa reveals a world that is both remote and timeless, a world in stillness and motion.

Despite the passage of centuries, the challenges faced by Bashō on his journey are still evident in Ogawa’s photographs. The loneliness and isolation of the road are palpable in the shots of empty trains, lone tracks or roads and desolate hotel interiors shot. So are the physical challenges of traversing rough terrain and inclement weather documented in his muted photographs.

What is striking about Ogawa’s photographs is the contrast between the beauty and tranquility of the landscape and the harsh realities of life in this remote region. From plain coastal towns to empty streets, Ogawa’s images reveal the toll that economic decline and depopulation have taken on the area. Yet, amidst the unostentatiousness, there remains a sense of hope and resilience. In many ways, Ogawa’s photo-book is a continuation of Bashō’s journey. Both men sought to explore and capture the essence of this little-known region, and both found inspiration in the beauty and challenges of the road. While times have changed, and the region has undergone significant transformation, the enduring mystique of the interior of Japan lives on. Through ‘Into the Silence’, Yasuhiro Ogawa offers a glimpse into this world, and like Bashō will inspire generations of poets and travellers, both in Japan and around the world.