The Widow, The Priest and The Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island (Tuttle Specials)

Get to know the inhabitants of a tiny Japanese island-and their unusual stories and secrets-through this fascinating, intimate collection of portraits. "This book beautifully describes the residents of tiny Shiraishi Island as well as telling how Amy herself came to be in such a fascinating little corner of Japan…Amy herself, with this book, has shown herself an integral part of this preservation. -Rebecca Otowa, author of At Home in JapanWhen American journalist Amy Chavez moved to the tiny island of Shiraishi (population 430), she rented a house from an elderly woman named Eiko, who left many of her most cherished possessions in the house-including a portrait of Emperor Hirohito and a family altar bearing the spirit tablet of her late husband.Why did she abandon these things? And why did her tombstone later bear the name of a daughter no one knew?These are just some of the mysteries Amy pursues as she explores the lives of Shiraishi's elusive residents.The 31 revealing accounts in th