• The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Grandma Okawara

    VG Bild Grant

  • In March 2011 Japan was struck by a disastrous earthquake which caused huge tsunamis. Over twentythousand people lost their lifes, many are still missing. The tidal waves caused severe damage to the nuclear power plant Fukushima Dai-Ichi. Nuclear meltdown in three reactors was the result, leading to heavy radioactive contamination of the surrounding land and sea. Cities, villages and farms within a radius of 30 kilometers were evacuated. Until now.
    The Okawara family lives only af few kilometers off the evacuation zone. Greenpeace Japan proved that their fields did not suffer the massive fallout as other regions. As organic farmers they heavily depend on the trust of their customers. They check every harvest on radioactive contamination. It is always far below the legal limit of radiation or even non-existent. Nonetheless sales dropped dramatically. Adequate compensations by TEPCO, the infamous company which runs the nuclear power plant, are difficult to receive. But Tatsuko and Shin Okawara keep on farming, founded a centre called "esperi" (esperanto for "hope") and try to encourage their neighbours and themselves to keep going. Their charisma and strength is astonishing.
    This project was photographed in summer 2012 and winter 2013 with support by a grant o Stiftung Kulturwerk VG Bildkunst.

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Shin´s working boots

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Kuro died shortly after, due to cancer

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Frog on a greenhouse

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Snow cloud

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Middle school children on their way home

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Snowstorm

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Freshly picked tomato

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    The fireplace, heart of the house

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Rice from the Okawara fields

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Tatsuko Okawara

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Song for people of Fukushima

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Spider in the farmhouse

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Cabbage left on a field

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Working gloves

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Shin's silhouette

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Laundry

    VG Bild Grant

  • The Okawara family is doing everything they can to stay and keep on their organic farming in the prefecture of Fukushima

    Okawara family

    VG Bild Grant