Finding a doll depicting Yaoya Oshichi a 16-year-old Edo-period girl who set a fire hoping to reunite with her lover, only to be burned at the stake deeply captivated me. Thinking of her tragic love, I decided to follow in her footsteps, praying at shrines and temples as her pain slowly seeped into my heart.
Throughout our lives, we all inevitably lose loved ones and must carry that grief. Yet, pain is inseparably linked to love for others. By sharing our sorrow, we build deep mutual bonds, let go of the past, and find the strength to focus on the future.
Traveling through these extraordinary landscapes, I felt Mother Nature surrounding me and realized we all share the same fate on this earth. My final day will come just as Oshichi’s did, but until then, I have forged a strong bond with this world—a bond I want to cherish by continuing to live, one day at a time.
"Oshici"
Michiko Chiyoda
Tokyo
