{"id":10193,"date":"2023-02-22T18:49:50","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T09:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/?p=10193"},"modified":"2026-01-12T23:18:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:18:57","slug":"where-the-light-is-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/en\/where-the-light-is-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Delivering the Light of Art to Nishinari Airin District, Japan’s Largest Slum | Kota | Oneness Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t

Delivering the Light of Art to Nishinari Airin District, Japan's Largest Slum<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Osaka Nishinari, Airin, Kamagasaki<\/h3>\n
\n\t

 <\/p>\n

February 11, 2023<\/p>\n

During the period when the Kansai International Art Festival<\/a>, an international art event, was held in Osaka.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I carried out my own art project,<\/p>\n

Where The Light Is,<\/p>\n

in Nishinari, Osaka, also known as Japan's largest slum, in the Kamagasaki area,<\/p>\n

commonly known as the Airin District<\/b>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I consider myself to have participated in the Kansai International Art Festival unofficially.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Previous Where The Light Is projects can be found here:<\/p>\n

\u30fbDigital + Street + Art in Bangkok \/ Where The Light Is<\/a> \/ Where The Light Is<\/a><\/p>\n

\u30fbAre paintings a gateway to the afterlife? \/ Digital + Street + Art in Pai<\/a><\/p>\n

\u30fbOnsen + Art \/ Digital + Street Art at the Yubatake in Kusatsu Onsen<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n

At the closed \"Airin Labor Welfare Center\"<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Japan's largest slum<\/h3>\n
\n\t

 <\/p>\n

This Nishinari, Airin District is<\/p>\n

said to be Japan's largest slum.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There were many piles of garbage and tents lined up,<\/p>\n

and the air was filled with a pungent ammonia-like odor.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additionally, there were extremely cheap izakayas, supermarkets,<\/p>\n

and dormitory-style accommodations with no key money, no deposit, and daily pay,<\/p>\n

where many homeless people,<\/p>\n

former prisoners, and those unable to integrate into society<\/p>\n

naturally drifted and gathered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most of them have made a living<\/p>\n

as day laborers in this land, Nishinari, Airin District.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The scene felt like a foreign slum,<\/p>\n

yet at the same time, it held a certain sense of Showa-era melancholy,<\/p>\n

a nostalgic warmth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Artwork illuminated in the dark<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

If we go back in time, this area was known as a \"buraku.\"<\/p>\n

(It was a community of people who were persecuted and called \"eta\" or \"hinin,\"<\/p>\n

existing in various parts of Japan.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As time passed,<\/p>\n

during the post-World War II reconstruction after the Greater East Asia War (World War II),<\/p>\n

this area developed as a workers' district, where much labor was needed.<\/p>\n

Many young people gathered here.<\/p>\n

Most of them were day laborers,<\/p>\n

and it is said that the working conditions were harsh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

Perhaps because of such an environment,<\/p>\n

drugs, primarily stimulants, became rampant.<\/p>\n

It became famous as the place where drugs were the easiest to acquire in Japan,<\/p>\n

and drug addicts never ceased.<\/p>\n

Not only drugs, but also alcoholics,<\/p>\n

as well as scenes of gambling, prostitution, fights, and riots,<\/p>\n

were part of the everyday landscape.<\/p>\n

(Some of this still continues today.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many people who worked as day laborers would spend their wages,<\/p>\n

received at the end of the day, by the end of the same day.<\/p>\n

The concept of saving money did not exist.<\/p>\n

Still, there was always work, so at that time,<\/p>\n

it was sustainable in that way.<\/p>\n

It was truly a city of men living day by day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In 1970,<\/p>\n

the \"Airin Labor Welfare Center\"<\/p>\n

was built.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This was a place to recruit day laborers,<\/p>\n

a shelter for those without homes,<\/p>\n

and it also had a hospital, so it was truly the heart of the city.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(This is the building where the art project<\/p>\n

Where The Light Is was carried out.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As mentioned earlier,<\/p>\n

the city became a place where homeless people, ex-convicts, and those who could not fit into society<\/p>\n

drifted to, with the Airin Labor Welfare Center at its center.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If we express this scene directly,<\/p>\n

it was a rough and scary place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, on the other hand, there is also the fact that<\/p>\n

it had an open heart that welcomed anyone and everyone.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

Due to the unique \"color\" of such a city,<\/p>\n

- They do not inquire about each other's past.
\n- They help each other when in trouble.<\/p>\n

There were unique and invisible rules like these,<\/p>\n

and they continue to this day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, in 2019, due to seismic concerns,<\/p>\n

the \"Airin Labor Welfare Center\"<\/p>\n

was forced to close.<\/p>\n

(It is planned to be rebuilt after 2025.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many laborers were left in trouble and lost their place.<\/p>\n

Most of the people who had been using it as a shelter<\/p>\n

were the day laborers who supported the post-war period,<\/p>\n

but now they are old and can no longer work as they used to.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Currently, they live as homeless people<\/p>\n

in parks or on the streets in front of the Airin Labor Welfare Center,<\/p>\n

or live in cheap \"doya\" (inns) while receiving welfare benefits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

\t\t\n\t\t The work \"Blue\"<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

Aging, hunger, malnutrition, cold, and sanitary conditions<\/p>\n

are the harsh realities that some must endure,<\/p>\n

and some quietly pass away without anyone knowing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There, a variety of social issues seemed to be condensed,<\/p>\n

along with a history and darkness that surrounded them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the same time,<\/p>\n

it is also true that many kind and compassionate people,<\/p>\n

who help one another, exist.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I personally witnessed such scenes,<\/p>\n

which deeply moved me.<\/p>\n

Also, the locals treated me, a young traveler,<\/p>\n

with kindness and warmth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We talked casually, laughed, and helped each other.<\/p>\n

I felt the warmth of the good old Showa era,<\/p>\n

and it felt like \"time has stopped in this land.\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Explanation of this art project<\/h3>\n
\n\t

The Nishinari-Airin district of Osaka.<\/p>\n

It started as a buraku community,<\/p>\n

and after the war, it became a city of physical, day laborers,<\/p>\n

but today, it has become Japan's largest slum.<\/p>\n

In the heart of this district was the huge building<\/p>\n

\"Airin Labor Welfare Center,\"<\/p>\n

which operated from 1970 to 2019,<\/p>\n

and is now closed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In this building, which is also slated for demolition,<\/p>\n

I will engage in art activities using light as a medium.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This act,<\/p>\n

I believe, will shine a light on societal issues such as race, human rights, wealth inequality, drugs,<\/p>\n

working conditions, and social welfare.<\/p>\n

Instead of covering the darkness,<\/p>\n

shining a light on it<\/p>\n

will lead to the creation of a better society in the future.<\/p>\n

And because it's art,<\/p>\n

it allows for free expression.<\/p>\n

It can shine a light on social issues in a pop style.<\/p>\n

It can overcome language barriers.<\/p>\n

This is also an art activity that traces the context of the political and social themes<\/p>\n

of street artist Banksy, who has been active since the early 2000s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

\t\t\n\t\t The work \"Conflict\"<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Thoughts after completing the art project<\/h3>\n
\n\t

Through this art activity,<\/p>\n

I stayed in this area for about three days.<\/p>\n

I learned about this place, had conversations with the people,<\/p>\n

shared meals, spent time together, and felt so much.<\/p>\n

And being able to engage in art activities here is<\/p>\n

a precious memory and a great asset.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I saw people sleeping and staying in the cold sky,<\/p>\n

there was a part of me that felt heartbroken.<\/p>\n

I also saw scenes of fights, a market for thieves,<\/p>\n

and drug transactions,<\/p>\n

and I felt I was able to clearly see the social issues of Japan with my own eyes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What one person can do may be small,<\/p>\n

but by combining it with art and sharing information,<\/p>\n

I can deliver it to the whole country and the world.<\/p>\n

This is what I can do now,<\/p>\n

and I also feel that it is my mission.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where The Light Is<\/p>\n

The place where light exists<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is exactly in a place like this,<\/p>\n

that I feel the light shines even brighter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To the people of Nishinari-Airin district,<\/p>\n

Thank you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

\t\t\n\t\tThe work \"Dawn\"<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n

With Yassan and his personal piece \"Yasuhiro\".<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

P.S.<\/h3>\n
\n\t

This project was supported by a friend of mine living in Osaka,<\/p>\n

who is also the owner (purchaser) of my artwork, known as Yassan.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He helped in various ways, including guiding me at the site and assisting with photography.<\/p>\n

Yassan, thank you so much!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

\t\t\n\t\tAlong with the work \"Guidance.\"<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What one person can do may not be much. But I felt that this is what I can do now, and that it is my mission. Where The Light Is \/ Where the light is. I felt that it is precisely in places like this that the light shines brighter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/?p=6967","footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[65],"class_list":["post-10193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-works","tag-art-project","en-US"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10193"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12213,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10193\/revisions\/12213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kota-yoshida.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}