Japan is a nation made of more than 6,800 islands. There are islands dotted with modern art, World Heritage islands full of pristine nature, and outlying islands that preserve traditions no longer present on Japan's main islands. However, many of Jap... (more)an's remote island communities are struggling to survive in the age of globalization. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is remote islands. These outlying areas showcase Japan's quintessential appeal and contemporary challenges.

Peter Barakan, Stuart Varnam-Atkin