The Oki Islands, a Well of Creativity on a Natural
Fortress of Solitude
Oki Island is a remote island some three hours by ferry from mainland Japan in theSea of Japan. It was used in the 13th and 14th centuries as a place of exile for
influential emperors who could upset the balance in the political centers of Kyotoand Kamakura.
One such person was the 82nd Emperor, Gotoba. He has been recorded as being agenius with an ability to master all things. He was a noted poet, horse rider, fencer,archer, and even swordmaking. Gotoba surrounded himself with the bestswordsmiths in the land to teach him the art, and he produced many examples
himself that even today are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Today,Emperor Gotoba is recognized as an artist who had boundless creativity.
Not only did he make swords, but he is also recorded as being a connoisseur ofregarding the sword for its intrinsic artistic qualities. His love and participation in theart raised the status of swords and swordsmiths from being mere weapons andcraftsmen, to sublime art and artisans. Emperor Gotoba has continued to inspiregenerations of swordsmiths for 800 years. Even today, master swordsmiths aspire toobtain recognition of reaching Emperor Gotoba’s level of artistic sense by devoting
swords to Oki Shrine and a new project is underway to invigorate the art.
Gotoba spent his exile in what is now known as Ama Town. Surrounded by natureand far from his home in the capital, Gotoba relied on his artistic creativity to fortify
his new existence. It is said that he continued to make swords here. He evencomposed some of his most notable poetry that was inspired by these Islands. Hecreated new sports such as a unique type of Bull Fighting. It could even be argued
that Gotoba’s creativity may even have increased since residing in Ama.
The Oki Islands abundance of natural beauty has led to it being designated aUNESCO Global Geo-park. It is easy to imagine how inspired by the naturallandscape and sea, Emperor Gotoba possibly transformed those images in the formof hamon (patterns of the hardened edge) onto the metal canvas that we callJapanese swords. The jigane (steel surface) of the blades also resembles wood grainpatterns, and the natural curvature of the blades resemble that of droopingbranches.

You too can experience this natural fortress of solitude and rejuvenate yourcreativity by visiting the Oki Islands. You can stay in the coastal Ento Hotel in whichmost rooms have scenic views (some with glass walls) facing out to the Sea of Japan.
Or, you could try Glamping on the beach and meditate while the sun sets to thesound of the gently lapping waves of the crystal-clear sea.
Oki Islands remote location also means that it has been relatively untouched sinceEmperor Gotoba’s time. It is in some ways like an 800-year old time capsule. You canstill visit the sites where Emperor Gotoba composed his Katsuta Pond poem, or Saki
Harbor where he composed his, “New Lord of these Islands” poem. You can even stillwalk some of the same paths or view the same unpolluted night sky with a clear
view of the universe and ponder your existence as probably did Emperor Gotoba.
Experience the essence of Japanese culture through its deep connection with natureand emphasis on harmony which is also expressed in the traditional hospitalitycalled, Omotenashi. The inhabitants of the Oki Islands also pride themselves on
being completely self-sufficient. The people of Ama have a saying, “Nai mono wa
nai: We have everything we need!” This means, simply living in harmony with natureand valuing the community.
For the artist traveler always wants to get off the beaten track from the regular
tourist cities of Japan, it doesn’t get much better than the Oki Islands. Dive into thewell of creativity to see what inspired the great Emperor, and see what you too candiscover. Can you hear Emperor Gotoba calling you? Just be careful, once you realizethat you have everything you need, you may never want to leave.

March 2024

Paul Martin