Descendant of Samurai

PrizeHonorable Mention in Photography
ArtistRyotaro Horiuchi, Tokyo, Japan
CategoryProfessional

There are samurai living in modern-day of Japan. In the Soma region of Fukushima, there is a traditional festival called “Soma Nomaoi” which has a history of over 1,000 years. In past days, being a Samurai was a full-time occupation. Recently, samurai hold modern jobs but they keep the traditional mindset and rules. In the long history, there were some years when the festival wasn’t held because of a lot of difficulties, but they have overcome all the obstacles by managing to keep the traditions alive and adapting to change. Their spirit is essential to keep being samurai in modern-day society.