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The TAMASHIMA Instameet event was held on Hachijojima Island (one of Tokyo's islands), over the weekend of Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th of October, 2017. This event aimed to have attendees from oversees (especially East Asia) experience, and widely share their experiences, of a different part of the Toyko landscape (not just the big city). While experiencing the splendour of the natural wilderness of Hachijojima Island (which is one of the Izu Islands, a part of Tokyo), attendees photographed a wide variety of spots. We had @moonlightice, a prominent Japanese instagrammer with more than 500,000 followers from around the world, and @hanatam, a creative personality from Hong Kong along as guests. We'd like to introduce how the event went down - with people from all different parts of the globe meeting up under one roof and exchanging ideas.
On the first day, participants arrived one after another by plane and boat. Event staff greeted the guests at the air and sea ports, and guided them in regards to the gathering location and the schedule of the day.
At the Sokodo Port passenger waiting area, which was the reception place, staff handed out Hachijojima Island sightseeing brochures and event wrist bands. 26 people of various nationalities participated (such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Western countries). Once everyone had come together, we took a group photo. And the event was underway at last.
Everyone gathered together, and departed on the chartered bus. Event staff gave an overview of the schedule of the day and explained some precautionary items. Interpreters were on hand for Chinese and English speakers who didn't understand Japanese. After the ice was broken, the atmosphere with the participants became friendly and lively.
Break time at a community farm. Participants took photos as they pleased – the scenery from the viewing platform, a selfie with a cow etc.
The climb up Mt.Hachijo-Fuji (the main attraction). We walked for around 2 hours, following our guide. While keenly listening to the explanations of the unique plants and history of Hachijojima Island, all of the participants were taking pictures of various subjects. On the way to the summit of the mountain, the weather was unfortunately misty, but somehow, miraculously upon reaching the summit, the sun shone through, and we were able to shoot a magnificent view of Mt Hachijo-Fuji. It was splendid!
In the evening, we were kindly received by a local mother's group, and local government staff and provided with island cuisine. We had sushi with the island's local fish, and local specialties such as a shitaba (vegetable) tempura, and local sake. The language barrier didn't stop participants and locals from having a raucous time together! This closed out the first day's proceedings, with the participants having thoroughly enjoyed their time as evidenced by their many smiles. On the second day, we headed to a more secluded area... Day 2 to follow.
With the previous days feast a lingering memory, day 2 begins. Day 2 was a wander through Hego Forest. A headcount, everyone on the bus, and we're off!
We took the bus to the entrance of Hego Forest, met up with our guide and headed into the depths of the forest. Hego Forest is a special area, in which a guide must be present to enter. The weather was slightly rainy, but Hego Forest is a location that looks beautiful in wet conditions so we were lucky
Delving deep into Hego Forest is exactly like entering a scene from Jurassic Park. This untouched pristine forest grows with abundance. While our guide introduced us to various plants, we captured this photo of the leaves of a slightly different kind of fern tree.
After we had finished walking around in Hego Forest, we asked the famous influencer @moonlightice to choose the photos from the last 2 days that particularly appealed to him. Participants uploaded pictures to Instagram, using the hashtag #tamashimainstameet. There were so many pictures posted! All the pictures were nice, making it difficult to choose. (#tamashimainstameet)
*Some selected photographs
And last up we have the final event - a traditional performance of the island's Hachijo Taiko drums was performed for us. Participants received a lesson on taiko drumming, and played together, making for a fun exchange. We finished the event up with a commemorative group photograph. TAMASHIMA Instameet turned out to be a massive success – with participants experiencing Hachijojima Island's nature, culture, and locals' personalities! Next up we are holding the second TAMASHIMA Instameet, in Okutama on Saturday, November 11th!
