>>> LUSH, SUBTROPICAL FOLIAGE PRESENTED IN MUTED GREENS.

AND AN EERIE, ALMOST OTHERWORLDLY ATMOSPHERE.

I JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE.

IT WAS PAINTED BY TANAKA ISSON.

SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE JAPANESE GOLD BEAR.

>> ISSON LIVED ALONE IN POVERTY AND DIED IN OBSCURITY.

HE SPENT THE LAST 19 YEARS OF HIS LIFE PAINTING THE REMOTE FAUNA AND FLORA IN AN ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHWEST JAPAN, AMAMI OSHIMA.

I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO VISIT THIS PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

EVER SINCE SEEING HIS SON'S WORK FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I VISITED PEOPLE AND PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH HIM.

I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE FOREST AND LOCAL WAY OF LIFE THROUGH HIS EYES.

♪ ♪ >> WHAT DID THE SOLITARY ARTIST DISCOVER IN AMAMI OSHIMA?

AMAMI OSHIMA IS AROUND 1200 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF TOKYO.

80% OF THE LAND HERE IS COVERED IN SUBTROPICAL VEGETATION.

NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND IS ONE OF JAPAN'S LARGEST MANGROVE FORESTS.

THIS SPECTACULAR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS HOME TO MANY RARE AND ENDEMIC SPECIES.

THE SURROUNDING SEA IS SAID TO BE AMAMI BLUE AND SHOWCASE A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLORS.

♪ ♪ HELLO, I AM PETER BARAKAN.

I HAVE BEEN IN JAPAN FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

I WORK AS A BROADCASTER, BUT I ALSO DO A LOT OF DEEJAY EVENTS AROUND JAPAN.

ONE DAY, I RECEIVED AN INVITATION FROM AMAMI OSHIMA.

THAT IS HOW MY DREAM OF VISITING THIS ISLAND BECAME A REALITY.

BUT THAT WAS NOT MY ONLY REASON FOR WANTING TO COME HERE.

FOR ME, IT WAS ALSO A CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT THE ARTIST WHO MOVED HERE AND CREATED SUCH STRIKING IMAGES OF ITS NATURAL WORLD, TANAKA ISSON.

HIS SON MAKES SKILLFUL USE OF COLOR TO PRESENT SHADOWY AREAS AMID BRIGHT LIGHT.

THE PLANTS HAVE A QUIET VITALITY.

HIS ART GENERATES A MYSTERIOUS ATMOSPHERE THAT I FIND CAPTIVATING.

BECAUSE OF THE PAINTINGS, I WANTED TO SEE WHAT KIND OF PLACE AMAMI OSHIMA WAS.

IN THAT IT HAD OBVIOUSLY TRIGGERED SOMETHING IN HIM TO CREATE THIS AMAZING ART.

HERE AT LAST.

THE PERMANENT EXHIBITION HERE TRACES HIS SON'S JOURNEY FROM CHILDHOOD TO THE END OF HIS LIFE.

OH, HERE IT IS.

I HAVE SEEN THIS SO OFTEN IN PHOTOGRAPHS.

I DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS QUITE THIS BIG.

THIS IS KIND OF THE REASON THAT I AM HERE.

ALOCASIA AND SAGO PALM IS CONSIDERED THE CULMINATION OF ISSON'S CREATIVE ENDEAVORS.

THE ARTIST SAW IT IN THE WORK HE WOULD LIKE TO BE JUDGED IN THE LIFE HEREAFTER.

DO YOU THINK THAT HIS SON WHAT HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THAT IN THIS VIEW JUST THE WAY IT IS IN THE PICTURE?

>> THIS MADE ME WONDER WHAT KIND OF LIFE ISSON HAD LIVED.

HIS TALENT WAS OBVIOUS FROM A YOUNG AGE.

HE WAS EVIDENTLY VERY PRECOCIOUS.

ISSON WAS A CHILD PRODIGY.

HE PAINTED THIS AT THE AGE OF SEVEN.

IT'S SAID THAT-AFTER HIS FATHER, HIMSELF A SCULPTOR, HE MADE CHANGES AND ANGRILY TORE A PART OF IT OFF.

HE WAS CLEARLY ALREADY CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY.

PEOPLE QUICKLY NOTICED HIS TALENT.

HIS WORK BEGAN TO DRAW MANY FANS.

IN 1926, HE WAS ADMITTED TO JAPAN'S TOP SCHOOL FOR ARTISTS.

BUT HE SOON DROPPED OUT.

SOME SAY IT WAS BECAUSE OF A FAMILY ILLNESS.

BUT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE FOR HIM TO LEARN.

ISSON'S FAMILY NEEDED MONEY, BUT HE HIMSELF WAS INCREASINGLY RELUCTANT TO PAINT COMMERCIALLY.

IN ISSON'S CASE, IT APPEARS THAT HE DID NOT PARTICULARLY WANT TO SELL HIS WORK.

WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT?

>> AT THE AGE OF 23, ISSON PRODUCED THIS.

IT REFLECTS NO REGARD FOR THE PREFERENCES OF HIS CUSTOMERS.

>> AT THE AGE OF 30, HE MOVED TO A VILLAGE IN CHIBA PREFECTURE, ADJACENT TO TOKYO.

HE EARNED A LIVING THROUGH FARMING AND PART-TIME WORK, BUT CONTINUED TO PAINT.

HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN SOMEWHAT FRAIL, BUT THE WAR YEARS STARTING IN 1941 TOOK A PARTICULARLY HEAVY TOLL ON HIS HEALTH.

HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT DIMINISH HIS PASSION FOR ART.

AT THE AGE OF 39, HE PAINTED THIS.

EVERY LEAF AND FLOWER REFLECTS METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

HE SUBMITTED TO A PUBLIC EXHIBITION SHOWCASIE IING INNOVN FOR TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ART, AND IT WAS ACCEPTED.

>> OH, WOW.

THIS IS A BIG CHANGE, AGAIN.

THIS AMBITIOUS PIECE WAS PAINTED IN GOLD LEAF.

BRIMMING WITH CONFIDENCE, ISSON SUBMITTED IT TO ANOTHER EXHIBITION.

>> REALLY?

SO WAS HE VERY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT?

>> BUT ISSON'S COMPLAINTS WERE NOT HEARD.

AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, HE CUT TIES WITH JAPAN'S MAINSTREAM ART ESTABLISHMENT.

EVEN AS HIS CIRCUMSTANCES BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT, HE CONTINUED TO PAINT.

NEVERTHELESS, HE NEEDED SOME KIND OF BREAKTHROUGH.

A FRESH SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

AND HE DECIDED TO HIT THE ROAD.

HE KENT TO KYUSHU IN SOUTHWEST JAPAN.

ITS VIBRANT, COLORFUL SCENERY WAS NEW TO HIM.

AND IT PROMPTED A FURTHER CHANGE IN HIS PAINTING STYLE.

ISSON WAS PARTICULARLY TAKEN WITH THIS SMALL ISLAND.

THE VEGETATION HE SAW THERE LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION.

HERE IS A PAINTING HE PRODUCED IN 1955 AT THE AGE OF 47.

THIS PAPER WAS USED TO WRAP THE PAINTING, AND ON IT HE WROTE DOWN A FEW THOUGHTS.

TURQUOISE C. SAPPHIRE SKY.

FLUTTERING PALM FROMS.

IT'S LIKE A TROPICAL DREAM.

HIS JOURNEY INSTILLED AN EVEN FURTHER DESIRE TO GO FURTHER SOUTH.

AND, IN 1958, AT THE AGE OF 50, THAT IS WHAT HE DID.

ISSON MOVED, ALONE.

♪ ♪ AFTER ARRIVING, HE STARTED TAKING PHOTOS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT HE WAS SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THESE WOULD BECOME THE NEW MOTIFS IN HIS WORK.

♪ ♪ I WENT TO SEE SOME OF THE PLANTS FOR MYSELF.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

KIJIMIMA KOSUKE IS AN ECO-TOUR GUIDE.

HE TOOK ME INTO THE FOREST.

DID YOU EVER MEET ISSON?

>> IN AMAMI OSHIMA, ISSON WAS ABLE TO FOCUS SINGLE-MINDEDLY ON HIS ART.

HE OFTEN WENT INTO THE MOUNTAINS SEARCHING FOR SUBJECT MATTER.

IT SEEMS HE WOULD CLOSELY OBSERVE EN PLANTS AND BIRDS.

>> I AM HEARING THEM NOW.

OH, THAT.

>> IT IS KIND OF A BLUE COLOR.

YES?

LIDITH'S JAY IS ONLY FOUND ON THE AMAMI ISLANDS.

IT'S ONE OF THE RARE SPECIES LIVING IN THE FOREST HERE.

ISSON CLEARLY LOVED THE COLORFUL, SUBTROPICAL BIRDS HE SAW HERE.

THEY ARE FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN HIS PAINTINGS.

>> THIS PLANT, TOO, IS ENDEMIC.

IN AMAMI OSHIMA, IT IS COMMON.

THE FLOWERS OF THE HETEROTROPA LUTCHUENSIS GROW CLOSE TO THE GROUND.

IT IS SAID TO TAKE 100 YEARS FOR THIS PLANT TO SPREAD JUST ONE EATER.

>> YEAH, THAT IS.

THAT IS REALLY PRETTY.

THE TREES GROW TALL UP TOWARDS THE LIGHT.

THIS TREE, MEANWHILE, IS KNOWN FOR ITS ROOTS.

THERE IS NOT MUCH ROOM FOR THEM IN THE SHALLOW SOIL, BUT IN THIS UNUSUAL FORM THEY COULD SUPPORT THE TRUNK.

>> EACH PLANT IN ISSON'S ART, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, CONVEYS A STRONG SENSE OF VITALITY.

ISSON LIVED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NAZE IN WHAT IS NOW THE CITY OF AMAMI.

THE LARGEST URBAN COMMUNITY IN AMAMI OSHIMA.

HE ARRIVED JUST FIVE YEARS AFTER THE ISLAND HAD REVERTED TO JAPANESE ADMINISTRATION.

HAVING BEEN OCCUPIED BY THE U.S. AFTER WORLD WAR II, EVERYDAY LIFE WAS CHANGING QUICKLY.

AFTER THE WAR, THIS PLACE SPRANG UP AS A BLACK MARKET, BUSTLING WITH SHOPPERS.

IT RETAINS A SENSE OF THOSE DAYS.

>> IT SEEMS THAT MANY ISLAND RESIDENTS MOVED THERE FROM ELSEWHERE.

>> FOR A LONG TIME, ISSON LIVED IN THIS DISTRICT.

THE NATURAL WORLD FEELS VERY CLOSE HERE.

HE LIVED FRUGALLY.

GROWING VEGETABLES IN THE GARDEN OF A SMALL, RENTED HOUSE.

HE LARGELY AVOIDED OTHER PEOPLE AND JUST FOCUSED ON HIS ART.

IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE PERIOD.

ISSON MADE ONE PAINTING AFTER ANOTHER.

WHEN HE RAN OUT OF MONEY, HE WOULD WORK AT A DYE WORKSHOP.

AND WHEN HE EARNED ENOUGH, HE QUIT TO CONCENTRATE ON HIS PAINTING AGAIN.

OH, AND THIS IS WHERE HIS VERY LAST HOUSE -- I THINK IT'S BEEN MOVED HERE.

AND HE ONLY LIVED HERE FOR 10 DAYS, I THINK.

HE MOVED INTO THIS NEW PLACE.

FINALLY, HE GOT A RESIDENCE THAT WAS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE ONE HE HAD BEEN IN SO LONG.

10 DAYS LATER, HE DROPPED DEAD OF A HEART ATTACK.

SO THIS IS THE HOUSE.

>> ISSON LIVED IN SOLITUDE, BUT, TODAY, A LARGE GROUP HAS GATHERED AT HIS HOME.

>> THIS EVENT WAS ARRANGED BY THE ISSON MUSEUM.

TO THE LOCAL CHILDREN, ISSON IS A FAMILIAR FIGURE.

HIS WORK INSPIRES THEM TO PAINT AND DRAW.

IT WAS ONLY AFTER HIS DEATH THAT ISSON BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME.

AN EXHIBITION ARRANGED BY NEIGHBORS PROVED UNEXPECTEDLY POPULAR AND TRIGGERED THE GROWTH OF HIS REPUTATION.

I MET PEOPLE WHO ORGANIZED THAT FIRST EXHIBITION.

HELLO, GOOD MORNING.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TANAKA ISSON.

>> TOTALLY UNKNOWN PAINTER HERE?

>> WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION OF HIM AND HIS WORK FOR EACH OF YOU?

>> ISSON DIED HERE ALONE WITH NO ONE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.

BUT HIS LEGACY IS NOW IN SAFE HANDS.

THE DYE WORKSHOP WHERE HE WAS EMPLOYED PRODUCED OSHIMA TSUMUGI, A FABRIC HERE WITH 1300 YEARS OF HISTORY.

A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS CRAFT IS THAT THE THREADS ARE DYED BEFORE THEY ARE WOVEN.

WHEN CAREFULLY COMBINED, A PATTERN EMERGES.

ONE STRIKING FEATURE IS A GLOSSY BLACK.

IT IS PRODUCED USING A LOCAL TREE THAT IS RICH IN TANON.

THE WOOD OF THAT TREE IMPARTS A BROWN COLOR.

THIS PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED IN CENTURIES.

NEXT, THE THREADS ARE DIED IN MUDDY WATER WITH A HIGH ION CONTENT.

THE IRON WORKS WITH THE TANON TO TURN THE BROWN TO BLACK.

THE WORK DEMANDS FINE JUDGMENT AND EXCEPTIONAL MANUAL DEXTERITY.

MAKING A KIMONO LIKE THIS CAN TAKE A FULL YEAR.

ISSON WORKED ALONGSIDE MANY OTHER ARTISANS.

I MET A DESCENDENT OF ONE OF HIS COWORKERS.

>> TAMOTSU'S MOTHER WORKED WITH ISSON.

AND THE FAMILY HOME CONTINUES A VALUABLE MEMEMEMENTO.

>> TAMOTSU'S MOTHER ASKED ISSON TO DRAW HER GRANDPARENTS AND ALSO HER BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO DIED IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

THESE PICTURES ARE RARE EXAMPLES OF PORTRAITS BY ISSON.

>> IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE HE IS ALIVE.

HE IS KIND OF STARING DOWN AT YOU.

I MEAN, IT IS JUST A VERY REALISTIC DEPICTION OF A PERSON.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY STRONG ABOUT IT.

>> BASICALLY SO THAT HE WOULD GET SOME EXTRA PAY.

>> THESE PORTRAITS REALLY BRING OUT THE PERSONALITY OF THE FEATURED PEOPLE.

IT'S TIME FOR MY DEEJAY GIG.

THIS TIME, THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A THEME OF WORK SONGS.

AND I WILL JUST WING IT AND PLAY AS MANY AS I CAN IN THE ALLOTTED TIME.

♪ ♪ >> I CAME TO JAPAN FROM LONDON ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO.

AT FIRST EVERYTHING WAS NEW AND INVIGORATING, BUT, SOMETIMES, FRUSTRATING, AS WELL.

I WONDER IF, MAYBE, ISSON HAD SIMILAR FEELINGS ABOUT AMAMI OSHIMA.

HERE ARE SOME OF HIS SKETCHES OF LOCAL SCENES.

APART FROM THE FLORA AND FAUNA, HE WAS CLEARLY ALSO INTERESTED IN THE ISLAND'S CULTURE AND HOW PEOPLE THERE LIVED.

EVERY TIME I LOOK AT ALOCACIA AND SEGA PALM, I SEEM TO NOTICE SOMETHING NEW.

I SEE DIFFERENT STAGES OF IT FLOWERING AND BEARING FRUIT.

THROUGH A GAP IN THE LEAVES, WE GLIMPSE A DISTANT ROCK STANDING IN THE OCEAN, ALMOST GLOWING.

IT'S ACTUALLY AN OBJECT OF WORSHIP FOR PEOPLE IN AMAMI.

LIFE AND DEATH.

SHADOW AND LIGHT.

THESE CONTRASTS REFLECT THE FLUCTUATING FORTUNES OF THE ISLAND ITSELF.

AMAMI OSHIMA IS LOCATED BETWEEN KAGOSHIMA AND OKINAWA.

AT DIFFERENT TIMES HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED BY BOTH.

IN THE 15TH CENTURY, THE KINGDOM THAT IS BASED NOW IN OKINAWA, BROUGHT THE ISLAND UNDER ITS CONTROL.

IN THE 17th CENTURY, IT WAS CONQUERED BY WHAT IS NOW KAGOSHIMA.

THE NEW RULERS RAMPED UP THE PRODUCTION OF CANE SUGAR AND IMPOSED CONDITIONS SO HARSH THAT THE LOCAL PEOPLE STRUGGLED TO FEED THEMSELVES.

AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AMAMI OSHIMA CAME UNDER U.S. CONTROL.

TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE JAPANESE MAINLAND WAS PROHIBITED AND COSTLY TARIFFS WERE PLACED ON GOODS.

IN 1953, EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE WAR, THE ISLAND REVERTED TO JAPAN.

AT LAST AFTER A HISTORY OF HARDSHIP AND CHALLENGES, THE ISLANDERS WERE FREE.

SAGO PALM, ONE OF THE PLANTS IN ISSON'S MASTERPIECE, ACTUALLY PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT HISTORY.

I WENT TO SEE A PLACE WHERE MANY OF THEM GROW.

THEY COMPLETELY COVER THE MOUNTAINSIDE.

SO IS THIS ALL PLANTED?

>> SAGO FRUIT IS ACTUALLY POISONOUS, BUT THE RESOURCEFUL ISLANDERS FOUND A WAY TO MAKE IT EDIBLE.

THAT FRUIT KEPT THEM THROUGH THE YEARS OF CONTROL.

>> WELL, YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN.

FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW STEEP IT IS.

TO THINK THAT PEOPLE PLANTED THESE TREES ON SUCH A STEEP MOUNTAINSIDE IS QUITE A FEAT.

ISN'T IT?

>> OH.

THAT IS THE BIT THAT YOU EAT?

>> A RESTAURANT ON THE ISLAND STILL SERVES UP SAGO.

THIS IS A THICK SOUP MADE USING STARCH DERIVED FROM THE PLANT'S ROOT.

>> YEAH.

IT TASTES OKAY.

IT DOES NOT REALLY TASTE OF ANYTHING, VERY MUCH.

>> IT WAS GOOD.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, SAGO PALM, ONCE AGAIN, BECAME A LIFELINE.

>> BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN, I SUPPOSE, A SUBSISTENCE FOOD.

IT'S SLIGHTLY SURPRISING THAT YOU WOULD OPERATE A RESTAURANT SERVING THIS EVEN NOW WHEN PEOPLE CAN EAT WHAT THEY WANT TO.

>> A HISTORY OF ADVERSITY GLIMPSED IN A SIMPLE MEAL.

>> FOR THE ISLANDERS, SAGO PALM IS A SIGNIFICANT MOTIF.

SIMILARLY, THE SCREW PINE IN THIS IMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR ITS LINK TO LOCAL CULTURE RMT >> THAT IS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

AND YET WHEN I SAW ISSON'S PAINTINGS, THEY DID GIVE AN IMPRESSION OF BEING OTHERWORLDLY.

AND IT WAS ALMOST CREEPY TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT NOW.