Revisiting Onomichi: Echoes of Japan’s Past in a Fading Port Town
The Legacy of Yasujiro Ozu’s “Tokyo Story” Amid Setouchi’s Decline
After a long absence, I’ve returned to Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. Situated along the Seto Inland Sea, famous for its mild winters—uncommon in the otherwise rugged Japanese archipelago—Onomichi preserves the nostalgic charm of an old Japanese port town.
Today, Onomichi serves as the mainland gateway to the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido, a scenic, approximately 60-kilometer route connecting Hiroshima Prefecture on Honshu to Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. While now increasingly popular among cycling enthusiasts, Onomichi initially rose to fame as the backdrop of a legendary Japanese film.
That film is Yasujiro Ozu’s renowned masterpiece, “Tokyo Story” (1953). Through a nuanced portrayal of family dynamics between an elderly couple in Onomichi and their adult children working in postwar Tokyo, the film brilliantly captures the unique scenery of the region. Images of hillside neighborhoods, peaceful vistas toward Mukojima Island, and trains gently traversing the town all evoke the timeless beauty of this quiet port.
Shipbuilding historically dominated local industry, particularly on Innoshima Island, the home of the renowned Hitachi Zosen shipyard. Originally founded by locals in 1896, this shipyard briefly flourished due to wartime demand during the Russo-Japanese War but collapsed by 1908. In 1911, Osaka Iron Works acquired the site, revitalizing it and eventually establishing Innoshima as Japan’s top shipbuilding region during World War I.
The shipbuilding industry fluctuated dramatically with changing economic conditions and global conflicts throughout the 20th century. Revitalized by wartime production, the company became Hitachi Zosen in 1943. However, severe downsizing beginning in the late 1980s devastated local communities, prompting residents to lament that “the island was sinking.”
Despite a temporary resurgence in Japanese shipbuilding driven by China’s economic boom in the early 2000s, Hitachi Zosen gradually withdrew from shipbuilding, completely ceasing new vessel construction on Innoshima. In October 2024, after more than 80 years, Hitachi Zosen finally changed its corporate name, marking the end of a significant chapter.
Nearby islands, such as Mukojima and Hakatajima, similarly thrived through shipbuilding. Mukojima still hosts active shipyards, and vessels anchored at Onomichi’s ports echo the area’s maritime heritage, preserving the atmosphere vividly depicted in “Tokyo Story.”
But shipbuilding alone doesn’t define Onomichi’s historical importance. Centuries ago, these islands were dominated by maritime warriors known as the Murakami Suigun, clans of pirates strategically controlling trade routes through the Seto Inland Sea. Based primarily on Innoshima, Noshima, and Kurushima islands, they became indispensable allies—or formidable adversaries—to the imperial aristocracy and warrior clans centered in Kyoto.
However, Onomichi’s strategic relevance declined sharply before World War II, as naval shipbuilding shifted eastward to Kure City. This relocation triggered the area’s gradual decline, beautifully and poignantly captured by Ozu in “Tokyo Story.”
Before bridges connected the islands, interaction with mainland Japan was extremely limited, creating stark economic disparities. Islands with prosperous industries rapidly advanced, attracting young workers from neighboring communities. Post-war Japan accelerated depopulation, as many youths permanently migrated to the mainland in search of work, leaving their hometowns behind.
Today, conversations with local islanders highlight the severity of ongoing decline. Residents predict the imminent collapse of local agriculture within two years. Shipbuilding and farming have lost their appeal to younger generations, accelerating demographic deterioration.
The Shimanami Kaido, completed in 2006 after 31 years of construction, arrived too late to reverse the islands’ aging and economic crises. Setouchi’s islands have become symbols of Japan’s super-aged society, with younger generations noticeably absent. Islands lacking bridge connections suffer the most severely, intensifying isolation and hardship.
Ironically, Onomichi’s missed opportunities for economic revitalization have preserved the iconic scenery immortalized in “Tokyo Story.” Viewing Ozu’s film today, surrounded by Onomichi’s quiet streets, gentle sea breeze, and fading landscape, evokes deep nostalgia, complex emotions, and reflections on Japan’s uncertain future.