100th Anniversary Symposium in Memory of S.S. Ohashi – A Japanese Photographer from Miyazu in Seychelles

   
　The Embassy of Japan in Seychelles, in collaboration with the University of Seychelles, the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, and Miyazu City in Japan, is pleased to announce the following Symposium to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Passing of Mr. Samuel Shingow Ohashi, a Japanese Photographer from Miyazu, Kyoto, who once lived in Seychelles.
 
Date & Time: Friday, 23rd May, 2025, 11:00am-12:15pm
(Time shown is Seychelles time.)
 
Venue:
For General Public: Live Stream Link
 
Programme:
11:00-11:03 Welcome Remarks by H.E. Mr. SAKUTA Makoto, Ambassador of Japan to Seychelles
 
11:03-11:05 Remarks by Dr. Justin Zelime, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Development, University of Seychelles

11:05-11:10 Remarks by Mr. KIZAKI Masafumi, Mayor of Miyazu City (in Japanese with English Translation)

11:10-11:30 Presentation by Mr. Pat Matyot, Independent Researcher
 
11:30-11:50 Presentation by Dr. MATSUDA Noriko, Associate Professor of Kyoto Prefectural University
 
11:50-12:10 Discussion, Q&A
 
12:10-12:13 Closing Remarks by Mr. David Andre, Secretary General of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts
 
 
Mr. Samuel Shingow Ohashi (Shinko Ohashi in Japanese) was born in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, and passed away in Seychelles on May 23, 1925, at the age of 74. The date of the Symposium, May 23, 2025, will mark the 100th anniversary of his passing.
 
Mr. Ohashi is believed to have arrived in Seychelles in the late 1890s and spent more than 20 years there as a photographer. During his time in Seychelles, he produced a large number of postcards that captured various landscapes and aspects of everyday life in the early 20th century. His works include images of the streets of Victoria, ports, government offices, local activities, giant tortoises, and more. His studio is thought to have been located in a building on Market Street in Victoria. Mr. Ohashi is regarded as an important figure who documented part of Seychelles' modern history and helped to foster friendship between Japan and Seychelles.
 
Research on Mr. Ohashi in Japan has advanced largely thanks to the dedication of Mr. AOKI Sumio, former Professor at Chubu University. A distinguished scholar of Japanese pioneers in Africa and beyond, Mr. Aoki devoted three decades to the study of Mr. Ohashi. His recent efforts are most notably reflected in his generous donation in 2023 of a private collection of Mr. Ohashi's postcards to the Seychelles National Museum.
 
Drawing on insights from research conducted by Japanese and Seychellois researchers, the symposium aims to highlight the significance of Mr. Ohashi’s work while paying tribute to his life and the legacy.