THE Forgotten

Kamagasaki is an area in Osaka, Japan, that hosts the largest enclave of marginalized people in Japan. This unique place offers shelter to those who no longer conform to a traditional Japanese way of life. One group of marginalized are Jouhatsu (literally: evaporation). It refers to people who purposely vanish from their established lives without a trace. 

Another group is known as Yoseba, an aging population of day laborers and unsheltered. During Japan’s economic boom years, Kamagasaki, attracted men from all over Japan looking for construction jobs and a new identity. Today, it is home to remnants of that era, men mostly in their 60s. With few jobs, many take to peddling, gambling, or just waiting. The neighborhood is marred by poverty and declining health. Osaka residents shun the area or deny that it exists. 

Kamagasakis’ ecosystem also hosts many Yakuza syndicates who deal drugs, run gambling rackets and prey on unhoused welfare recipients