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Episode Notes

Amy reads from The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.

Chapter 1: The War Widow

In 1997, Amy moved to a small island of just 950 people in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. She rented an akiya (empty house) from a widow whose soldier-husband had died in WWII. Six years later, when the widow dies, Amy purchases the home and must finally clear out the old woman’s possessions. This is when Amy becomes fascinated with the woman, her life of hardship, and her will to overcome the past.

The mystery of Eiko’s life prompts the author to set out on a year-long journey around Shiraishi Island to interview the villagers who knew her best.