Crossing the new border
Ishigaki Shincho along his wife repatriated to Ishigaki Island. Initially, he managed to survive by farming, but there was an increase of demand in professional photography. Hence, he restarted the photographic business in the island. Because materials and facilities for photography were not available in the island, he smuggled the materials from Taiwan for a while. Later, he smuggled in photographic films, used by the U.S. Air Force in the main island of Okinawa, and utilized it as a substitute for portrait film.
Ishigaki passed away in 2009. But his photo studio, Nansei Photo Studio (Southern Stars Photo Studio) is today managed by his son and his grandson as one of the oldest photo studio on Ishigaki Island.
