Why OYAKO, Why Now?

　
The relationship between parent and child has long been portrayed in dramas, films, and literature. It is nothing new.

OYAKO—the bond between parent and child—is a timeless theme for humanity.

But why does it seem that we are hearing the word oyako more and more these days?

Why OYAKO, why now?

Science and technology are advancing at an extraordinary pace. AI has entered our lives. And the global environment itself is undergoing profound change.

Yet amid all these transformations, there is one continuity that reaches back some 300,000 years: the chain of life.

The flame we call life has been passed down, generation after generation, from parent to child.

Every life begins with a parent.

This year marks the 16th Zushi Art Festival, whose theme is:

“The Future Begins Here. A Place for Beginnings.”

Taking inspiration from these words, I hope we can reflect together on what it means to be OYAKO—parent and child.

Bruce Osborn
Photographer / Originator of Oyako Day

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Zushi Art Festival 2026

OYAKO

Dates: October 3–25, 2026 / On view throughout the day
Venue: Construction wall at JR Zushi Station

The exhibition is installed on the construction wall directly across from Starbucks Coffee, just outside the East Exit ticket gates of JR Zushi Station. Bruce Osborn’s work will be exhibited alongside works by photographer Daido Moriyama and painter Miyu Yamada.

Details:
https://www.zushi-art.com/artsite-detail/ozFVC2ly

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Based in Hayama, Bruce Osborn is a photographer who has pursued his photographic practice in Japan since arriving in the country in 1980.

He is particularly known for his lifelong project exploring OYAKO—the relationship between parent and child. Against a simple white background, his monochrome portraits carefully reveal the unique relationship between each parent and child.

In 2003, Osborn originated Oyako Day, and his work has since resonated with audiences through exhibitions and projects across Japan and internationally.

At the construction wall in front of JR Zushi Station, visitors can encounter Osborn’s distinctive perspective on family bonds and everyday life through monochrome photographs exploring the universal theme of parent and child.

Profile

Bruce Osborn began working professionally in Japan in 1980, following an exhibition at the Konishiroku Gallery.

While establishing a successful career in advertising photography, he also pursued projects exploring society and culture. These included life-size photographic panels portraying the realities of Japanese teenagers, exhibited at the Boston Children’s Museum.

In 1982, he began photographing parents and children as the central theme of his work. In 2003, he proposed that the fourth Sunday of July be celebrated as Oyako Day. Since then, he has photographed more than 10,000 parent-and-child pairs and presented exhibitions in Japan and abroad.

For the Mainichi Shimbun series “Oyako Interview,” he created portraits and interviews featuring more than 50 parent-and-child pairs. His documentary film OYAKO received the Best Documentary Award at the International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema Berlin (ifab).

In recognition of his cultural activities through socially engaged projects, including Oyako Day, Osborn received the Higashikuninomiya International Culture Award in 2018.

Today, based in Hayama, he continues to explore the connections between parents and children, the environment, and the continuity of life through his work.

https://bruceosborn.com/