Open Media Gallery

田平拓也 Takuya Tabira

Director of Tabira and Yakushima Tour Guide

Bio

Takiya is the leader of the company in his name that guides visitors through the forests of Yakushima. His philosophy is, "Don't be surprised when a dead tree blooms, but be surprised when a fresh tree blooms.” In addition to guiding visitors through the forests, he also coordinates photo shoots, works as a drone photographer for magazines and TV, and is also involved in advertising. In addition, he runs Gallery Tabita, which organizes forest photo exhibitions and forest concerts, as well as events that connect people to the forest through summer schools for forestry professionals, photographers, architects, musicians, picture book authors, and others. Born in Nagasaki City in 1976, Takiya moved to Yakushima in 1999 and learned about forests from a lumberjack. In 2001 he started apprenticing as a guide, and in 2007 he founded Tabiraku, a guide and photography coordination service on Yakushima. He started Gallery Tabita in 2012 and Green School Yakushima in 2021.

Highlights

・Director of Tabira ・Attended Red Cross first aid course ・Qualified amateur radio operator ・Registered Yakushima guide ・Tourism association member ・Languages: Japanese

Message

I guide so that people can avoid the crowds and confront nature in a quiet forest. We invite musicians to give double bass, clavichord, and saxophone concerts in the forest, and we also offer a school specializing in video and photography.

Guide Q&A

Q: What is your most memorable experience in nature?

One memorable experience was when a photographer and I stayed in the same spot for three hours for a photo shoot and realized that we had not been looking at the scenery. Another was when I hiked to the Jomon Cedar 25 days in a month and noticed that the scenery changed daily.

Q: What does nature represent to you?

The ability to be myself.

Q: What has nature taught you?

That there is no "answer" in human thought, but in nature.

Q: What do you hope that people will get out of experiences with you as a guide?

Oneness with nature and a period of mindfulness.

Highlights

・Director of Tabira ・Attended Red Cross first aid course ・Qualified amateur radio operator ・Registered Yakushima guide ・Tourism association member ・Languages: Japanese