A series of photos titled "The Day of Leaving Farming" has been gaining attention. These pictures capture the final day of a dairy farmer in Shibecha, Hokkaido, who ran his farm for 33 years.

『離農の日』
33年間、標茶の酪農を支えてくださった1人の農家さんが離農した。
『最後の日は今まで辛いこともあったけど、楽しかったって言うべきなんだろうけど、辛かった事の方が多かったよ』
そう話す農家さんからは33年間の重みが滲み出ていました。本当にお疲れ様でした。撮影できて良かったです pic.twitter.com/F7tJWMrfig

— 中道 智大 (@ton_dog_beagle) May 17, 2022

The photographer is Tomohiro Nakamichi, who writes the series "Tomohiro Nakamichi's Shibecha Days" for Domingo. On Twitter, many people shared their emotional responses to the photos, leaving comments such as:

"Thank you for your hard work! And my heartfelt gratitude."
"Your dedication to facing nature and living creatures for 33 years is nothing short of heroic."
"I was born and raised in Shibecha. As someone from this small dairy town, I'm grateful to see the image of someone who supported it for so long."
"I can't stop crying. I married into a dairy farming family and it's been over 30 years. A day like this will come for us too..."

These comments show that the photos have stirred a wide range of feelings in many people.

We spoke with Mr. Nakamichi about this project.

――What led you to take these photographs?

He was a farmer I had known for some time, and I heard through the grapevine that he would be leaving the business on April 1st of this year. I felt a strong desire to do something, so I asked if I could have the honor of photographing his last day.

――Could you share any memorable moments from the day of the shoot?

What struck me the most were the farmer's words. He said, "On the last day, I should probably say that despite the hardships, it was fun. But honestly, the hard times were more frequent." That statement seemed to convey the immense weight of his 33 years even more profoundly.

On the day of the shoot, I tried to keep my own emotions out of it as much as possible, focusing simply on capturing the scene as it was.

――What are your thoughts now, after completing the shoot?

We live in an age where everything—work, hobbies, you name it—flows by in an instant. A brand-new smartphone is considered old in five years. In a world where everything is quickly produced and consumed, this experience made me truly realize the weight and value of "doing one thing for 33 years."

The value created by time tends to be overlooked these days, but it made me want to express something slowly, over time, as well.

Also, having the opportunity to document the history of a town and its people like this is incredibly precious. I am once again grateful for this chance. I hope to continue taking photographs like these in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Nakamichi. As the weight of these 33 years emanates so vividly from the photographs, what thoughts and feelings do they stir in you? Perhaps these images are asking us something important.