Oyako No Hi: An Opportunity to Celebrate Parents and Children

The second Sunday of May is Mother's Day and the third Sunday of June is Father's Day. Why don't we make the fourth Sunday of July OYAKO day?

Oyako is a Japanese word that translates to "parents and children." My father, Bruce Osborn, is a professional photographer and my mother, Yoshiko, his manager. They have been working on a series of Oyako photos for over 23 years now.

It all started just before I was born. He had a job taking photographs for a punk magazine and was thinking about how to shoot the photos. Since it was close to my due date, he was also thinking about becoming a parent. The two streams of thought mixed and that is when he came up with an idea of shooting the punk rocker musicians with their parents. He was so pleased with the results that he continued taking photos on this theme.

So far he has photographed over 700 Oyako portraits and there is no end in sight. Having met and photographed so many families led to my parents idea of starting a social initiative called OYAKO NO HI (Parents and Children Day). On this day each year, they invite 100 families to the studio for a "Super Photo Session." This will be their 4th year to celebrate Oyako No Hi.

Let's spread the word about Oyako Day. It falls on July 23 this year. Make it a day to share, appreciate, and remember. The world is made up with many different and unique Oyako; let's take time to celebrate the beauty of these special bonds. I think this movement can bring about positive and peaceful change that will benefit all of us. It is becoming more well-known in Japan and will hopefully be celebrated here in the United States soon.

www.oyako.com