The Neyako System
Neyako is a practice unique to Toshijima island, in which families send their young boys to lodge with a different family after graduating from middle school. While the young man is expected to eat meals with his birth family, he lives and sleeps with his host family. Free time is generally spent learning from the neya-oya, the head of the host family, who is often a fisherman. Traditionally, island boys spend the entirety of their adolescence and early adulthood under this system, until they marry or reach the age of 27. The practice helps preserve local culture and fishing techniques, and builds strong bonds within the community. The relationship between a boy and his neya-oya is second only to his bond with his birth parents, and islanders often rely on their mentors throughout their lives for advice and assistance.