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Naked Hermit Forcibly Returned To Civilization After 29 Years Alone On An Island

Reuters

For plenty of people, finding a place to live can become a daunting task.

You have to chose between living in the city, country, or suburbs, and have to make sure the neighborhood you pick meets your standards.

However, one 82-year-old man found his perfect home on a secluded kilometre-wide island, void of company for 29 years.

In 1982, Masafumi Nagasaki left his entire life on Japan's main island, Honshu, and moved to Sotobanari, which is part of a chain of islands close to Taiwan. Since then he's spent his time predominately naked and followed a "strict daily regime," which included morning exercise, followed by spending several hours cleaning the beach.

"I have never seen a beach as clean as his, not even in the most luxurious island resorts," said filmmaker Alvaro Cerezo, who made a short video on Nagasaki's hermit lifestyle.

Sadly, Nagasaki's castaway life has come to an end in April after at least one person noticed him on the island and told Japanese authorities that he seemed weak.

However, according to Cerezo, the concerned individual most likely spotted him when he had the flu, adding once Nagasaki was taken away from the island, he was forbidden to return.

He has since been moved to a government house, about 37 miles away from Ishigaki city.

"He was kicked out of the island," Cerezo said. "His health is OK, he was probably only sick or had the flu but they won't allow him to go back any more, he cannot go there, it's over."

Nagasaki's life on the kidney-shaped island first came to the media's attention in 2012, where he was first questioned on his decision to largely live in the nude.  

"Walking around naked doesn't really fit in with normal society, but here on the island it feels right, it's like a uniform," he said at the time, adding that he did put on clothes during his weekly travels to a neighboring island to gather supplies.

The former entertainment industry worker received money from his relatives to purchase clean water and rice cakes, which was his food staple of choice.

"I don't do what society tells me, but I do follow the rules of the natural world. You can't beat nature so you just have to obey it completely," he continued.

Sadly, Nagasaki has had a difficult time adjusting to civilization, as he had previously planned to spend the remainder of his life on Sotobanari.

"Finding a place to die is an important thing to do, and I've decided here is the place for me," he said in 2012.

"It hadn't really occurred to me before how important it is to choose the place of your death, like whether it's in a hospital or at home with family by your side," the former hermit added.

"I've already told my family I will die here," he later explained in Cerezo's video. "My wish is to die here without bothering anyone ... I want to be killed by a typhoon."

[H/T: USA TODAY, Daily Mail]

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