Exhibition/event has ended.
The New Face of Leprosy Literature - The Poets and "Buds of Life"
The National Hansen's Disease Museum
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In 1953, during the struggle against the Leprosy Prevention Law, Mitsuo Oe (ed.) published "Inochi no Me" (Buds of Life), the first joint collection of poems by 73 people from eight sanatoriums for Hansen's disease in Japan. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the book. Literary activities at sanatoriums had been active since the prewar period, with such well-known figures as Tamio Hojo and Kaito Akashi.
The postwar situation has completely changed the literature on sanatoriums. Respect for basic human rights under the Constitution of Japan and the advent of Promin, the first chemotherapy treatment, brought about major changes to the residents, both mentally and physically. Instead of viewing their situation as "fate," people began to see it as a future in which change was possible.
This exhibition aims to recapture this new literary form, which, while facing the absurdity of the segregation policy, seeks hope, solidarity, and renewal for the outside world, as a "new face of leprosy literature."
Although almost all of the manuscripts of his works have been lost, this exhibition will present for the first time autographs and other materials from the collection of the Kochi Prefectural Museum of Literature, including letters to Mitsuo Oe from the participants in this poetry anthology.
[Events]
1. Concert "Blue Bird's Harmonica"
Date: February 11 (Sat., holiday) 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturers: Umitaro Abe (composer), Takeo Toyama (composer, keyboardist), Itoko Toma (pianist, singer, composer)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
2. Lecture "How Did People with Leprosy and the Literati Relate to the Issue of Leprosy?"
Date: Saturday, February 25, 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Mine Ryu Nishimura (Part-time lecturer at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)
Venue: Film Hall, 1F of the museum
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
2. Lecture "To Deliver Words for the Next Millennium"
Date: March 12 (Sun) 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Nobuko Jiang (Writer)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
3. Lecture "Rereading Postwar Leprosy Literature"
Date: March 18 (Sat) 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Yoji Arakawa (contemporary poet)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
4. Reading Session "Reading From the Poetry Collection Inochi no Me (Buds of Life)"
Date: April 1 (Sat) 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Speaker: Kyoko Koizumi (singer, actor)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
For more information on the event and how to register, please visit the official website.
The postwar situation has completely changed the literature on sanatoriums. Respect for basic human rights under the Constitution of Japan and the advent of Promin, the first chemotherapy treatment, brought about major changes to the residents, both mentally and physically. Instead of viewing their situation as "fate," people began to see it as a future in which change was possible.
This exhibition aims to recapture this new literary form, which, while facing the absurdity of the segregation policy, seeks hope, solidarity, and renewal for the outside world, as a "new face of leprosy literature."
Although almost all of the manuscripts of his works have been lost, this exhibition will present for the first time autographs and other materials from the collection of the Kochi Prefectural Museum of Literature, including letters to Mitsuo Oe from the participants in this poetry anthology.
[Events]
1. Concert "Blue Bird's Harmonica"
Date: February 11 (Sat., holiday) 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturers: Umitaro Abe (composer), Takeo Toyama (composer, keyboardist), Itoko Toma (pianist, singer, composer)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
2. Lecture "How Did People with Leprosy and the Literati Relate to the Issue of Leprosy?"
Date: Saturday, February 25, 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Mine Ryu Nishimura (Part-time lecturer at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)
Venue: Film Hall, 1F of the museum
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
2. Lecture "To Deliver Words for the Next Millennium"
Date: March 12 (Sun) 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Nobuko Jiang (Writer)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
3. Lecture "Rereading Postwar Leprosy Literature"
Date: March 18 (Sat) 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)
Lecturer: Yoji Arakawa (contemporary poet)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
4. Reading Session "Reading From the Poetry Collection Inochi no Me (Buds of Life)"
Date: April 1 (Sat) 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Speaker: Kyoko Koizumi (singer, actor)
Venue: Video Hall, 1F
Capacity: 70 people on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge
For more information on the event and how to register, please visit the official website.
Schedule | Feb 4 (Sat) 2023-May 7 (Sun) 2023 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://www.nhdm.jp/events/list/4942/ | ||||
| Venue | The National Hansen's Disease Museum https://www.nhdm.jp/ | ||||
| Location | 4-1-13 Aoba-cho, Higashi Murayama-shi, Tokyo 189-0002 | ||||
| Access | 20 minute walk from the South exit of Akitsu Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro line; From the South exit of Kiyose Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro line, take the Seibu bus and get off at Hansen's Disease Museum. From the North exit of Kumegawa Station on the Seibu Shinjuku line, take the Seibu bus and get off at Hansen's Disease Museum. From Shin-akitsu Station on the JR Musashino line, take the Seibu bus and get off at Zenshoen-mae. The venue is 10 minute walk from there. | ||||
| Phone | 042-396-2909 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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