A priest who went to the island of Molokai in Hawaii alone to save Leprosy patients were exiled there and dedicated his life to them. On his gravestone is the phrase "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." That love raises and teaches us the meaning of life in the modern world.

Please feel free to browse the exhibits after the show closes (3pm). We look forward to seeing you there.

Father Damien (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889)
A missionary from Belgium. Damien was his religious name, and his real name was Joseph de Veuster. He dedicated his life to caring for Leprosy patients on the island of Molokai in Hawaii, USA, who were ignored at the time, and eventually died of Hansen's Disease himself.

Outline of the event

[Date and Time]
September 6, 2014(soil)13:30 to 15:00 (doors open at 13:00)

【venue】
The National Hansen's Disease Museum video hall

[Capacity]
150 people No reservation required, first come first served, free admission

Performer:Tadashi Nishida (Tadashi Nishida)

Born in Iwatsuki, Saitama Prefecture in 1942 (Showa 17). His father was a puppeteer. His grandmother said, "Tadashi, Tokyo is burning," and pointed to the southern sky from the veranda. The sky was dyed red. That's my memory of the war. There was a movie theater in front of our house, and we went to see movies almost every day. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a movie actor, and when I entered junior high school, I wanted to be a scriptwriter who could motivate actors, so I aimed for the film department of Nihon University College of Art. I successfully entered university, lived in a boarding house in Tokyo, and saw Shinkokugeki's "Red Beard." I was so moved that I cried my eyes out in the third floor seats, and I wondered if there was anything in the world that could move me so much, so I changed direction from movies to theater. However, the times were turbulent, and the student movement against the Security Treaty in 1970 led to the closure of the university, and during an anti-Vietnam War demonstration, riot police threw tear gas at me, beat me with a club, and I lost consciousness. Eventually, I became frustrated, lost my confidence, and developed social phobia. I spent my days escaping into alcohol in Shinjuku. In the midst of all this, he came across a book and began to seek out religion, which he hated, especially Christianity, which he hated the most, and was finally baptized in a small church in Kabukicho. Following the words of Jesus Christ, "Do to others what you would like them to do to you," he realized that the reason he was born into this world was to spread the gospel to people through his favorite theater, and he created the Shinjuku Shinseikan Christ Mission Theater Company, his mission and philosophy. Since then, he has performed more than 200 times in the past 40 years. During that time, he joined the professional theater company Teatro Umi to study. He studied under director Takeo Matsuura. He has appeared on TV in Makoto Fujita's "Rogue Detective" series and in movies such as "Godzilla." His stage productions include "12 Angry Men," "Dead Without Graves," and "Expedition to Heaven." He is currently writing and directing Ayako Miura's "Freezing Point" and "Shiokari Pass." "The Life of Father Damien" has been performed every month for the past 15 years.
Father Damien loved Leprosy patients isolated on the island of Molokai in Hawaii so much that he gave up his life for them. Every time I perform, I learn how to live from him. These are the blessed days given to me by God.

You can download the performance flyer here. (PDF:348KB)