New aspects of Hansen's Disease literature　The Poets of "The Sprouts of Life"

In 1953, in the midst of the struggle against the Leprosy Prevention Law, Mitsuo Oe's "Inochi no Sprouts" (Sanichi Shobo) was the first joint collection of poetry in which 73 people from eight Leprosy sanatorium participated. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the poetry collection. Literary activities in sanatoriums have been active since before the war, and Tamio Hojo and Kaito Akashi are known, but in most cases they were permitted within the framework of ``maintaining order'' in sanatoria and ``self-cultivation'' of individuals. .
The post-war situation transforms the literature of the sanatorium. Respect for basic human rights under the Constitution of Japan and the introduction of Promin, the first chemotherapy drug, brought significant changes to the residents, both mentally and physically. Instead of seeing their own circumstances as their “fate,” some people have come to view their circumstances as a future that can be changed.
This exhibition aims to reconsider the new form of literature that seeks hope, solidarity, and revival toward the outside world while facing the absurdity of the segregation policy as a "new face of Hansen's Disease literature."
Almost all of the manuscripts have been lost, but from among the letters addressed to Mitsuo Oe held by the Kochi Prefectural Museum of Literature, handwritten materials by the participants in this anthology will be exhibited for the first time.
We hope that this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to draw attention to the charm of the poetry that was born in post-war sanatoriums and to deepen understanding of the Issues related to leprosy.

 

highlight

• This is the first large-scale literary exhibition hosted by the The National Hansen's Disease Museum.
• For the first time, the handwritten letters of the participants of "Sprouts of Life" will be exhibited from the letters addressed to Mitsuo Oe in the collection of the Kochi Prefectural Museum of Literature.
• The phantom collection of poetry, Life Sprouts, will be republished at the The National Hansen's Disease Museum for the first time in 70 years.
• We will hold related events with various guests.

 

Outline of the event

[Date]
February 4th (Sat) to May 7th (Sun) 2023
Please check the latest information before visiting. For more information, click here

【venue】
The National Hansen's Disease Museum Special Exhibition Room

【closing day】
Closed on Mondays and the day after national holidays (open if Monday is a national holiday)
Admission is free

*This may be subject to change depending on the infection status of the new coronavirus, etc.

 

event information

Concert "Blue Bird Harmonica"

*The event has ended.
You can watch the recording of the day on YouTube.

We bring to you the beauty of the words of poetry and music that were born from Leprosy sanatorium.

[Date and Time]
Saturday, February 11, 2023 (National Holiday) 14:00-15:30 (Doors open at 13:30)

[Cast]
Umitaro Abe​​​Composer
Takeo Toyama Composer, Keyboardist
Touma Itoko​​​Pianist, singer, composer

【venue】
1st The National Hansen's Disease Museum, video hall

[Capacity]
First 70 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Lecture "How did Hansen's Disease Issues related to leprosy of Hansen's disease?"

*The event has ended.
You can watch the recording of the day on YouTube.
He will speak from the perspective of literary research, centering on the relationship between Leprosy sanatorium residents and outside literary figures, and the significance of the works that were created in that context.

[Date and Time]
Saturday, February 25, 2023 14:00 to 15:30 (doors open at 13:30)

【Teacher】
Minetathu Nishimura​​​Part-time lecturer at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture

【venue】
1st The National Hansen's Disease Museum, video hall

[Capacity]
First 70 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Lecture "To Deliver Words to 1,000 Years Ahead"

*The event has ended.
You can watch the recording of the day on YouTube.
He will talk about the appeal and contemporary significance of the works of the poet with leprosy, based on his memories of interacting with the poet Hansen's Disease (a resident of Kuriu-Rakusenen).

[Date and Time]
Sunday, March 12, 2023 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)

【Teacher】
Nobuko Kyo​​​Writer

【venue】
1st The National Hansen's Disease Museum, video hall

[Capacity]
First 70 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Lecture "Rereading Postwar Hansen's Disease Literature"

*The event has ended.
*This event will not be streamed. No video will be released at a later date.
He will talk about post-war Hansen's Disease literature, especially poetry, from the perspective of a modern poet.

[Date and Time]
Saturday, March 18, 2023 14:00-15:30 (doors open at 13:30)

【Teacher】
Yoji Arakawa​​​Contemporary Poet

【venue】
1st The National Hansen's Disease Museum, video hall

[Capacity]
First 70 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Reading session "Reading the poetry collection 'Sprouts of Life'"

*The event has ended.
We will breathe life into the poetry that was born in Leprosy sanatorium through voice.

[Date and Time]
Saturday, April 1, 2023 14:00-15:00 (doors open at 13:30)

[Reading]
Kyoko Koizumi​​​Singer, actor

【venue】
1st The National Hansen's Disease Museum, video hall

[Capacity]
First 70 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Gallery Talk (online)

*The event has ended.
You can watch the recording of the day on YouTube.
From the exhibition room, the curator in charge will guide you through the exhibition online.

[Date and Time]
Friday, March 3, 2023 7:00pm to 8:30pm

【Teacher】
Tetsuya Kimura​​​The National Hansen's Disease Museum curator

[How to hold the event]
Zoom Webinar

[Capacity]
First 100 people, advance registration required, free participation

[Applications now open]
January 4, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:00 noon
※Click here for details

 

Gallery talk (face-to-face)

The curator in charge will explain the personality of the author and the historical background of the creation of the work while touching on the poetry and materials.

[Date and Time]
February 17th (Friday), March 25th (Saturday), April 29th (Saturday, holiday), May 3rd (Wednesday, holiday), May 7th (Sunday), 2023

【Teacher】
Tetsuya Kimura​​​The National Hansen's Disease Museum curator

【venue】
The National Hansen's Disease Museum Exhibition Room, 2nd Floor

[Capacity]
10 people per session, no prior registration required, free to attend
*There will be no live broadcast.
※Click here for details

 

<Contact Information>
The National Hansen's Disease Museum
〒189-0002
4-1-13, Aoba-cho, Higashimurayama-shi, Tokyo
TEL: 042-396-2909 FAX: 042-396-2981
Email: pr@nhdm.jp