Exhibition honoring Studio Ghibli's late Isao Takahata is now open in Tokyo's Azabudai Hills
Isao Takahata is perhaps best known to Western audiences as a founding member of the beloved Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli and as director of some of its most famous works, including Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Pom Poko (1994), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). Born on October 29, 1935, Takahata took a leading role in shaping Japanese animation over the course of over 50 years, alongside frequent collaborator and friend Hayao Miyazaki, until his passing in 2018 at the age of 82.
In honor of the 90th anniversary of Takahata's birth, a new exhibition titled Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation that's being held at Tokyo's Azabudai Hills Gallery is welcoming visitors between June 27 and September 15.
▼ Promotional poster for the exhibition featuring Setsuko, one of the main characters of Grave of the Fireflies
The gallery features animation cells and background art from several of Takahata's iconic TV series and films such as Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974), Grave of the Fireflies , and Pom Poko on display for the first time.
Since this year also marks 80 years since the end of the Pacific War, special tribute is paid to the lasting legacy of Grave of the Fireflies. The film, which is often considered to be Takahata's masterpiece, follows two war orphan siblings in the aftermath of the 1945 fire bombings of Kobe. For this part of the exhibition, Hideki Anno, who served as a key animator for the film before going on to become a successful director for Neon Genesis Evangelion and more, has hand-selected impactful scenes to play at the gallery.
▼ Hideki's layout drawings for the Imperial Japanese Navy Heavy Cruiser Maya (as it appears in the film) are also revealed for the first time.
Visitors can also purchase an audio guide featuring Japanese-language narration for an additional fee on top of the ticket price. This guide also comes bundled with a musical playlist curated by filmmaker Shunji Iwai, a distant relative of Takahata, designed to accompany the works of art throughout the gallery.
▼ Shunji Iwai
Unlike most other art galleries, there are some hands-on, interactive elements to this exhibition. Visitors will delight in the giant Papanda prop from one of Takahata's earlier works, Panda! Go, Panda! (1972), and the ability to recreate the scene of Pan-chan flying to grab onto his dad's fluffy tummy for themselves. It certainly makes for a fun commemorative photo.
In addition, it wouldn't be a Japanese exhibition without a tie-in collaboration cafe. The menu features a variety of foods and drinks that pay tribute to some of Takahata's most beloved works, including Panda! Go, Panda! curry.
Finally, weekday visitors to the gallery will receive a free multi-use paper case with a drawing of Takahata inside. There are five versions in total, one for each day of the week featuring a different one of Takahata's productions.
Online tickets for the Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation begin at 2,000 yen (US$13.87) for general admission with discounts for high school/university students, young children, and more. They can be purchased on the gallery's official website or via the Lawson Ticket site.
Along similar lines, for some newly revealed artwork behind the unrealized concepts of Miyazaki, you may also be interested in this artbook to be released in early July.
Exhibition information Isao Takahata Exhibition: The Man who Planted Japanese Animation / 高畑勲展 ̶日本のアニメーションを作った男。 Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Toranomon 5-8-1 Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza A, MB floor 東京都港区虎ノ門 5-8-1 麻布台ヒルズ ガーデンプラザA MB階 Duration: June 27-September 15 Open: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (last entry at 7:30 p.m.); 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays from June 27-July 18
Website
Source, images: PR Times (1, 2)
● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
4 hours ago
Yosano Akiko: Passionate Poet and Prescient Journalist
Home Topics Yosano Akiko: Passionate Poet and Prescient Journalist Shapers of Japanese History Society Culture Society History Aug 8, 2025 Yosano Akiko burst onto Japan's literary scene in 1901 with her sensuous poetry collection Tangled Hair , published when she was 22. She is recognized as one of Japan's major twentieth-century poetic figures, but her journalistic work, often ahead of its time, has received less notice. Yawa hada no / atsuki chishio ni / fure mo mide / sabishikarazu ya / michi o toku kimi This hot tide of bloodbeneath soft skin and you don'teven brush it with a fingertip Aren't you lonely then you who preach the Way? Many Japanese people who hear the name Yosano Akiko will recall this famous tanka of hers. It appeared in Tangled Hair , her 1901 collection of dazzling, free-spirited love poems. At a time when women's lives were restricted by the traditional household system and old-fashioned values, Akiko expressed without restraint what it felt like to be a young woman in love. As well as her 24 volumes of tanka (including coauthored works), she produced translations of The Tale of Genji and many other classics into modern Japanese, in addition to writing over 100 children's stories and more than 600 other poems and children's songs. Apart from her literary activities, she wrote for a long period for newspapers and magazines on topics like education and gender equality. This was collected into 15 volumes of commentary, but her journalistic activities, brimming with foresight, have still not received proper recognition. Akiko was also a working mother, who raised 11 children, and this is likely to have influenced her contemporary stance on women's lives. Freedom and Equality The cover of Tangled Hair. (Courtesy the National Diet Library) Yosano Akiko was born in 1878, in Sakai, Osaka, to the owners of a traditional confectionery store. Her older brother Hō Hidetarō studied at Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo) before becoming a professor of engineering at the institution and a famous scientist. Akiko herself excelled at science and mathematics, but as a girl she was not able to further her studies as she wished, only completing the equivalent of junior high school today. She was made to help with bookkeeping at the store from her early teens, and thus keenly felt the irrational nature of gender inequality. In 1900, she joined Shinshisha (New Poetry Society), headed by Yosano Tekkan, who was at the center of a movement to revolutionize the traditional waka form. Her poems appeared in the group's journal Myōjō (Bright Star), and her sensuous debut collection Tangled Hair was published the following year, when she was 22. It left behind the elegant depictions of nature that were customary in traditional Japanese poetry, showing that Akiko had a reformer's spirit from the start, and was a firm devotee of the new wind blowing through Japanese poetry. This was a time when freedom of speech was severely restricted. Bright Star 's use of an illustration of a naked woman was judged to be disturbing public morals, and the issue was suppressed, while other leading literary figures of the time like Nagai Kafū and Mori Ōgai had their books banned. Akiko herself must have felt how her freedom of thought and expression were under threat. Yosano Tekkan. (Courtesy the National Diet Library) For this reason, equality and freedom were vital keywords for Akiko from the beginning. And that she learned this through personal experience rather than at school or in books was her strength, more than anything. A Social Critic Ah, my brother, I weep for you Thou shalt not die .You, the last-bornwere most cherished of us all— would your parents put a sword into your handsand order you to slay a man?Would they bring you up to twenty-four then say 'Go kill, then die'? Akiko's poem expressing concern for her soldier brother 'Thou Shalt Not Die' was published in Bright Star in September 1904, in the middle of the Russo-Japanese War. It was criticized as being out of step with the mood in Japan, but Akiko countered that it should be taken only as a poem. It was not necessarily antiwar, as an expression of natural concern for her brother, while at the same time it demonstrated that she was not afraid to write what she really felt. By this point Akiko was 25, and married to her poetic mentor Tekkan, with two children already. In 1909, Akiko showed her satirical side, first with a tanka responding to successive bans on works by Kafū that made an ironic comparison with the prohibition of sales of horse racing betting slips. In a second poem, she made reference by their given names to Komatsubara Eitarō, the minister of education, and Hirata Tōsuke, the home minister, mocking them as ignorant of literature. These two men were most closely involved in censorship and to rail at them openly shows Akiko's startling courage. Readers who went into a frenzy over Tangled Hair may have been baffled by the change in register. Her magazine articles of the period also ridicule censors and describe her unique method of trying to keep her children unaware of the differences between boys and girls until adolescence. Her 1912 trip to Europe with her husband helped these aspects of her writing to blossom. She met with the sculptor Auguste Rodin and was interviewed by the press in France, which fostered her confidence and pride as a journalist. The Rise of Women's Magazines There are two major reasons why Akiko wrote so much social commentary after her return from Europe. One was that the media saw her as a vital contributor, and another was that she had topics that she wanted to write about. Akiko put the most energy into this form of writing in the Taishō era (1912–26), when Japan's print media was in its heyday and at its most influential. As the people matured as citizens and sought out information, newspaper circulation soared. The rise in female readers cannot be ignored. Government support for girls' secondary schooling had resulted in more educated women, and many women's magazines were founded to cater for them. As someone who had broadened her horizons through travel to Europe and also had experience of motherhood, Akiko must have been in great demand as able to write on a wide variety of topics. From this perspective, it was not so much that the media needed Akiko as that the times did. Akiko also had topics she wanted to write about, including how to achieve equality and freedom. She wrote for the media for more than 20 years, because she felt that she herself had room for improvement, due to a lack of schooling and culture, and even when swamped with things to do, she never stinted on reading books, newspapers, and magazines. One of her rare talents was the ability to deepen her personal thinking in this way. 'In the ideal family, women are financially independent and men and women are equal.' 'Men today work for too long. They should be involved with raising children and housework.' 'If we became a society where everyone worked, working hours would be shortened, and we could use our leisure time in many different ways.' 'Learning should not only take place in school. People should learn throughout their lives.' Akiko's writings are full of prescience, considering that she was writing at a time when there was no concept of gender equality, work-life balance, or lifelong learning. As the number of women working in factories was increasing, there was a growing debate over ideal ways to 'protect motherhood,' touching on issues including the improvement of poor labor conditions that impacted mothers' health and economic measures to support them. Akiko engaged in debate with the commentator Hiratsuka Raichō and the activist Yamakawa Kikue, but her views were so far ahead of their day that the two sides were constantly at cross-purposes. Only a handful of people must have been able to understand Akiko's ideal for the social system and individuals' way of life. A Celebrity and Influencer Akiko's media involvement went beyond her work with newspapers and magazines. With the economic development of the Taishō era came urbanization, the emergence of a mass consumer society, and advertising culture. As the slogan 'Today the Imperial Theater, tomorrow Mitsukoshi' indicates, department stores like Mitsukoshi were blossoming as enticing new spaces. Akiko became an advisor to Takashimaya Department Store, and was involved in organizing the store's Hyakusenkai event for kimono designs for more than 20 years. This meant not only judging products sent from across the country each season but also performing the tasks of a contemporary copywriter, such as selecting and naming fashionable colors and providing poems for posters and guides. Jānaristo Yosano Akiko (Yosano Akiko, Journalist) by Matsumura Yuriko, 2022. The cover photograph shows Akiko at the Hyakusenkai venue. Published by Tanka Kenkyūsha. In 1920, advertisements for the Calpis beverage using Akiko's poems appeared several dozen times in newspapers, such as: Karupisu wa / kushiki chikara o / hito ni oku / atarashiki yo no / kenkō no tame (By the power / of Calpis— / The miracle of / health for / our new world). Mishima Kaiun, who created the lactic acid drink Calpis (known overseas as Calpico), was a skilled marketer, and after visiting the Yosano home with samples of the beverage, asked Akiko if she could write poems to use in advertisements. This episode indicates her power as a celebrity and influencer. 'Health' was a relatively new concept at the time, showing Akiko's discernment in using it in a poem. Frontispiece photograph for the 1923 commentary collection Ai no sōsaku (The Creation of Love). (© Kyōdō) Politics and Poetry Akiko's eighth collection of commentary was called Gekidō no naka o iku (Passing Through a Turbulent Age). Indeed, she lived through a time when Japan was involved in a major conflict around every decade, from the 1894–5 Sino-Japanese War through the Russo-Japanese War to World War I. She expressed her wish for peace in an article titled 'Sensō ni tsuite no kōsatsu' (Thoughts on War) written for a magazine in April 1918, toward the end of World War I. If individuals kill and wound each other to prove they are right, or take weapons and force their way into unarmed people's homes to attain justice, they are clearly evil, no matter how beautiful the words used to express such acts. . . . Is it possible to say that something unforgivable for individuals is glory, justice, or good conduct when performed by a state? In July of the same year, she wrote the following poem for a newspaper. It was later included in her collection The Firebird . Onna yori / chie ari to iu / otokotachi / kono tatakai o / yamenu kashikosa We are wiser thanwomen, goes the male claim How superior the wisdom that can not stop this war! There was no contradiction in Akiko between being both a poet and a journalist. Her constant interest in what was taking place in the world can still encourage us today. Tangled Hair was published in Japanese under the title Midaregami , and The Firebird as Hi no tori . (Originally published in Japanese on June 20, 2025. All poem translations © Janine Beichman. Banner photo courtesy National Diet Library.) literature Yosano Akiko poetry
Tokyo Weekender
7 hours ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Chiikawa's Dark Lore: The Shocking Stories of Japan's Cutest Characters
At first glance, Chiikawa seems like your average feel-good, hyper-cute Japanese franchise. Created by illustrator Nagano, the comic-turned-anime follows the daily lives of three irresistibly adorable, genderless critters: Chiikawa (short for 'something small and cute' in Japanese), Hachiware (Chiikawa's best friend with blue cat ears and tail), and Usagi (a chaotic bunny known for gleeful screaming and spontaneous antics). The premise appears simple: They complete odd jobs, share snacks and support one another through everyday adventures. Given the characters' immense cuteness and their ubiquity in Japan — figurine bag charms , brand collabs and 3D signage in Shinjuku , just to name a few — you might be forgiven for thinking that Chiikawa is a simple slice-of-life story about fluffy critters living in a pastel fairytale world. Upon closer inspection, though, you'll discover that the stories are riddled with dark themes, including but not limited to: systemic poverty, psychological and body horror, unbreakable curses and gruesome murder (yes, really). Below are just a few of the upsetting subjects that appear in Chiikawa . (Spoiler alert: This article contains detailed descriptions of story arcs from both the Chiikawa manga and anime, so if you're new to the series or haven't caught up yet, be warned — plot twists, character reveals and dark developments lie ahead.) List of Contents: A Dystopian Gig Economy Housing Inequality and Poverty The Constant Danger of Being Eaten Soul Theft and Body-snatching Chimera Creatures (a.k.a. Your Friend is Now a Monster) Dangerous Props and Body Horror Transformations Paranormal Activity Mermaid Murder Hachiware Isn't a Cat (and Usagi Isn't a Rabbit Either) Related Posts Chiikawa waits in line as the armored Yoroi-san hands out tags labeled with different jobs. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) A Dystopian Gig Economy In its first chapter, Chiikawa introduces the reader to a host of small, wide-eyed creatures living seemingly carefree lives. Many make a living pulling weeds. As the official Chiikawa website puts it: 'Everyone in Chiikawa's world works for a living. Knights dressed in armor assign duties including the popular job of weeding. When you pass the weeding exam, you can earn more money and buy more things.' In other words, it's a post-apocalyptic gig economy system. The armor-clad enforcers, called Yoroi-san, assign work on a first-come-first-serve basis, administer certification tests and oversee progress, handing out wages in burlap sacks when the critters are done with their tasks. These cute characters are effectively day laborers, doing backbreaking jobs like weeding and fighting off monsters ( toubatsu ) or menial tasks like labeling fruit with stickers in a factory line to earn their keep. The only way to earn more money is to take more tests and earn certifications for various jobs, and if you fail, you'll be stuck with the same wages forever. For a cutesy fantasy world of fluffy critters, their economy is surprisingly bleak (and realistic). The terrible living conditions of Hachiware. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Housing Inequality and Poverty Where do the Chiikawa creatures live? Good question. Out of the three main characters, Chiikawa is the only one who owns a house, and only because they won it in a lottery held by the yogurt conglomerate supported by the Yoroi-san. Unable to afford a house, Hachiware lives a frugal life inside a cave with no door and sleeps on a bamboo mat. Meanwhile, the official site claims that 'nobody knows where Usagi lives,' leading fans to speculate that they are practically homeless. Usagi is also shown to have no possessions except for their weapon staff. Chiikawa and Hachiware were seconds away from being eaten alive. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) The Constant Danger of Being Eaten Kidnapping and casual consumption are very real threats in the Chiikawa world. In one chapter, Chiikawa and Hachiware walk inside a so-called three-star restaurant, only to be bathed and marinated in oil. As it turns out, the faceless ogre disguised as the chef was planning to pack them in a tortilla and eat them whole. The faceless villagers are snatched away by a bird-monster. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) In the Pajama Parties arc, faceless background characters are plucked away by a giant bird-like monster, and in the next strip we see that only the pajamas the victims had been wearing were left behind. The surviving character watches in tears as the kidnapped creatures are never seen again — presumably devoured. The real Momonga finds themself back in their original body, only to snap awake and realize it was only a dream. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Soul Theft and Body-snatching Don't let his big eyes fool you: The flying squirrel Momonga — a secondary character in the series known for being cute and self-centered — is actually a monstrous horned beast with sharp teeth called Something Big. Or at least that's heavily implied. Something Big is a terrifying chimera, but unlike the rest of its species, it doesn't attack any of the Chiikawa critters — except for Momonga. Dialogue throughout the anime and manga has led many fans to speculate that a Freaky Friday -esque accident caused the pair to swap bodies, leaving the poor flying squirrel trapped in a grotesque, beastly form. In one of the early chapters , 'Something Big' chases 'Momonga' through the forest, wailing 'Give it back! Give it back!' A witch steals the skins of the trio and leaves their souls trapped in tiny figurines. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) In another chapter, a witch steals the skins of Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi, trapping their souls in tiny figurines resembling Sylvanian Families (or Calico Critters, if you're American). Paralyzed in plastic, they can barely move — until Hachiware saves the day by tripping the witch and breaking the curse. Anoko reflects on their past life — and realises that being a monster may be easier than the struggle of being a villager. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Chimera Creatures (a.k.a. Your Friend is Now a Monster) In the Big Expedition arc, a towering horned creature known only as Anoko (literally 'That One') is revealed to be a former colleague of Chiikawa — a fellow day laborer transformed into a monstrous being with swirling eyes, razor-sharp claws and a reptilian tail. During a routine monster hunt, the villagers attempt to destroy Anoko, unaware of their true identity. Anoko doesn't fight back. Instead, they tried to reach Chiikawa, gently reminding them of their past friendship. But Chiikawa, terrified and confused, fails to recognize them. In another chapter, Anoko reminisces the life they had with their friends, showing us their memories remain intact — a cruel reminder that, even in their monstrous state, Anoko still remembers who they used to be. But no one else does… A villager mid-transition into a chimera slashes at Chiikawa.. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) In another standalone chapter, a villager begins mutating into a chimera, sprouting wings and a reptilian tail. With tears in their eyes, they approach Chiikawa and weep, 'Look at what I've become,' before unsheathing long red claws and swiping. They miss, then fly off into the distance — never to return. Usagi and Hachiware begin transforming into grotesque monsters after using the cursed staff. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Dangerous Props and Body Horror Transformations Any Chiikawa fan would know that the characters often use weapons like a two-pronged stick when fighting monsters, but this universe is also home to other dangerous weapons disguised as tools. In the Magic Wand arc, Usagi purchases a mysterious skull-shaped staff from a second-hand shop. It grants wishes, but each use comes at a cost. Hachiware sprouts horns and a third eye; Usagi's eyes and body turn blood-red. They quickly begin to morph into gruesome creatures, and transformation is stopped only when Chiikawa breaks the wand in half. Hachiware removes a parasitic mushroom growing on Chiikawa's head. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Then there's the parasitic mushroom that sprouts from Chiikawa's head. Hachiware tries to remove it with a sharp rock — only to have it grow back larger. Hachiware eventually has to cut off at the base with a blade to stop it for good. (Oh, and they ate the mushroom in a stir-fry afterwards.) Paranormal activity in Chiikawa's house. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Paranormal Activity In one spooky chapter, the gang are sharing breadsticks in Chiikawa's house when the sky turns blood red. Black handprints begin covering up the window — culminating in a massive black palm that slams onto the window. The gang hides in fear, and never investigates what it was. We were never given an explanation of what happened. A strip detailing how an islander lured and murdered one of the mermaids in cold blood. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Mermaid Murder In Chiikawa 's most chilling storyline — the infamous Island Arc — our heroes visit a remote island with some friendly locals, but things quickly take a grim turn. On a trip out to sea, a giant creature called the Siren reveals that the islanders lured one of its mermaid companions with snacks, killed it and cooked it into a stew, believing a folktale that eating mermaid flesh grants eternal life. The Siren launches a violent revenge campaign, and Chiikawa and friends — innocent bystanders — are caught in the crossfire. The group ultimately stops the Siren with an absurdly spicy spoonful of curry, but the trauma lingers: On the boat ride home, Chiikawa finds a single mermaid scale, a haunting reminder that the horror wasn't just a bad dream. Despite the adorable feline antics (the hairballs) of Hachiware, they are not a cat. (Image courtesy of Nagano on X) Hachiware Isn't a Cat (and Usagi Isn't a Rabbit Either) Despite the toe beans, fluffy tail and the occasional hairball, Hachiware is not a cat. This surprising fact was confirmed by creator Nagano during the 2022–2023 Nagano Exhibition , and echoed again on the official English Chiikawa website — which clarifies that Hachiware simply ' is not necessarily a cat. ' (Apparently, that's why it's totally fine for him to eat onions and chocolate.) Meanwhile, Usagi, whose name literally means 'rabbit' in Japanese, might not be a rabbit either. Sure, the long ears and erratic energy do scream bunny, but the official description keeps it vague: ' Maybe a rabbit, maybe not. ' So what are they, exactly? We'll probably never know. Which is typical of the Chiikawa world, if you think about it — a fantasy realm where adorable facades hide brutal realities and nothing is what it seems at first. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Related Posts Pokemon With Surprisingly Dark Backstories McDonald's Chiikawa Collab Causes Chaos and Controversy A Chiikawa Park Is Coming to Tokyo in 2025 Chiikawa Teams Up With 7-Eleven in Cute Winter Collaboration
Asahi Shimbun
11 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Anime-inspired lawyer speaks on stage to children with mixed roots
Leila Kissa Kashiwakura during a rehearsal of 'Mogareta Tsubasa: Square Roots' in Tokyo in July (Miako Ichikawa) Growing up, Leila Kissa Kashiwakura repeated the same answers to the same curious questions countless times: 'I'm not a fast runner,' 'I'm not good at English,' 'I was born and raised in Japan.' Kashiwakura, 25, is now a lawyer taking cases that impact foreign nationals. Her father is from Mali in West Africa, and her mother is from Japan. In elementary school, classmates would innocently hurl hurtful words at her that they would never utter to those with the same skin color. Even when someone refused to accept the school lunch she served, saying it was 'dirty,' Kashiwakura never spoke of the insult at home. She did not want to sadden her parents because she already knew the stares her father had to endure in public. In those moments, Kashiwakura and her elder brother would sit in front of the TV and pretend to be anime heroes. She let her beloved characters live in her mind, struggled alongside them and grew stronger. Eventually, she came to believe: 'Leila can only be Leila, and that is all I need to be.' Kashiwakura went on to attend the Nihon University College of Art, aspiring to become an anime creator. In her second year, she saw a news report on her phone that took her breath away: A Nigerian man had starved to death at a Japanese immigration facility. He had gone on a hunger strike after refusing a deportation order because he didn't want to be separated from his child. The man reminded Kashiwakura of her own father. A sense of fear that shook her to the core did not leave her mind, even when she was laughing with friends. She realized that the only way to process that feeling was to put herself in a position to protect others. Kashiwakura began studying law while attending her university. She passed the bar exam when she was still in law school. This spring, she began working as a lawyer, mainly dealing with issues faced by foreign nationals. In Japan, there are few lawyers with a foreign heritage. Even when Kashiwakura visits police stations or courthouses for work, few people assume she is a lawyer. She is sometimes asked to undergo bag checks. On the other hand, some foreign clients appear visibly relieved the moment they see her. 'I have come to genuinely appreciate the way I look,' she said. Kashiwakura feels uneasy living in a society that has given rise to the populist term 'Japanese First.' But her feelings are more complex than simple anger. She wonders what leads people to think that way. In her favorite manga, 'Attack on Titan,' those who are discriminated against can, in turn, become people who discriminate. She keeps a quote from the manga close to her heart. A father, who lost his daughter as he tries to break the cycle of hatred, says, 'At the very least, we have to get the children out of this forest.' She continues to ask herself how people can ever break free from that cycle. Kashiwakura cannot forget the words of a man who was granted refugee status in Japan after enduring a long struggle. The man said delicious food tastes even better and is more enjoyable when you share it with the person next to you, rather than eating alone. That is the kind of society she wants to help build. Kashiwakura will play a high school student of African descent in the stage production 'Mogareta Tsubasa (Torn-away wings): Square Roots' in Tokyo on Aug. 9 and 10. Lawyers have worked with children on the original play series since 1994. This year's production portrays how children with foreign roots navigate life in Japan. Through the performance, she wants to tell children struggling with their roots or nationality: 'You do not have to force yourself to find an answer. You are who you are. And that, in itself, makes you perfect.' * * * For more information about the play, visit the Tokyo Bar Association's Japanese-language website.
