Itsuma Shiki (1917-1959) was hospitalized at Zensei Hospital (now Tama Zenshoen) and later transferred to Nagashima-Aiseien. He served as the representative of the Nagashima Shiyokai (Poetry Association). He was friends with poets Kiyoko Nagase and Mitsuo Oe, and philosopher Shunsuke Tsurumi, and his works were highly praised. He published many poems, mainly in the magazine Aise, but did not publish a personal collection of poems during his lifetime.
In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of his death, this gallery exhibition will feature handwritten creative notebooks by Shiki Itsuma, a little-known poet of Hansen's Disease. By introducing his poetry, we hope to widely disseminate the appeal of his work and shed light on its reevaluation.

Outline of the event

[Date and time]
November 9, 2019(soil)From December 1st(Day)to

【venue】
Gallery on the first floor The National Hansen's Disease Museum

[Opening hours]
9:30am - 4:30pm (entry until 4pm) Free admission

【closing day】
Closed on Mondays and the day after national holidays (except November 4th and 24th)

State of holding

[1st] Gallery Exhibition "60 Years After Death, Shiki Izuma Exhibition" Related Events
Lecture by Eisuke Wakamatsu: "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma"

▼ Profile of Eisuke Wakamatsu
Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Liberal Arts Research and Education Center. Specializes in literary criticism.
He has discussed leprosy literature, including the works of Hojo Tamio in his commentary for "Hojo Tamio: Collection of Novels, Essays, and Letters" (Kodansha Bungei Bunko, 2015), Odori Yuji in "Philosophy of Spirituality" (Kadokawa Sensho, 2015), and Shiki Itsuma and Kondo Hansen's Disease in "Encountering Poetry, Living with Poetry" (NHK Publishing, 2019).
In connection with the gallery exhibition "60 Years After His Death: Shiki Itsuma Exhibition," we will be talking about the appeal of Shiki Itsuma's poetry.

Report on the (1st) Lecture "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma"

On Sunday, November 17, 2019, from 14:00 to 15:30, we held the first related event to the gallery exhibition "60 Years After His Death: Shiki Itsuma Exhibition," a lecture by Eisuke Wakamatsu titled "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma." This was the first time that Professor Wakamatsu spoke on the theme of "Shiki Itsuma." He spoke in depth about the "words of poetry."
We are very grateful to all our customers who visited us. We would like to introduce some of the opinions and comments we received from our customers.

• I met Shiki's poem for the first time this time, and I was surprised that the infinite universe was expressed in plain language. It turns out that the "sadness" that Shiki faces finds light in the light of his own life, which he is currently living in pain. I will continue to read the poem I read this time over time.
• Previously, I asked Mr. Wakamatsu to hold a lecture by questionnaire. Thank you very much today. I became more fond of Shiki Izuma and wanted to read more. It was a very intense time. I am looking forward to various events in the future. We are also looking forward to an event that even small children can participate in.
• It was a story of Mr. Wakamatsu who woke up to a very deep connection between life theory and poetry (Shiki) (not just Shiki). I thought it was impossible to separate "life" and "words". I think it was a very rich feeling that I was able to touch Mr. Wakamatsu's deep thoughts very straightforwardly because it was the daily poem of Izuma Shiki (which encourages me to read it).
• Thank you for holding a wonderful lecture. I was able to deeply enjoy the words of Mr. Shiki's poems, and what was written in the margins, or not, from Professor Wakamatsu's story. I felt that the power of poetry and the power of words (the power of sadness and the power of suffering) can save people in surviving the harsh disease of Hansen's Disease I was very happy to receive a postcard as a gift.
• This is the third or fourth time I've heard Mr. Wakamatsu's radical story, but many scales have come off from my eyes. I would like to give a big applause not only to Mr. Wakamatsu but also to the staff who planned it !!!
• Thank you very much. As I carefully read the resumes and postcard poems one by one, it was a moment to touch Shiki's straight heart. After the lecture, I think that a quiet space has been created in my heart. I would love to hear from Mr. Kimura's story about Mitsuo Oe.

Click here for the YouTube archive video of Eisuke Wakamatsu's lecture (1st)

[2nd] Gallery Exhibition "60 Years After Death, Shiki Izuma Exhibition" Related Events
Lecture by Eisuke Wakamatsu: "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma"

▼ Profile of Eisuke Wakamatsu
Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Liberal Arts Research and Education Center. Specializes in literary criticism.
He has discussed leprosy literature, including the works of Hojo Tamio in his commentary for "Hojo Tamio: Collection of Novels, Essays, and Letters" (Kodansha Bungei Bunko, 2015), Odori Yuji in "Philosophy of Spirituality" (Kadokawa Sensho, 2015), and Shiki Itsuma and Kondo Hansen's Disease in "Encountering Poetry, Living with Poetry" (NHK Publishing, 2019).
In connection with the gallery exhibition "60 Years After His Death: Shiki Itsuma Exhibition," we will be talking about the appeal of Shiki Itsuma's poetry.

Report on the (2nd) Lecture "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma"

On Sunday, December 1, 2019, from 14:00 to 15:30, the second related event to the gallery exhibition "60 Years After His Death: Shiki Itsuma Exhibition" was held, a lecture by Eisuke Wakamatsu entitled "Encountering the Poetry of Shiki Itsuma." Today was the final day of the gallery exhibition "60 Years After His Death: Shiki Itsuma Exhibition," and Professor Wakamatsu gave an additional lecture on a different topic from the previous one (the first one).

We are very grateful to all our customers who visited us. We would like to introduce some of the opinions and comments we received from our customers.

• It was a wonderful lecture. I was happy to be able to accept the image and the essential things about living that can only be felt in the words of Izuma Shiki. I strongly wanted to write my own poems, starting with copying Shiki's poems. Also, today's reading by Mr. Wakamatsu was very good, so I would be happy if there was a reading session for the literature of people with Hansen's Disease
• This time, Mr. Wakamatsu talked about meeting and tasting poetry rather than knowing it as knowledge. I thought it was also necessary for us to learn about and live with those who have experienced Hansen's Disease their families.
• Through the poems of Izuma Shiki, I received hints on how to read and feel the poems (words). I write tanka, and I thought the same could be said for all poetry patterns. I would like to hear and see exhibitions and lectures about poets.
• It was very interesting to have the opportunity to think about things that I couldn't think of in my daily life. I didn't know Shiki Izuma until I read it here today. I was given the opportunity to read Izuma Shiki because I wanted to come to the The National Hansen's Disease Museum I am grateful.
• I think I was able to think deeply and deeply about poetry, words, and humans. Thank you very much.
• Hansen's Disease and Eisuke Wakamatsu and participated this time. It was my first time seeing Shiki Izuma, but I was deeply moved. I will become an important work in myself and listen to my voice.

Click here for the YouTube archive video of Eisuke Wakamatsu's lecture (2nd)