Kamishibai promoting peace will be performed daily in Minami during the World Expo period.　ミナミで平和説く紙芝居、万博会期中に毎日上演へ

Namba Economic Newspaper　なんば経済新聞　2025年4月1日

https://namba.keizai.biz/headline/5587/

A kamishibai (picture-story show) titled “The Cloud That Won’t Disappear By Kei” which deals with the theme of war, will be performed daily from April 13th in front of the Dotonbori Yatai Village Matsuri (Soemoncho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City), a building housing various food and drink establishments.

The initiator of this project is Daisaku Yoshimura, who runs “Local Tsushin,” a free paper that disseminates local information in Tsurumi Ward. Yoshimura says that as a child, his mother told him, “You’re a child who can be helpful to others,” and that the Great East Japan Earthquake prompted him to actively engage in social service activities. This kamishibai performance is also part of his social service activities. It will be held in Dotonbori, where an increase in foreign visitors is expected due to the upcoming World Expo.

Yoshimura says, “I want to show the kamishibai to foreign visitors, translate it into their native languages, and have them spread it in their own countries. I hope it will be an opportunity for them to think about nuclear disarmament.” The kamishibai will be narrated entirely in English, and the story unfolds with “Kei-chan” praying for peace in Hiroshima, the city where the atomic bomb was dropped. An official social media account for this project has also been launched, and the kamishibai data will be distributed via social media and email.

Yoshimura says, “We are currently recruiting student volunteers to upload videos of the performances to social media and help spread the kamishibai. As the number of people who can share their experiences of the atomic bombing decreases, I want the younger generation, who utilize social media, to have a strong voice in conveying this message.”

Performances are held daily at 3 PM until October 13th.

　戦争を題材にした紙芝居「ケイちゃんの消えない雲」が4月13日から、飲食ビル「道頓堀屋台村 祭」（大阪市中央区宗右衛門町）前で上演される。

　発起人は、鶴見区の地域情報を発信するフリーペーパー「ローカル通信」を運営する吉村大作さん。吉村さんは、幼いころに母から「人の役に立てる子や」と言われ、東日本大震災をきっかけに社会奉仕活動に積極的に取り組むようになったという。今回の紙芝居上演も社会奉仕活動の一環。万博開催で訪日客が増えると予想される道頓堀で行う。

　吉村さんは「訪日客に紙芝居を披露し、彼らの母国語にして、自国で広めてもらいたい。核兵器廃絶について考えるきっかけになれば」と話す。紙芝居の読み上げは全て英語で行い、原爆が落とされた広島を舞台に「ケイちゃん」が平和を祈る物語が展開される。同取り組みに関する公式SNSも立ち上げ、SNSやメールを通じ、紙芝居データの配布も行う。

　吉村さんは「現在、上演の様子をSNSにアップしたり、紙芝居を拡散させたりする学生ボランティアを募集している。被爆体験を伝える当事者が少なくなる中、SNSを活用する若い世代に大きな発信力を持ってほしい」と話す。

　毎日15時上演。10月13日まで。