Journalist’s Raw Kamishibai Hiroshima Story Hits Global Nerve — 33 Years in the Making

nnb_project — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0900

Yoshimura’s face and arms are getting thinner by the day.

【One Sentence Summary (Lead Sentence)】

At just 12, journalist Daisaku Yoshimura vowed to end war.
After 33 years of silence, he’s back - fueled by fierce determination, he’s risking his own body—losing 8kg and even livestreaming from a hospital bed—to bring Hiroshima’s survivor stories to life through kamishibai.
His powerful, heartfelt performances grip audiences worldwide, stirring deep emotions amid rising nuclear tensions.
People from over 30 countries stand with him, united by his urgent call: “Let’s share love, not bombs.”

【Body】

When he was 12, Daisaku Yoshimura wrote in his graduation collection: “I want to end war someday.”
Thirty-three years later, he stands on the streets of Osaka every day, performing kamishibai – Japanese paper theater – telling the story of Hiroshima survivor Keiko Ogura. His kamishibai has been translated into 109 languages, allowing his message to cross cultural and linguistic barriers and reach people around the globe.

Guided by his mother’s words, “You can do it,” Yoshimura has devoted himself deeply to his mission. In an effort to better understand and convey the harsh realities of wartime suffering, he subjected himself to a strict diet, losing 8 kilograms in just one month — a toll that left him noticeably thin. This personal sacrifice underscores his commitment to authentically sharing the survivors’ pain.

On April 13, 2025, the opening day of the Osaka Expo, he began performing kamishibai daily. He has never missed a day, even when hospitalized for suspected meningitis. IV drip attached, wearing his hospital gown, he livestreamed from his bed at exactly 3pm.

His show is titled “The Cloud That Won’t Disappear by Kei,” with illustrations drawn by Ukrainian refugees. Each day, he approaches 5 to 20 groups of people; most ignore him, but for those who stop, the performance leaves them silent and moved. Before parting, he tells each person in their language, reflecting the kamishibai’s wide linguistic reach:
“May happiness visit your life. I pray for you from my heart.”

Many shake his hand and hug him. An American woman cried, feeling guilt for Japan. A Ukrainian boy who is currently interacting with a 95-year-old atomic bomb survivor said:
“Let’s share love, not bombs.”

Okabe&Andrii

As nuclear tensions rise globally, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, Yoshimura believes stories can shape a different future – one built on empathy rather than fear.

So far, people from over 30 countries, including every nuclear-armed state except North Korea, have shown their support by making Yoshimura’s signature “No Nukes” pose. His kamishibai has been performed in seven countries, with Ukraine’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning CCL group posting their support on Instagram.

This is not Yoshimura’s first time devoting himself to others. After Japan’s 2011 tsunami, Yoshimura gathered 100 wishes from people who lost weddings, graduations, and other celebrations that were cancelled, helping revive hope for those affected. During COVID-19, he bartered a spool of red sewing thread into a house and mountain land, donating all profits to people in poverty. When Russia invaded Ukraine, he arranged IT work orders for engineers there and mediated prosthetic donations for injured soldiers.

Yoshimura dreams of performing kamishibai in every country, hoping that nuclear deterrence supporters and abolitionists alike will understand the survivors’ suffering.
“Let’s share love, not bombs.”
The words of a Ukrainian boy sum up everything Yoshimura believes in.

All information about the project, including details, videos, and images, is available in press kit.If you need a press kit, please feel free to contact us.

【Contact】

Contact: Daisaku Yoshimura (nnb_project founder)　
Email: nnb.project2025@gmail.com
Mobile: (+81) 90-9986-9238　
Instagram: @nnb_project
Period: Every day from 14:00 to 15:00 until October 13, 2025
Location: 3-4-66 Ebisu Higashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka
*Interviews can be conducted both on-site and online.　
*We will provide an interpreter for English.

法人別リリース

Journalist’s Raw Kamishibai Hiroshima Story Hits Global Nerve — 33 Years in the Making