Event Program

Presented by the Centre for Japanese Research, the Liu Institute for Global Issues, and The Simons Foundation

Sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun

From Hiroshima to Fukushima: Poetry of Nuclear Survival

A Poetry Reading by Sayuri Yoshinaga with Ryūichi Sakamoto

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts - Telus Studio TheatreUniversity of British Columbia

3:00-4:30 pmMay 3, 2016

ProgramGreeting by Centre for Japanese Research Co-director Christina Laffin

Commentary by Jennifer Allen Simons (President, The Simons Foundation)

Poems by Shigeko Satō translated and read by UBC Asian Studies graduate students “Then” “Cet instant” (French) 「あの時」 (Read and translated by Elsa Chanez) p. 2

“Finding Home” 「仮設住宅」 (Read and translated by Kazuhiko Imai) p. 3 “A Row of Cherry Trees” 「さくら並木」 (Read and translated by Kurtis Hanlon) p. 3-4 “Stop” ストップ (Read and translated by Haley Blum) p. 4

“The Second Movement” in Canada with Sayuri Yoshinaga and Ryūichi Sakamotoカナダにおける『第二楽章』　吉永小百合　坂本龍一

Introduction to “The Second Movement” in Canada by Tsuda College Professor Atsuko Hayakawa

Welcome from Lyndsay Bocchinfuso on behalf of UBC undergraduate students

Commentary by Ryūichi Sakamoto

Poems read by Sayuri Yoshinaga accompanied by Ryūichi Sakamoto and UBC Creative Writing graduate student Clara Kumagai

Poems on Hiroshima “Prologue” by Sankichi Tōge 「序」 峠三吉　 p. 6 “I Will Deliver the Child” by Sadako Kurihara 「生ましめんかな」 栗原貞子 p. 6 “Everlasting Green” by Tamiki Hara 「永遠のみどり」 原民喜 p. 7 “Snow Falls” by Kiyoko Nagase 「降りつむ」 永瀬清子, translated by Michiko 美智子 p. 7

Piano solo by Ryūichi Sakamoto

Poems on Fukushima Three untitled poems by Ryōichi Wagō 和合亮一 p. 8 from Poetry Offers a Silent Bow「詩ノ黙礼」

Poem by Shigeko Satō 佐藤紫華子 “Home” 「ふるさと」 p. 9 Poems by children “Your Hand in Mine” by Momoko Yoshida 「あなたの手とわたしの手を」 吉田桃子 p. 9-10 “Fukushima” by Takafumi Kohara 「福島」 小原隆史 p.10 Poems by Ryōichi Wagō 和合亮一 “Five Years” 「五年」 p.10-11 “Let Us Go Back” 「かえろう」 p. 11

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Poems by Shigeko Satō translated and read by UBC Asian Studies graduate students Haley Blum, Elsa Chanez, Kurtis Hanlon, and Kazuhiko Imai.

Shigeko Satō 佐藤紫華子 was active as a teacher of Japanese dance in the city of Tomiokamachi, Fukushima Prefecture, when the area was struck by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011. She was evacuated to Iwaki City to live in temporary housing. Six months after the triple disaster, she released Nuclear Refugee (Genpatsu nanmin 「原発難民」), a collection of poems on her experience.

Then

Until then, the rain was gentle.Even the sound of it drenching the roof tileswas able to conceal the sound of footsteps.It would wrap quietly around meas I was falling asleep.

Until then, the stars shone.

The light of the moon peekedgently at my sleeping self.

Until then, the nightwould invite me to the realm of dreams.

Since then,all has been lost.

Since then,

the clock of past and futurehas been stopped.

I can’t go on,I can’t go back,

I am caughtin this violent, boiling cauldron.

あの時

それまでの雨は 優しかった 瓦をぬらす雨音も 足音をしのばせて 眠りにつく私をそっと 包んでくれた

それまでの 星は輝いていた

月の光が眠るわたしを そっとのぞいていた

それまでの夜は 私を夢の世界へ 誘ってくれた あの時から すべて失われた

あの時から

過去と未来の 時計が止まれたまゝ

進めない 戻れない

激しい焦燥のるつぼにまきこまれたまゝ

Cet instant

Jusqu’à cet instant, la pluie, était douce .Même le bruit de la pluie tombant sur les tuiles du toit,arriver à couvrir le bruit des pas.Il m’envelopper doucementquand je m’endormais.

Jusqu'à cet instant, les étoiles brillaient.

La lumière de la luneépier gentiment ce moi qui s’endormait.

Jusqu'à cet instant, la nuit m’invitait vers le royaume des rêves.

Depuis cet instant, tout est perdus.

Depuis cet instant,

la montre du passé et du présenta été arrêtée.

Je ne puis continuer,Je ne puis revenir en arrière,

Je suis entravé dans ce chaudron qui bouillonne violement.

(Read and translated by Elsa Chanez)

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Finding Home

I’ve found a resting place at lastthough the path there is steepmy heart heavier than the stones,the pebbles I trudge upon.

The pebbles groan,cry beneath my feet.Crying, groaning and weeping,they shift beneath me.

Struggling not to fall,I writhe forward,arriving at last...

“It’s enough to shelterfrom the wind and the rain,” I tell myself, coming home.

A Row of Cherry Trees

In full bloom, a row of cherry trees, beneath thema boat glides inlaid with stars.

Although no one is to be seentension that has been sharpenedcourses among the flowers and begins to fall.

This year’s flowersare different.

Although on one side they bloom beautifullyfrom the other, sighs escape.

Amid the row of cherry treesthe stripped,tainted earth liescovered by a blue tarp,and without breathing

仮設住宅

やっと入れた住宅の 道は険しく 石よりも重い心で 砂利を踏む

砂利ぎしぎしと踏まれては鳴くぎしぎし鳴いて足をすくう

転ばぬ様に身をよじり乍ら辿りつく 雨風をしのげればそれでいゝ と仮住いの家につく

(Read and translated by Kazuhiko Imai)

さくら並木

満開の　さくら並木の その下を 星ちりばめた舟が通る

人影がないのに 研ぎすまされた神経が 花を伝っておちてくる 今年の花は いつもと違う

一きわ美しく咲いているのに そこから溜息が洩れている

さくら並木のその中に はぎ取られた 汚染土が　おいてある 青いシートを被せられ 息がつけない様に

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I stand amid the row of cherry trees.

The petalsare tearsthat spill and spill.

They bloom so prettily;why do they cry?

Spilling and falling,as they sympathize withthe stripped tainted earth,they cover it up;singing a requiemI row my boat.

A drift of blossoms from the row of cherry trees.

Stop

Every time I go, desolation—the radiation never fades.

Every time I see,the houses, falling into ruin—Who could live here now?

This painful, scarredlandscape.

The prefab houses stand in rowssolemn white clothesin all directions.

The highway reaches here just tostop,our way forward toostops.

At least, please, let this road to hellstop.

さくら並木の中にある

花びらが 涙となって こぼれるれる そんなにきれいに咲いて 何を泣く こぼれて落ちて はぎとられた汚染土を いたわり乍ら 埋めつくし鎮魂の歌をうたって 舟を漕ぐ さくら並木のさきだまり

(Read and translated by Kurtis Hanlon)

ストップ

行く度に荒れ果てて線量も下がらず

見る度にこわれていく家こゝ に誰が住めるというの この痛 し々く傷ついた風景

そこにプレハブが建ち並び物 し々い　白い服が右往左往している 国道もこゝ からはストップ私達の行き先もストップ せめて地獄への“道”も“ストップ”して

(Read and translated by Haley Blum)

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“The Second Movement” in Canada with Sayuri Yoshinaga and Ryūichi Sakamoto

Ryūichi Sakamoto rose to fame through the band Yellow Magic Orchestra and has since collaborated with a wide range of artists as a composer, pianist, singer, and producer. His work encompasses the sublime music for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and the soundtrack for Nagasaki: Memories of My Son. His honours include an Academy Award, Grammy Award, BAFTA, and two Golden Globes for his scoring of movies such as The Last Emperor. Most recently he created the score for The Revenant, nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA. An outspoken pacifist, environmental activist, and supporter of social causes, Sakamoto continues to advocate for renewable energy and the denuclearization of Japan at a time when many remain silent.

Sayuri Yoshinaga has appeared in over 100 films since her debut in 1959 and has been awarded the Japanese Academy Award for best female actor four times. Her leading role in Cape Nostalgia 「不思議な岬の物語」 (Fushigi na misaki no monogatari) won the special Grand Prix at the Montréal Film Festival in 2014. Most recently, she appeared in Nagasaki: Memories of My Son「母と暮らせば」(Haha to kuraseba), set in postwar Nagasaki. As a dedicated activist and pacifist, Ms. Yoshinaga has spent the past three decades reading and publishing the voices of nuclear survivors.

Introduction to “The Second Movement” in Canada by Tsuda College Professor Atsuko Hayakawa

Welcome from Lyndsay Bocchinfuso on behalf of the UBC undergraduate students

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Poems on Hiroshima

Prologue by Sankichi Tōge

Give me my father backGive me my mothermy grandparentsmy children

Give me back my selfmy people

As long as we are alive in this worldbring back peacepeace that does not end

I Will Deliver the Child by Sadako Kurihara

Night in the basement of the ruined building.The bomb wounded,buried in each other, fill the dark basement, with no candle.The smell of fresh blood, stench of death,stifled breathing mingled with sweat and moans of pain. In the midst, a strange voice was heard;“A baby is about to be born!”In the hellish depths of the basement a young woman was going into labour, now.

In the depths of darkness without a single matchwhat was there to do?Forgetting their own pain for hers, someone said,“I’m a midwife. I’ll deliver the child.”It was the gravely injured woman who had just been moaning.And so, in the hellish depths of darknessa life was born.And without waiting for the dawn,the midwife died, bathed in blood.

I will deliver the child.I will deliver the childeven if I must give my own life.

序 峠三吉

ちちをかえせ　ははをかえせとしよりをかえせこどもをかえせ

わたしをかえせ　わたしにつながるにんげんをかえせ

にんげんのにんげんのよのあるかぎり

くずれぬへいわをへいわをかえせ

生ましめんかな 栗原貞子

こわれたビルディングの地下室の夜だった。原子爆弾の負傷者たちはローソク一本ない暗い地下室をうずめて、いっぱいだった。生ぐさい血の匂い、死臭、汗くさい人いきれ、うめきごえ。そんな中から不思議な声がきこえて来た。

「赤ん坊が生まれる」と言うのだ。この地獄の底のような地下室で今、若い女が産気づいているのだ。

マッチ一本ないくらがりでどうしたらいいのだろう人々は自分の痛みを忘れて気づかった。と、「私が産婆です、私が生ませましょう」と言ったのはさっきまでうめいていた重傷者だ。かくてくらがりの地獄の底で新しい生命は生まれた。かくてあかつきを待たず産婆は血まみれのまま死んだ。

生ましめんかな生ましめんかな己が命捨つとも

Piano solo by Ryūichi Sakamoto

Everlasting Green by Tamiki Hara

Here in this delta called Hiroshima, let young leavesgrow lush and overflow,fill memories of deathand hellfire with fresh prayers. Everlasting green,undying green. From this delta, Hiroshima,may fresh leaves spill over.

Snow Falls by Kiyoko NagaseTranslated by Michiko

Snow falls on this country of sorrow.Snow falls as though to say, “Feed on your sorrow.”Snow falls on loss and devastation: On mountains and rivers, On people with shabby clothes, On orphans with dishevelled hair.Snow falls, as louder the encircling seas moan.

Snow fallsDay and nightLike a long and plaintive dirge,As though to say, “Calm the sobbing cry of your heart:Enclose yourself in your sorrowLike birds in their nests and foxes in holes.Bear the winter cold as do strong leaves of grass rooted in the earth.”Snow falls as though to say,“Revive, good spring, from under the snow.”

Quietly, so quietly, from the infinitely deep skySnow falls — ah, with what merciless mercy.

Snow fallsOn this country of sorrow

永遠のみどり　　原民喜

ヒロシマのデルタに若葉うずまけ死と焔の記憶によき祈よ　こもれ

とわのみどりをとわのみどりを

ヒロシマのデルタに青葉したたれ

降りつむ　　永瀬清子翻訳　美智子

かなしみの国に雪が降りつむかなしみを糧として生きよと雪が降りつむ失いつくしたものの上に雪が降りつむその山河の上にそのうすきシャツの上にそのみなし子のみだれる頭髪の上に四方の潮騒いよよ高く雪が降りつむ夜も昼もなく長いかなしみの音楽のごとくなきさけびの心を鎮めよと雪が降りつむひよどりや狐の巣にこもるごとくかなしみにこもれと地に強い草の葉の冬を越すごとく冬をこせよとその下からやがてよき春の立ちあがれと雪が降りつむ無限にふかい空からしずかにしずかに非情のやさしさをもつて雪が降りつむかなしみの国に雪が降りつむ。

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Poems on FukushimaThree untitled poems by Ryōichi Wagō 和合亮一 from Poetry Offers a Silent Bow 「詩ノ黙礼」 (Shi no mokurei)

Ryōichi Wagō 和合亮一 is an acclaimed poet who also teaches high school students in Fukushima. In the aftermath of the triple disaster he brought attention to those in the affected area and the role of poetry by disseminating poems via Twitter. He remains actively engaged in education and poetic production and regularly holds workshops which encourage young poets to write about Fukushima and its future. The poems below by Momoko Yoshida and Takahashi Kohara were produced in one of his “poetry schools” (shi no terakoya 詩の寺小屋).

Untitled

The children who cannot be seenchildren with sad heartshave come to this riverbank and look up at the carp windsocks.Oh the tsunami the tsunami cameIt was so hard it was frightening wasn’t it childrenIt was so hard it was frightening wasn’t it childrenO little carp swimming through the skygo with the big carp keep swimming　straight through the sky

Untitled

I’m gazing at a mapof this country called Japan, this small island nationwhere so many lives vanishedI stare at a mapof Tōhoku and the Pacific coastits jagged terrain its smooth terrainsad this jagged and smooth coast

Untitled

Weeping we arepoking in the mudwith a long pole, searchingfor words for a home for a poem.We find nothing and somust we simply stay silent? Where, where is our home?

無題

見えない姿の　子どもたちが悲しい心の　子どもたちがこの土手に来て　鯉のぼりを　見あげている津波が　津波が　来たんだねつらかったね　こわかったね　子どもたちつらかったね　こわかったね　子どもたち空へ　泳いでいく　小さな　鯉のぼり大きな鯉のぼりと　一緒に　空へね　どうか　迷わずに　泳いでいくんだよ

無題

私は地図を眺めているこの国　日本という　小さな島国 ここで　たくさんの命が 消えた私は地図を見つめる 東北　太平洋岸 ぎざぎざの地形　ななだらかな地形悲しい　ぎざぎざな　なだらかな海岸

無題　

私たちは 泣きながらぬかるみの中を長い棒で 探しています言葉を 故郷を 詩を見つからないだから黙るしかないのか故郷は何処に何処に

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Two poems by children

Poem by Shigeko Satō 佐藤紫華子

Home

We call and shoutbut no one hears.

We weep and struggle we can’t go back

Our home is far away has become farther

A home so close yet still too far that home with its lovely shore

Stays in our hearts in a pool of tears.

ふるさと

呼んでも　叫んでも　届かない

　　泣いても　もがいても　　　戻れない

　　　　ふるさとは　　　　　遠く　遠のいて

　　余りにも　近くて　遠いふるさと

あのふるさとは美しい海辺

心の底の 涙に湖に　ある

Your Hand in Mine by Momoko Yoshida

March 11, 2011Just how much did these few short words take from us?

That dayThe sky shiftedThe earth shiftedThe forest shiftedThe sea shiftedThe wind shiftedThe light shiftedFukushima shiftedI shifted.

What trickled through our hands cannot be returned, someone saidCan what vanished from our hands ever return? I askedThen let’s join hands to keep what’s left in our hands, you laughed.

あなたの手とわたしの手を 　　吉田桃子

さんてんいちいちたった八文字の言葉は私たちからどれくらいのものを奪っていったんだろう

あの日空がゆれた大地がゆれた森がゆれた海がゆれた風がゆれた光がゆれたふくしまがゆれた私がゆれた

手の平からこぼれたものはもう戻ってはこないのですと誰かがいった手の平から消え去ったものはもう戻ってはこないのですかと私はきいた手の平に残ったものをもう失わないように手をつなごうとあなたが笑った

Now

Stand upLook aheadJoin hands

That’s my first step

Fukushima by Takafumi Kohara

Even now the armored tank of nuclear powershoots bullets of radiationthrough our heartsthough we struggle the bullets comethey keep shooting without reprieveButI will not be stopped will not quit will not give upFukushima will not be defeatednever be defeated

When nuclear energy endsthen we will know real peaceand see what we cannot see nowOur tearful faces will become smiling facesEveryone will be smilingThat’s what will happen in Fukushima

I hope

今

立ち上がれ前を向け手をつなげ

これが私の第一歩

福島　　小原隆史

今も原発という戦車は放射能という弾をうち人々の心をうちぬくもがいても　もがいても弾は来る休むことなくうってくるだけど僕はくじけない　あきらめない　みすてない福島ば負けないぜったいに負けない

原発をおさめてこそほんとうの平和を知り見えないものも見えてくるなき顔だった僕たちも笑顔になるみんなが笑顔になってくるそんな福島になる

きっと

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Two poems by Ryōichi Wagō 和合亮一

Five Years

Returning to its distant shorethe tsunami lefta lone pine

it standsin my garden,yours, my town,street,yours.

五年

はるか遠くの浜辺の津波で残ったたった一本の松が私やあなたの

庭や街に通りに立っている

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The paintings featured in this program, in the theatre foyer, and at the reception were created by master animator Kazuo Oga 男鹿和雄. Mr. Oga is known for his numerous contributions to animated films, including his depiction of wartime Japan in Barefoot Gen「はだしのゲン」(Hadashi no Gen), and the artwork in the Studio Ghibli films My Neighbour Totoro「となりのトトロ」(Tonari no Totoro), Princess Mononoke「もののけ姫」(Mononoke-hime), and most recently, Princess Kaguya「かぐや姫 」(Kaguyahime).

We are grateful for the extensive support of the following individuals and organizations: Sonja Artnzen for program advice; Clara Kumagai for program help and reading of poem translations; Museum of Anthropology Asia Curator Fuyubi Nakamura for program advice and extensive support with media inquiries; andrea bennett for Prezi preparation; Rhea Tregebov of the Creative Writing Program for her generous editing efforts, program coordination, and student guidance; Professor Atsuko Hayakawa and Keiko Sakata for their organizational assistance; the students of Tsuda College and Professor Saeko Kimura for their collaboration on educational outreach; the many UBC students who participated in preparation and translation; Yamaha Canada Music Ltd. for providing the piano, ANA Airlines and the Listel Hotel for flight and accommodation arrangements, Asahi Shimbun for sponsoring this event; and Ms. Yoshinaga and Mr. Sakamoto for taking the time to join us in Vancouver!

Sheltered in the shade of that tree you and Iwere laid bare to that wave.

Clinging to the morning’s sun clinging to the minute the signal marks noon clinging to the evening’s dinner table we live on.

Let Us Go Back

Let us go back to our words, our hills and fields, where our father and mother are, to the sound of the tide.

私もあなたもあの波にさらされた木の影に立たされている

朝の太陽にしがみつき真昼の時報にしがみつき夜の食卓にしがみつき生きている

かえろう

かえろう私たちの言葉ヘ野山ヘ父と母のもとへ海の潮鳴りへ