Hirosaki's Neputa artist, Ryusen Yashima, is now calling for relevant information that his own sumi-e is drawn by Nagasaki's doctor of medicine, Takashi Nagai.

Born in 1908 (Meiji 41), Nagai was bombed in Nagasaki in August 1945, struggling against leukemia, and continues to rescue victims. In 1951, he was 41 years old. Died. During his life, he continued his medical research on the atomic bomb in his hospital bed, and wrote his book “Nagasaki no Kane” and “Leave This Child”. "Bell of Nagasaki" became a movie in later years when a popular song with a motif became a hit.

The ink paintings owned by Mr. Yashima are drawn on Japanese paper, and in the center, a woman who seems to be Mr. Taka's wife, Mr. Midori, rides on a mushroom cloud with a rosary in his hand. Midori was killed in the Nagasaki atomic bomb, and when Takashi discovered it, he had only ashes and a rosary that had been burnt and melted. At the bottom left of the picture is the word "Nuclear cloud Nagasaki Takashi Nagai".

According to Yashima, the picture was obtained from an antique dealer in Hirosaki city about 10 years ago. "It was one piece in "Makuri" that was a collection of old books, but I kept it as a collection without worrying about it," says Yashima.

"One day, when I was watching a special program on the atomic bomb on TV, I happened to see the name "Takashi Nagai" and a cloud of mushrooms, and I remembered the picture. When I checked it again, I found a similar picture. I learned that it was exhibited at the Takashi Nagai Memorial Museum (Nagasaki City)."

It is said that some people come to see the picture from Nagasaki six years ago, after being picked up by a local newspaper. "I felt that there were people who put their hands together and people who wept on the spot, and I had to tell them again how scary the atomic bomb was and how it was passed on to future generations. I would like many people to see it as a picture that conveys the misery of the atomic bomb where it should have been placed," says Yashima. "If possible, I would like to realize it by August 9th, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki."

For inquiries, please contact Ryusen Yashima (TEL 0172-82-3152).