A picture book has been created based on the true story of two parents and their child born on January 17, 1995, when a major earthquake struck western Japan.
An event marking the completion of the book was held Saturday in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture.
The head of an art workshop in the city and others raised money for the book through crowdfunding.
They devoted two and a half years to this project, which aims to pass on to future generations the memories of the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in 1995.
The illustrations in the book were drawn by children who attend the workshop.
The story begins with a huge earthquake that shakes the couple’s house. They take refuge in a shelter and receive support from other survivors.
The woman then gives birth to a boy in a hospital during a power outage. His name is Nakamura Tsubasa.
His mother, Hizuru, said the book clearly reminds her of what happened back then. She thanked the children who made the drawings.
A boy whose drawing appears on the cover of the book said he was happy the book was finished. He said he used his imagination to come up with the design after hearing about what happened after the earthquake.
The boy said he wanted to make others understand that survivors showed a lot of kindness and care, even in the most difficult times.
Three thousand copies of the book will be donated to schools in Hyogo Prefecture as well as areas hit by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
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