Kazuko Sumitomo, a 69-year-old Kobe resident who lost her father in the Great Hanshin Earthquake, has devoted over a decade to reading picture books about disasters like the Great East Japan Earthquake to children. Her goal is to teach them that disasters are not someone else's problem. Through tales of past quakes, she shares personal tragedies and encourages preparedness.
On January 17, 1995, during the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Kazuko Sumitomo felt a violent tremor in her home with her husband and eldest daughter, then rushed to her nearby parents' house. Almost all houses in the area had collapsed, and her father, Kanji Sato, then 69, who was sleeping on the first floor, was buried under the rubble. When she arrived, only the tips of his legs were visible; his body, when recovered, had turned red from blood congestion. Sumitomo herself miscarried her baby, whose heartbeat had recently been confirmed, on the day of the quake.
Her father, known for his prudence, often warned the family about impending earthquakes and stockpiled emergency supplies like canned food and retort-pouch curry. While working at an after-school childcare center, Sumitomo began sharing her experiences and descriptions of post-quake Kobe with children. Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, she intensified her efforts by reading picture books, believing messages from a child's viewpoint would better promote future preparedness.
In late November, in a park in Kobe's Nada Ward, she read "Asaichi" (Morning market), about Wajima Asaichi in Ishikawa Prefecture's Wajima, to about 10 children from a childcare center. She described the major fire that followed the quake and the ongoing reconstruction, as the children listened with serious expressions. Other books include "Kibo no Bokujo" (A ranch of hope), set near the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Nearly 31 years after the Hanshin quake, she incorporates recent disasters like the Noto Peninsula Earthquake to familiarize youth with such events. As a member of a picture book reading group, she visits multiple local elementary schools.
"When we listen to Ms. Sumitomo reading a book in her own words, even a sad story makes us feel calm and gentle," said Yuka Mae, 62, from Higashinada Ward. Sumitomo added, "I’ll be satisfied only if children feel that everyone affected by earthquakes in Kobe, Tohoku and Noto Peninsula had a hard time by listening to picture books and my stories. I believe it will help children become able to protect themselves when they have grown up."
