National Hansen's Disease Museum (Japan)
Encyclopedia
The is a museum in Higashimurayama, Tokyo
, Japan
that is dedicated to education about Hansen's disease (leprosy
) and to eliminate discriminatory practices
against its sufferers. It was formerly (1993–2007) named "His Imperial Highness Prince Takamatsu Memorial Museum of Hansen's Disease".
The museum's purpose, located next to one of Japan's remaining leprosy sanatoriums, is to:
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
that is dedicated to education about Hansen's disease (leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
) and to eliminate discriminatory practices
Leprosy stigma
Leprosy stigma is a kind of social stigma, a strong feeling that a leprosy patient is shameful and is not accepted normally in society. Also called leprosy related stigma, leprostigma and stigma of leprosy.-Stigma:...
against its sufferers. It was formerly (1993–2007) named "His Imperial Highness Prince Takamatsu Memorial Museum of Hansen's Disease".
The museum's purpose, located next to one of Japan's remaining leprosy sanatoriums, is to:
- To promote awareness of leprosy
- To represent and preserve the history of leprosy in Japan
- To show what persons affected by leprosy have achieved
- To help restore the dignity of persons affected by leprosy
- To demonstrate the importance of human rights and the linked need to end prejudice and discrimination
History
Fujio Ohtani wrote in a pamphlet "H.I.H. Prince Takamatsu Memorial Museum of Hansen's Disease": Our Museum was conceived as a commomerative undertaking for the Fortieth Anniversary of the Tofu Kyokai Foundation. While the construction plans were under way, the Leprosy Prevention Law still existed. All the parties involved ardently wished that this new Museum would function in a way to win the public support for abolition of the Law and to show the realities of the thirteen national and three religious associations affiliated Hansen's Disease sanatoria, which were known only to a limited number of people.Table
- June 25, 1993 H.I.H. Prince Takamatsu Memorial Museum of Hansen's disease opened.
- March, 2004 The master plan of the renewed museum was completed.
- October, 2004 The 10th year memorial book was published.
- September, 2005 The museum was transiently closed.
- March, 2007, The renewed National Museum of Hansen's Diseae opened.
The Meiji Era and Taisho Era
- Photograph of Dr.Hansen, Early leprosaria, Okamura who produced splendid chaoulmoogra oil and saved patients.
- Isolation strengthened.
Life in Sanatoriums
- Photographs of hospitalization, Special money used only in sanatoriums.
- Treatment;Bandages, Injections of choaulmoogra oil, Labor assigned to patients.
Marriage, Abortions and Sterilization
- Marriage was permitted on the condition of sterilization.
Education in Sanatoriums
- Education was unsatisfactory. Schools were built within the sanatoriums and at the start, teachers with leprosy taught pupils.
Prejudice in Society (Leprosy Stigma)
- Complete destruction of Sotojima Hoyoen by typhoon, Fujimoto Incident, Tatsuda Children's Home Incident.
Death in Sanatoriums
- Funerals are important ceremonies. Every sanatorium has chapels, temples, a mortuary, a crematory, a charnel house, since the bones of patients had been usually rejected by their families. Traditionally each religious group performed funeral services for its members.
How to create something to live for
- Music, literature, and others are their pleasures in life.
Progress of Medicine
- Medical aspects of leprosy are shown, such as multidrug Therapy(MDT) and rehabilitation.
Testimony of ex-patients and related persons
- Video testimony of 42 persons of ex-patients and some doctors.
Information about the Museum
- Open: 9.30-16.30(admission 9.30-16.00)
- Closed: on Mondays
- Admission fee: free
- Address: postal cord 189-0002 4-1-13, Aobacho, Higashimurayama-shi, Tokyo
- Access: from Kiyose Station (Seibu-Ikebukuro line), 10 minutes by bus
- from Shin-akitsu Station (Higashinihontetudo), 10 minutes by bus
- Neighboring Sanatorium: National Tama-zenshoen Sanatorium
- Neighboring Leprosy Institute: Hansen's Disease Institute