Matsumoto Global Foundation
-People and towns that will not succumb to infectious diseases-
An event "Wisdom and Elegance" was held to learn about people from the Edo period.
Date: Wednesday, October 28th
Organized by: Matsumoto Foundation
Co-organized by Minato Ward
Location: Minato City Traditional Culture Exchange Center
The infectious disease countermeasures of the Edo period were filled with the wisdom and ingenuity of the time. The keyword was "folding fans." This event was an opportunity to listen to stories about infectious disease countermeasures of the Edo period and experience the elegant world of Akasaka Odori, which makes use of folding fans. Thirty people participated.
You can see what happened on the day in the video.
It was broadcast in 29 countries, mainly in Asia, on November 9th.
Singapore TV International, courtesy of CNA
On October 28th, it was featured on NHK's "News Today".
This was featured on Nippon Television's "News Zero" on October 28th.
What happened on the day
Greetings
As the prevention of infectious diseases, one of The Matsumoto Global Foundation's key themes, is important before they occur, we believe that it is important not only for medical professionals to make efforts, but also for each of us to take preventative measures in our daily lives. For this reason, The Matsumoto Global Foundation is not limited to the healthcare field, but is also working to raise awareness of prevention in a wide range of fields through economic exchanges, personal exchanges, and cultural and artistic exchanges.
Thanks to this connection, we have decided to work with the people of Minato Ward to prevent infection using the traditional Japanese culture of "sensu" at a historic building owned by the ward. Society is currently in a state of anxiety and confusion due to the new coronavirus infection, but we hope that each and every one of us can take positive steps to minimize its impact.
Founder & Chairman, Matsumoto Global Foundation
Kenichi Matsumoto
Part 1: Infection Control History: Infectious diseases in the Edo period
During the Edo period, there were epidemics of infectious diseases such as cholera and smallpox, known as plagues. It is easy to see how, in an era when medical science was not yet developed, people clung to unfounded folk beliefs and superstitions in an attempt to ease their anxiety and somehow avoid infectious diseases.
When you look at the pictures from those days, you can see the wisdom and ingenuity put into them, and some of them are quite amusing. Among them, the use of folding fans is also effective in preventing droplet infection. It is something unique to the Japanese, and is alive in tradition.
Please see the Minato Ward website for information on infection control measures.
Minato Ward Infectious Disease Specialist Advisor
Mr. Narumi Hori
Part 2: "Enjoy Culture" Dance by Akasaka Geisha
Nagauta Kimigayo Shochikubai Kouta Yamanaka Shigure Nagauta Fujimusume Kiyomoto Monkey and Rooster Song Sawagi
Ikuko Tatekata Mayu Maki Koiku Region Yurika Komaki Hayashi Senko
Part 3: Tea party: Introducing "Prevention with Fans"
The third part was titled "Prevention with Fans" and was a tea party with Mr. Hori, seminar participants, and Akasaka geisha. Professional geisha learned how to use a fan to prevent droplets with an elegant gesture of placing the fan on the mouth. For the snacks, we prepared Japanese sweets called "Kinsha no Kimochi (Feelings of Gratitude)" from a long-established Japanese sweets shop in Akasaka that has been in business since the Edo period.
It is said that droplet prevention is important for COVID-19 infection. One way to prevent droplets from spreading when dining is to use a folding fan. (You can check the effectiveness of the folding fan by scanning the QR code.)
At this event, a droplet infection prevention item called "Tobishima Sensu" developed by Chiba City Councilman Kiyohiro Iwai was introduced and distributed to participants. This is a single piece of paper folded into an accordion shape to resemble a folding fan, and is antibacterial. If you keep it close to you and immediately cover your mouth with it, you can prevent droplets from flying. Efforts to use it in restaurants and other establishments have begun.
言語 / Language