Japaner im Revier - Aufbruch ins Fremde

In the organizer's words:

In the 1950s and 1960s, around 500 Japanese workers were employed in coal mining in the Ruhr area in what was then West Germany. On the basis of an agreement between the Japanese and German governments, they were sent by the Japanese mines for a period of three years. Even after the agreement ended, some came to Germany independently. These historical facts are little known in both Germany and Japan.

The Japanese artist Kawabe Naho and the art historian Tokuyama Yuka set out in search of clues and carried out extensive research. In addition to researching the literature, they visited colliery sites and researched sources in museums and archives. Interviews were also conducted with the former miners and their families in Germany. Kawabe published the results of the research in April 2023 in a two-part publication entitled "Japanese in the coalfield".

Curated by Kawabe and Tokuyama, the exhibition shows photos of a former miner and tools on loan from the archive of the "Initiativkreis Bergwerk Consolidation" in Gelsenkirchen, as well as other relevant material from various sources. In addition, some of Kawabe's artistic works are on display, which were created using coal dust and symbolize the energy cycle.

In cooperation with the Initiativkreis Bergwerk Consolidation (Gelsenkirchen)

Co-organizer
German-Japanese Society Cologne
German-Japanese Society on the Lower Rhine e.V.

Sponsored by
Toshiaki Ogasawara Memorial Foundation
Zonta Club of Tokyo I

Price information:

Free admission The Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne is closed Monday-Friday between 1 and 2 pm.