The great Kanto earthquake massacre painting unveiled in Japan for the first time in 100 years

“Let us unveil a long-hidden portrayal depicting the tragic massacre of Koreans, a somber event concealed for nearly a century.” On Sunday, the Koryo Museum of Art in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan displayed a 14-meter-long pictorial scroll, holding the audience rapt. The director of the museum, Arai Katsuhiro, commented that it is a rare occurrence to encounter a painting so vividly capturing the poignant scenes of the Korean massacre amid the tumultuous Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan's history. This incident saw the innocent lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of Zainichi Koreans brutally taken during the chaotic aftermath of the devastating earthquake on Sep. 1, 1923. A century has passed since that tragic day, yet the Japanese government continues to overlook the factual accounts of that time. Some Japanese, however, have begun to advocate for introspection, urging a confrontation with this dark historical episode.


sanghun@donga.com