about

Participants will have a chance to interact with each other and the artists to enrich their experience moving beyond a passive member of the audience.

Our academy, workshop, and volunteer program will provide various opportunities to learn about diversity.

We will create spaces that are accessible to everyone and events that are enjoyable regardless of one’s ability.

TV personality and CEO of Higa Kikaku Co., born on September 29, 1995 in Okinawa. They have attracted attention with their unique fashion style and strong character, and have appeared on many variety shows with their partner Peco.
As a father of a child, they currently have been expanding the range of appearances on programs about childcare,SDGs and other current events. Hosted NHK’s Educational TV program “High School Lecture Series: KateiSogo (Home economics)” since 2020.
ryuchell message of ‘self-esteem’ through social media has been spread widely, and in 2021 they published their first book, “If I have to live in such a world”, Currently, they have serial publications in three women’s magazines.

ryuchell Official Website: https://higakikaku.com

Born in 1976 in Tokyo, Japan. Due to a congenital limb deficiency, he has lived with an electric wheelchair since he was a child. While a student at Waseda University, he wrote the best-seller “Gotai Fumanzoku (No One’s Perfect)” [Kodansha], which sold over 6 million copies. Since graduating, he has worked as a sportswriter, elementary school teacher, and member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education. He has traveled to more than 80 countries. He is currently working on a project to walk with state-of-the-art prosthetic legs. His books include “Daijoubu 3-kumi (We’re Good, Class 3)”, “Sharin no Ue (On the Wheels)” [both published by Kodansha], and “Oto Kotoba.(Oto Words. )” [Bungei Shunju].

Ototake Hirotada Official Website: http://ototake.com/

In 2012, Hirokawa founded Theater Accessibility Network. In 2017, she won the New Artist Award from the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Since 2018, she is a researcher in the field of Tojisha Kenkyu at the The Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo where she researches on how to support the viewing of theater. She is currently a member of Promotion of Cultural and Artistic Activities for People with Disabilities Council for the Japanese Agency of Cultural Affairs.

Born in 1981 in Tokyo, Sugiyama is transgender and a former member of the Japanese National Women’s Fencing Team. After travelling through 50 nations including the North Pole with a backpack, Sugiyama encountered and learned about each region’s various social issues. He is currently a member of Shibuya City Gender Equality / Diverse Society Promotion Council.

Hayashi was born in 1973 in Tokyo. Since 1995, he has been working as a home care worker. In 2012, he founded the Experiencing Art with the Visually Impaired Workshop, and has organized workshops at museums and schools all over Japan, where the visually impaired and sighted people experience art together through words. Recent major activities include the ongoing appreciation program at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum since 2017, and the “Kikutabi Project Yokohama Museum of Art Edition,” in which he created audio works with theater actor Masahiro Oishi .

Ishiki is a director of Cocktailz, an Accessibility Consultant, and a person with congenital blindness. Born in 1977 in Tokyo with visual impairment, his condition has moved daily, between low vision and total blindness, and is now approaching total blindness. He started to become interested in web accessibility around 2001, and since 2003 he has been working as a consultant with corporations, local governments, and ministries on improving accessibilities on websites. He founded Cocktailz in August 2010. While continuing his work in web accessibility, he also produces “KIMINOTE” which are easy to use stylish notebooks for children with low vision.

Olson was born in Gifu, Japan and grew up in London, Tokyo, and California. At age 19, she faced a traumatic car accident which left her paralyzed from the neck down. After focusing on physical rehabilitation, she showed remarkable recovery. She is now based in Tokyo where she works for a global financial firm and lives with her husband. She hopes that her own experience can help eliminate prejudice against disabilities and advocates for a more inclusive mindset.

Kato was born in 1983 in Tokyo. Between 2010 to 2017, he worked on improving campus life at International Christian University (ICU) as a staff member of the Gender Research Center and coordinated the Mitaka Gender & Sexuality Film Festival in ICU. Since 2006, he has been active under the moniker of Kumaeshi Yu. In 2016, he won the grand prize for END VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBTIQ Poster Exhibition.