Gallery » Shuhei Otono

Shuhei Otono is a former meat industry worker.

“I started to understand things when I saw two real events with my own eyes. One was people’s prejudice and discrimination against the slaughterhouse that was bolstering the local economy. And the other was the fact that my brother couldn’t get married because of our locality and his job. I felt resigned to these realities. But I also felt resentful and wondered why such injustice was allowed. Later on, through my encounters with many people, I realized that these problems had roots in Buraku issues.
I often get invited to schools and talk to children about my experiences and thoughts. In my stories, I suggest that through encounters with genuine people and things, they can cultivate their humanity and break the circle of apathy and neglect with their friends. I believe that leads to solving problems. I want to tell many things to many people properly; things about reality; things that are hard to see.”