“Read the bones!”We held a lecture inviting Professor Kazuhiro Sakaue of the National Museum of Nature and Science's Anthropology Research Department and the Sidotti Resurrection Statue.

May 19th, 2024

A lecture was held at 1:00 pm in the Yakushima Environmental and Cultural Village lecture room as part of a project commissioned by Kagoshima Prefecture, “Project to raise awareness of Sidotti's achievements in spreading Western culture.''

After greetings from Noriharu Sameshima, Director of the Yakushima Office of the Kumage Branch of Kagoshima Prefecture, the video “Sidotti's Life,'' and Tomoko Furui's “Explanation on the background of Sidotti's coming to Japan,'' the main guest, Dr. Kazuhiro Sakaue, gave a lecture titled “Read the Bones! The last message of Father Sidotti.'' for about an hour.

In 2014, 300 years after his death, Father Sidotti's remains were excavated from the ruins of the Edo Christian Mansion. The process of deciphering the information inscribed on the bones, from excavation to analysis, DNA analysis, and the creation of a facial statue. The story was very interesting.

At the end, Professor Sakaue and Tomoko Furui held a cross talk, followed by a question and answer session in which participants asked many questions.

Approximately 60 people attended on the day. “It was very interesting.” “I had more fun learning than I expected.” “I felt a sense of romance.” “I thought it was wonderful that something like this started on Yakushima.” “I wish it would be made into a movie.” Many compliments were filled out in the questionnaire, including, “I'm looking forward to the establishment of the Sidotti Memorial Museum.”