About the museum

Itai-itai Disease occurred in the Jinzugawa River basin of Toyama Prefecture, and is said to have been named as such for the patients who cried out “Itai itai (Ouch Ouch)”. This was one of the four major pollution-related diseases which occurred in Japan.

This disease began around the 1910s and was caused by the cadmium in the river water and rice grown on the polluted land. The cadmium was released from Kamioka Mine (Hida City of Gifu Prefecture) and it polluted the water and basin of the Jinzugawa River.

Along with the victims, their families as well as people in the neighborhood had to spend very hard and painful days for a long time. Though the residents won a lawsuit, the relief aids and medical checks are still continuing even now. As for the polluted environment, by the effort over many years to overcome the damage, the beautiful water and land have been restored.