On October 10th (World Mental Health Day), a Crying Event (Ruikatsu Festival) will be launched from Kamakura by the SDGs organization 'Kamakura Sustainable' to make people around the world cry with emotion, wishing for world peace.

Our company supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day to express dreams. This press release is the dream of 'Tears and Travel Cafe Akane'. 'Ruikatsu' (crying therapy), intentionally shedding tears, is a suitable method for modern people to detoxify their minds. Hideshi Yoshida, known as 'Mr. Namida' (Mr. Tears), a grief therapist and representative of the SDGs organization 'Kamakura Sustainable', who conducts 'Ruikatsu' seminars and lectures for corporations, local governments, educational institutions, medical institutions, and welfare facilities, will hold a 'Ruikatsu Festival' in Kamakura on October 10th, World Mental Health Day, to disseminate it to the world. The aim is not to 'make people around the world smile,' but to 'make people around the world cry (with emotion),' providing opportunities for stress relief. Furthermore, by 'crying faces,' it will contribute to eliminating conflicts still erupting in various parts of the world.

■At the Ruikatsu Festival, artists' profoundly moving songs will be live-streamed online to the world.

A music festival will be held at a historic temple. In addition to performances by individual artists and symphony orchestras, various forms of music, such as traditional Kamakura Hayashi (festival music), will be delivered to stir the hearts of people worldwide. Aspects of Kamakura's proud culture, such as Zen meditation and sutra copying, will also be introduced through video. Moreover, the famous speech by Masako, which moved viewers to tears in the historical drama 'Kamakuradono no 13-nin' aired two years ago, inspiring the retainers to respond to Yoritomo's benevolence, from 'Azuma Kagami' will be recreated on a Noh stage.

■'Ruikatsu' (Crying Therapy) gaining attention in a stressful society

'Ruikatsu' is an activity that aims to 'detoxify the mind' by intentionally shedding tears. There are three main types of tears: 'basal tears' that keep the eyes moist, 'reflex tears' that appear when foreign objects enter the eye, and 'emotional tears' that flow when emotions are heightened. Among these, 'Ruikatsu' focuses on 'emotional tears.' These are said to be tears that only humans can shed, and they have been shown to help relieve accumulated stress. Stories of feeling refreshed after crying profusely while watching a moving movie or drama are often heard. This is because crying switches the autonomic nervous system from a state dominated by the sympathetic nervous system (which promotes tension and excitement) to a state dominated by the parasympathetic nervous system (which promotes relaxation). Hideo Arita, Professor Emeritus at Toho University School of Medicine, has also presented neuroscientific data on the relationship between tears and stress reduction, focusing on the activity of the medial prefrontal cortex, considered the 'empathy brain.' To spread the effects of emotional tears, Hideshi Yoshida actively develops 'Ruikatsu' training, lectures, and services as a 'grief therapist.' His diverse activities, including the production of the 'Tears and Travel Cafe Akane,' are often featured in domestic and international media.

■Kamakura, the birthplace of samurai culture, attracting worldwide attention, is ideal as a hub for emotional crying.

The reason Kamakura, the site of the Genpei War, was chosen as the location for dissemination is that it has numerous spots that directly affect the tear glands. There are poignant anecdotes in temples and shrines, such as those born into glorious families but forced to commit suicide, or moving human dramas related to 'on' (benevolence) and 'hoko' (service), which bring tears to the eyes of visitors to Kamakura. For example, there are abundant stories that make you cry, such as 'Taiheiki' depicting the fall of the shogunate at Hojo Takatoki's seppuku yagura, the anecdote of Nichido and a certain woman's repayment of gratitude with the Lotus Sutra at Daikoji Temple, the anecdote of benefits for warding off evil at Kenchoji Hanzobo, and the anecdote of the dog that warned Yoshitoki of an assassination attempt at Kakuenji Temple; some people shed tears just by stepping into the precincts of these temples and shrines. Furthermore, Kamakura is a scenic area, with landscapes so beautiful they bring tears to one's eyes. It is no exaggeration to say that Kamakura is truly a place 'made for crying.' Yoshida, the organizer, is from Kamakura. Because he knows the local area inside out, he offers tear-filled events that cannot be experienced elsewhere. Currently, in collaboration with LINORE Co., Ltd. (Location: Musashimurayama City, Tokyo), a travel business, they also hold 'Kamakura Ruikatsu Tours,' where participants visit Kamakura's beautiful landscapes and mysterious spots and cry profusely. Two years ago, Yuichi Nakamaru of KAT-TUN experienced the tour on the popular TV program 'Shuichi.' This tour has also attracted attention from overseas media such as the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and ARD (German Broadcasting Corporation). A video introducing the Ruikatsu tour is available on the official website. ▼ Yuichi Nakamaru of KAT-TUN also experienced the tour on Nippon TV's 'Shuichi' https://www.ntv.co.jp/shu-ichi/articles/583jlkixemsqbfq104g.html ▼ BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) 'Kamakura Ruikatsu Tour' introduction video: //www.youtube.com/embed/lIjk81yu-Ho