Japan's 'Donut Man' builds lasting bond with Nepal quake village
IWAKI, Japan (Kyodo) -- A Japanese man who has spent more than a decade supporting a remote Nepalese village devastated by an earthquake in 2015 is se
IWAKI, Japan - For over a decade, Morihiko Shimamura, a 68-year-old Japanese man, has been visiting the remote Nepalese village of Musure, located near the epicenter of the 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people. Known as the "Donut Man" by the locals, Shimamura regularly brings school supplies and randoseru school satchels for the village's children.
His connection with the village began in 2015 after he received a request from a fourth-grade boy who had lost his mother in the 2011 tsunami. The boy wanted to send solar panels to Nepal to help his community, which had been hit by a devastating earthquake. Moved by the boy's selflessness, Shimamura decided to visit Nepal and began providing solar panels and teaching residents how to install them.
His work has transformed Musure, bringing light to remote communities and inspiring the children to develop a love of learning. In 2016, Shimamura encountered a young girl in Musure who was asking for water. Seeing how quickly she drank, he assumed she was hungry and gave her a doughnut he happened to be carrying. The girl shared the doughnut with other children before handing him the remaining piece, which he kept.
The girl's act of generosity left a lasting impression on Shimamura, who decided to maintain a relationship with the village. Now, Shimamura is set to become the principal of a Japanese-language school for working adults in Kathmandu, a role that will allow him to support young people in understanding cultural differences.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
