Three Hours to Encounter 'Living as One's True Self'

The ongoing event 'PresenMyself!' will be held in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, using a hybrid format combining in-person attendance and Zoom.

NPO ICT Kyuujotai, the PresenMyself! Executive Committee, and the Kanagawa Prefectural Branch of the Japan ALS Association will co-host the presentation event 'PresenMyself! Vol.15 @ Kanagawa' on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Kawasaki City General Autonomous Community Center. The event will be available both in-person and via live Zoom streaming.

When you hear 'ALS,' you might think it's a distant illness. However, anyone could suddenly face illness, disability, caregiving, family dynamics, work, or questions about how to live.

At this event, speakers living with ALS will present their personal lives, thoughts, daily experiences, and current feelings in their own words.

For those recently diagnosed, those struggling with decisions about ventilators, feeding tubes, electric wheelchairs, or communication devices, as well as families, medical and caregiving professionals, supporters, and volunteers, this event offers a chance to discover new options and build connections.

Even for those who have never paid attention to ALS or rare diseases, the speakers’ words will provide time to reflect on what it means to 'live as oneself,' the importance of human connection, and how to find ways to live authentically even when one’s abilities change.

About 'PresenMyself!'

'PresenMyself!' is a presentation event where people living with ALS take center stage to share their thoughts and life philosophies.

The talks go beyond medical progress or system explanations. Each speaker shares what they value, the daily adaptations they make, and how they maintain connections with others. Hearing their authentic voices is a defining feature of this event.

This time, the event will be held at the Kawasaki City General Autonomous Community Center in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, in a hybrid format with Zoom streaming.

In-person attendees can directly feel the atmosphere and presence of the speakers and participants. Those from distant locations, those with mobility challenges, or those unable to attend due to caregiving or work commitments can join online.

We welcome applications from ALS patients, families, supporters, medical and caregiving professionals, and anyone interested in rare diseases, disabilities, community support, and diverse ways of living.

Event Overview

Name: PresenMyself! @ Kanagawa

Date and Time: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 13:00–16:00

Venue: Kawasaki City General Autonomous Community Center

Address: 3-600 Kosugi, Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Cosugi Third Avenue, 4th Floor

Participation Methods: In-person / Zoom streaming

Capacity: 100 people (in-person)

Participation Fee: Free

※ Optional donation tickets are available. Donations will support future event operations and DVD production.

Registration: Available via Peatix Registration URL: https://presenmyself-vol15.peatix.com/

Networking Session: A free networking session will follow from 16:00 to 17:00.

※ Zoom participation details will be sent via email after registration.

※ Please indicate during registration if you require an assistant or on-site support.

※ All in-person attendees must register to help us manage attendance.

※ If you wish to donate, please select the 'Donation Ticket' option during registration.

Presenters

Yuji Sato (Yokohama)

Title: What I Love

Born June 1961, age 65. From Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture; currently residing in Aobadai, Yokohama. Diagnosed with ALS in March 2017. Gastrostomy tube added in January 2023. Currently able to breathe spontaneously.

"Thanks to ALS, I’ve been given the luxurious opportunity to speak about myself in public. Please indulge me as I share my trivial self-reflections—something I’d normally only talk about with friends at an izakaya—with complete strangers who are sober."

Ichiro Hatanaka (Zushi)

Title: What ALS Has Shown Me

Born May 1958 in Kagoshima. Residing in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Diagnosed with ALS in August 2021. Uses an electric wheelchair. Currently able to breathe spontaneously.

"Since childhood, I’ve always thought differently from most people. This may have led me down long detours and caused me losses. Since my illness, this tendency has only grown stronger. But now, I feel encouraged by this different way of seeing things and as if I’m living a new life."

Kuniki Oto (Yokohama)

Title: Giving Meaning to ALS: A 20-Year Challenge to Stay Employed! Profile: To be announced

※ Will be introduced on the website once confirmed.

Ayumi Kawahara

Junko Kobayashi (Yokohama)

Title: Still, I Keep Singing—A Woman’s ALS Journey

Profile: To be announced

※ Will be introduced on the website once confirmed.

Ayumi Kawahara (Yamato)

Title and Profile: To be announced

※ Will be introduced on the website once confirmed.

Schedule

13:00 Venue guidance, etc.

13:05 Keynote speech by Takahisa Shimmoku, Chair of the PresenMyself! Executive Committee

13:10 Yuji Sato

13:40 Ayumi Kawahara

14:10 20-minute break

14:30 Junko Kobayashi

15:00 Kuniki Oto 15:30 Ichiro Hatanaka

16:00 Closing remarks by Hiroshi Matsuyama, Branch Chair of the Japan ALS Association Kanagawa Prefectural Branch

~17:00 Networking session (optional)

※ The speaking order may change.

About the Venue

Kawasaki City General Autonomous Community Center · 3-600 Kosugi, Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Cosugi Third Avenue, 4th Floor · Accessible from JR Musashi-Kosugi Station and Tokyu Musashi-Kosugi Station · Access information: https://www.jichizaidan.or.jp/accessmap/ ※ No dedicated parking available. Please check the access details above. ※ In-person registration will close once 100 participants are reached. ※ Please indicate on the registration form if you need assistance on the day.

Event Organization

Fiscal Year 2026 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Rare Disease Patient Support Project

Co-organized by: PresenMyself! Executive Committee Japan ALS Association Kanagawa Prefectural Branch NPO ICT Kyuujotai

Endorsed by: Japan ALS Association

Supported by: Kanagawa Network for Rehabilitation Support of People with Rare Diseases (KNRID)

Contact

PresenMyself! Executive Committee, Public Relations

Phone: 03-6426-2159

Email: [email protected]

Event Website: PresenMyself! https://www.presenmyself.com/