Memorial Hall of Nobel Laureate Satoshi Omura Opens in Yamanashi Pref. 10 Years since He Won Prize

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, July 18, 2025

A memorial hall of Satoshi Omura, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 10 years ago, opened in his hometown of Nirasaki in Yamanashi Prefecture, on Saturday.

The hall showcases the 90-year-old Nobel laureate’s life, from his upbringing to the time after receiving the prize, along with personal materials.

The hall is a 120-square-meter, single story, reinforced concrete building and is located south of the Nirasaki Omura Art Museum. Omura built the hall with his own funds, and he donated it to the Nirasaki municipal government to convey a side of him distinct from his achievements as a chemist.

Approximately 100 items are on display, including his parents’ diary in which they wrote about his birth, his junior and senior high school report cards, and skiing equipment that he used to compete in the National Athletic Meet. Also on display is a pocket watch given to Omura by Tetsuharu Kawakami, a former Yomiuri Giants manager.

A ceremony was held to mark the hall’s opening on Saturday. Around 70 people from various fields attended, including representatives from universities, the arts and religion. The opening day of the hall coincided with his 90th birthday. Omura personally guided the attendees and said, “I want people to know that I have tried to be useful to the world while socializing with various people and enjoying my life.”

The hall is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Wednesday. Admission is ¥500 for adults and university students.