Eraser Mountain by Chelfitsch

In the wake of Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami, mountains were literally carved away to build seawalls. This striking image inspired playwright Toshiki Okada to create Eraser Mountain, a groundbreaking work that explores humanity’s relationship with nature in an entirely unexpected way.

Instead of directly depicting natural disasters, the play centers on a broken washing machine, its mechanical tremors mirroring tectonic movements beneath the earth’s surface. On stage, expressionless actors continuously rearrange everyday objects while a persistent mechanical rumble fills the space. Through seemingly mundane conversations about appliance repair and laundromats, the play gradually reveals deeper truths about how humans perceive time, nature, and our place in the world.

Created by Okada’s theater company, Chelfitsch, in collaboration with visual artist Teppei Kannoji, Eraser Mountain transforms from what appears to be an abstract meditation on objects into a powerful commentary on environmental destruction and human hubris. The play’s final ironic twist—a computer blackout—serves as a stark reminder of our dependence on the very systems that distance us from nature.

Since its 2019 premiere, this innovative work has evolved to become one of contemporary Japanese theatre’s most thought-provoking explorations of environmental crisis and human perspective.