Welcome to IDS: Inclusive Drama Society
Through learning drama, we create spaces where everyone can freely express who they are.
Meet the Founder
Mako Fujimoto is a Japanese actor, producer, and founder of Inclusive Drama Society. Originally from Kobe city, Japan, and currently based between Canada and Japan, she has performed in over 25 theatre productions and appeared in internationally recognized projects, including the Emmy Award-winning series SHOGUN and the video game Assassin's Creed Shadows.Through Inclusive Drama Society, Mako hopes to create a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds can explore self-expression, build confidence, and reconnect with their true selves through acting, improvisation, and storytelling.
What is IDS?
IDS is a community that uses drama and creative expression as tools for self-discovery, self-acceptance, and human connection.Even if we are not professional actors, we all play different roles in our daily lives. We are someone's child, parent, manager, employee, customer, or friend. While these roles are necessary for navigating society, we can sometimes become so accustomed to playing a particular role that we lose touch with other parts of ourselves. Some of us may also find ourselves constantly suppressing our emotions in order to meet the expectations of others.At IDS, we believe that acting is not about becoming someone else—it is about discovering who we are.When preparing for a role, actors explore a character's life, values, emotions, and experiences. Through this process, we may recognize parts of ourselves in the character. At other times, we may question why we disagree with them, why we feel resistance, or why we struggle to relate to their perspective.In either case, the process invites us to reflect on our own beliefs, emotions, and values. By imagining and stepping into another person's life, we believe that we often gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.That is why IDS views drama not simply as a performance skill, but as a tool for self-reflection, personal growth, and honest self-expression.Through drama workshops, script readings, theatre appreciation, stage productions, and other creative activities, we hope to make IDS into the space for people to reconnect with forgotten emotions and discover new aspects of themselves.A space where everyone can express themselves authentically.That is IDS.
Why IDS?
For me, acting has never been about becoming someone else.
It has always been about taking off the masks I was taught to wear.As a child, I often felt the need to play the role of the “good girl” that others expected me to be. When I discovered acting, however, I found something unexpected: a way to reconnect with my true self.Although I was playing different characters on stage, I began to experience emotions and thoughts that I had suppressed for years. Through those characters, they finally found a voice. On stage, I was allowed to express anger, sadness, joy, and vulnerability without being judged or told to hide them. In a strange way, it was through playing someone else that I finally learned how to be myself.Since then, acting has become an essential part of my life—not because I wanted to escape reality, but because it helped me stay connected to who I truly am.Years later, as I began teaching drama to children with special needs, I found myself reflecting on my own journey. While there were many challenges growing up, I realized that acting had given me a place where I could continue to exist as myself. It also made me wonder how many others might be carrying their emotions in silence, struggling to express who they are, or feeling disconnected from their own voice.Over time, that reflection grew into a vision: to create a space where people can discover, accept, and express themselves through drama.At Inclusive Drama Society, we do not see acting simply as a pathway to becoming a professional performer. Instead, we use drama as a tool for self-discovery, self-acceptance, authentic expression, and meaningful human connection.Through workshops, readings, performances, and other creative experiences, I hope to build a community where people can learn to embrace themselves more fully.A space where everyone can freely be themselves.Unleash Your True Self.
Who is IDS for?
Those who grew up feeling they had to be the “good kid”
Those who have spent years being known as someone's mother, daughter, wife, husband, or caregiver—and are ready to reconnect with who they are beyond those roles.
Those who want to reconnect with their voice and express themselves freely
Those who are curious about acting, improvisation, or creative expression, even with no prior experience
Those looking for a supportive community where they can simply be themselves
If any of these resonate with you, you already belong here.
Upcoming Events
FOUNDER APPEARANCE
Two Director & One Actor: Talk Session & Drama Workshop
Shiga, Omihachiman, 6/27-28, 2026
STORYTELLING EVENT
A Midsummer Night Stories
～Ghost Storytelling Night～
Kobe, Nagata, 8/11,2026