Traveling through Rikuzentakata after Tsunami: Revised

Traveling Through Rikuzentakata

Rikuzen Takata City in 2012

Traveling through Rikuzentakata, May 2013

My First Day,

Dear Friends,

I am visiting the City of Rikuzentakata, the city where most of the central business and new

residential areas were wiped out by 3.11 tsunami. You have to stand here really to absorb it's

damage and sorrow of victims. I was also there at Kobe Disaster some 15 years ago.

I brought a volleyball to volleyball club at Rikuzenta High School, now temporarily located in the

neighboring city of Ofunato. The ball was signed by a number players of Japan Cup Volleyball

Game held in Kobe a few days ago. The game was competed by Japanese players who worked

previously in Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangkok. Intent was to cheer

players of Rikuzentakata High school

On my way back to Rikuzentakata Highschool to Ofunato, I dropped off from bus near the center of

the tsunami affected area and decided to walk back to my Ryokan in vain. I decided to ask for a

direction at the only store operating there, Sato Taneya (seed) company, where I talked briefly with

an owner, Mr. Teiichi Sato, who wrote his experience and his personal recovery from Tsunami in

English. I purchased a copy of his book and learned that he lost his previous shop and many

relatives and friends. His writing is edited by Tatsuyoshi Komori, who started English Class with an

idea of increasing English speaking residents to help promote communication, investment and

tourism with people from abroad. I spent early morning hours in reading this book "Seed of Hope in

the Heart", which I recommend you to read. I am going to leave copies of this book at Osaka Art

University and Tokyo Agricultural University, where I am scheduled to give a talk about my

profession and Hokuriku Disaster".

My Second Day,

Dear friends,

I started by a bicycle rented at Suzuki Ryokan in the morning and headed for the mouth of Kesen

River.

There is a large concrete flood gate still standing there but due to subsidence it cannot function as

the control gate anymore.

Right by it existed Kesen Junior High School with concrete building. Tsunami went over the top of

this three story high structure. Fortunately all the students here were safely evacuated. I could have

a glimpse of remaining roots of the famous coastal pine forest which were washed away. Most of

the buildings except multiple story concrete structures of governmental and commercial buildings

behind anti tsunami wall in the central area are gone.

By now most of debris which once covered the area were cleaned and a number of small hills of

accumulated debris exists. Weed covers most of the area. Surrounding hills look beautiful.

Debris are now separated into many materials of steel, wood etc for final process.

I went to the eastern edge of the beach where the Hirota Peninsula starts. I found two flower

gardens at hillside of this location, created by local resident. I asked for a direction who was

working in the garden and talked with Ms. Yoshida, who with a help from A Dutch Horticulturalist

created a flower garden. She gave me the background of the garden and also how she experienced

tsunami and lost her home and a lot of others, I am sure.

I went to Hirota Peninsula where a long section of concrete anti tsunami wall was broken to pieces.

I went back to Sato Seed Store to buy an additional copies of Mr. Sato publication, on my way back

to Ryokan

My Last Day,

I revisited with Mrs. Yoshida who created the Miracle Hill with help from Japanese as well as

people from abroad. Mrs. Yoshida lost her house and escaped from certain death by Tsunami

miraculously, but as a devoted life long flower and garden lover , initiated in creating this wonderful

flower garden overlooking the city of Rikuzentakata. She shared with me her story of escape and

experiences from the disaster. She has a strong will to move ahead to create a permanent flower

garden with local characteristics and to engage in a long time maintenance. One of her property will

be used to build anti tsunami wall of 11meter high. Her garden sits right opposite of the wall. I

helped her in separating Casablanca tubers for her garden in the morning but spent most of our time

in talking.

Right after lunch I went to city hall to meet Sean Dowty, an assistant English teacher from Georgia

with JET program. His previous colleague, Monty Dickson from Alaska perished in the Tsunami.

He was one of two JETs who died in the tsunami in japan. My daughter was on JET program for the

last three years in KitaKyushu and is going back to Hiroshima to join her newly we'd husband, who

is stationed there as a JET.

I had a nice dip in hot spring at my ryokan (Japanese style hotel) before starting packing.

I am going back to Tokyo by night bus tonight direct from Rikuzentakata..