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Trip Comments
Ted Welch
Report from the disaster zone
By
Ted Welch
Delegate Member
Flight of Friendship to Japan
The day after a briefing in Tokyo on May 30th by the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, John Roos, in Tokyo, we took a bus north to Sendai, 189 miles away. The capital of Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai is about 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and some sixty miles from the 9.0 epicenter of the earthquake.
The first devastation we saw was in Kesennuma, a fishing center for tuna and swordfish three hours north of Sendai. We stayed long enough for a team to leave the bus for its day’s assignment: help a woman clean out her house from the tsunami muck; it would take a day to clear. The objective was to see how much real damage was caused and to assess the potential for recovery and reconstruction.
The city retains the pervasive odor of fish and at the end of the day the team that worked there reeked from the smell of the fish carcasses swept in.
My team's work assignment lay farther to the north, in Rikuzen-Takata, about one hour by bus. The destruction of the city was staggering. It was largely flattened, with few structures left.
Rikuzen-Takata is normally an idyllic scene, dotted with forested hills and cobalt blue inlets; it is green as far as the eye can see. But the peaceful scene was interrupted by total waste. Section after section of the area was riddled with torn out homes and office buildings, companies, and shops; it was difficult to tell which was which originally. Destroyed cars were everywhere. Heaps of rubble of similar items had been placed in clumps around the town ready to be hauled away, hopefully as landfill.
Observing the debris in the buildings, including cars forced indoors and upstairs by the huge rise in water, was effective in silencing comment and blocking idle thought. As we traveled through Rikuzen-Takata we saw ships in the rivers and on land, lying like beached whales; train tracks over bridges no longer connected to anything. One amazing sight gave witness to the local citizens’ faith in the future: a section where considerable civilization had been destroyed was being prepared for rice seedlings.
There is no doubt that the survivors are planning to live beyond the wrecked lives that they now know. When we returned to Kesennuma at the end of the day we could see the fresh pools of sea water on the streets. The entire town had dropped since the earthquake and the sea was seeping up everywhere at high tide. Much of the town is now below sea level.
Over 15,000 dead; about 9,000 missing and 100,000 evacuees are counted among the victims. A few people seen on the streets of Kesennuma and Rikuzen-Takata seemed to be mostly volunteers and designated recovery people.
There was, however, a small gathering of local people high on the hills surrounding Rikuzen-Takata. They were being sheltered by prefabricated housing up on the bluff. One of the city's modern middle schools is there and school was in session. The refugees were living in parts of the school while their housing units were being constructed next to it. About 300 students in attractive blue school uniforms scurried about the facility as we got off the bus. Our assignment: help furnish the housing units with such items as tables, dishes, waste baskets, brooms, futons and sheets, and bathroom supplies. In a short time we furnished 78 apartments that will house 232 individuals. These are brand new facilities, attractive but small, and set up efficiently and quickly by workers skilled in temporary housing. The Peace Winds organization of Japan, along with Oregon’s Mercy Corps, planned and implemented the small village, now nearly complete. Some evacuees have already moved in. One woman and her two children had been waiting for two months for a home to move into. We don’t know what happened to her husband. She moved in the day we were there.
After four more hours on the bus we returned to Sendai, tired, hungry, and with a craving for something uplifting. We were proud of what we did, yet there remained the impression that there was so much more to be done!
That night, about 1:00 a.m., we had a good indication of what thousands before us must have felt along the northeastern coast on March 11. A 5.6 magnitude quake awakened us. Soon after, I composed the following haiku:
Clear night sky so still!
As earthquake gently rolls on
I ponder options.
Photo 1. Kesennuma: the river is filled with debris, including a house.
Photo 2. New prefab units go up daily to accommodate the some 100,000 victims now in need of housing.
Photo 3. Units like this were provided with a variety of new furniture and household items. Friendship delegation volunteers equipped 78 apartments that would house 232 individuals after June 2.
Photo 4. Delegation members listen to Rev. Takada of the Sendai Betsuin, Nishi Hongwanji Temple, as he conducts a service for the disaster victims.
Ted Welch is a retired professor of Japanese Studies from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. He currently is Director of the PSU-METI Project at Portland State University.
Tanya Harrison
Three of us from Pendleton broke off from the Flight Of Friendship group in Sendai, and went to our sister city, Minami-Soma, for 2 days. The coastal region was also hit hard by the tsunami, and most of the city is within 30 km from the nuclear disaster, with a good chunk of the city within the 20 km exclusion zone. Fortunately, Minami-Soma didn't receive nearly as much radiation as other nearby areas, so I was not uncomfortable about visiting.
The physical destruction along the coast in Minami-Soma was vast, nothing as far as the eye could see up to 6 miles from the ocean. So much had been cleaned up, and there was nothing where whole neighborhoods had been. The occasional large boat by the roadway reminded me of the strength of the waves. Not being able to see the ocean from most places, I couldn't imagine the terror of seeing water rushing that far inland. A quote by a Minamisoma resident in one of the commemorative magazines I bought says something to the effect "I never thought a tsunami could come here". My thoughts exactly.
The loss of life was tragic, but the survivors will get on with their lives, some leaving and making new lives elsewhere, some staying to help rebuild. And the mess will be cleaned, buildings rebuilt, the economy will recover. I've seen my childhood community in Hawaii twice destroyed by natural disaster, it takes time, money, and hard work, but recovery is guaranteed.
But the nuclear disaster is a whole different beast. It's not just the health risks and the loss of property to the people in the area, it's a social tragedy, something that may last for generations. I'm familiar with the plight of the Hibakusha, the A-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They received, and still do, extreme discrimination. People thought the Hibakusha and their descendants were permanently contaminated. When I first learned of the nuclear disaster, I was more afraid of history repeating itself than miniscule amounts of radiation raining down on Pendleton. Then I began to read the stories of discrimination against Fukushima prefecture residents, and my worst fears were realized.
While we were shopping at Narita airport before boarding our flight back to Portland, a shop clerk asked about my t-shirt and button. I told her about our mission in Japan, and she was quit interested. She asked where I went. I told her Minami-Soma. Her demeanor immediately changed, as she asked Minami-Soma??!! Eyes wide, she put her hand up to her mouth, and quickly backed away from me, returning to her register. She watched me leave without saying another word. It took me a moment to realize she was afraid of me. I was offended at first, and then I was thankful. Thankful to receive just a taste of an experience that the people of Minami-Soma will be dealing with for a long time. And then I got on the plane, heading back home to Pendleton, were no one cared that I had been 12 miles from a nuclear meltdown.
Kevin
The Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki
The Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki loved the cherry tree
the tarp was made to cover boats and cars
but the ocean ate all the boats and cars
so the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki had only the cherry tree
To insure the tree could not part from him
the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki entangled the roots
as the tree fought and added rocks and dirt
the tree relinquished and the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki was happy
But the hunger pangs of the ocean awoke a band of monkeys living in the tree
and among them the bald Orangutan was not happy
when eating it is only polite to clean up after your meal
the ocean had grown rude and the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki was proof
So when the bald Orangutan saw this unnatural uneven courtship
between the tarp and the cherry tree
he jumped up and down, beat his chest and bared his teeth
but the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki was only amused “stupid monkey”
But then the bald Orangutan did something
the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki did not expect
he came down from the tree
and started to dig, digging out dirt and rock
But when the monkey pulled on the tarp, nothing
“stupid monkey” the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki was relieved
but this insult made other monkeys in the tree come to help
and a Japanese frog of luck joined in by singing to the monkeys
Together the frog and the monkeys worked
then a whole chorus of frogs joined in
and their beautiful songs inspired all monkeys
who loving both the tree and the frogs had enough.
They gripped the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki and pulled
and pulled
and pulled
and slowly the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki lost his grip on the roots
With a final pull, the tree was free of the Blue Tarp of Ishinomaki
the frogs, the cherry tree
and the monkeys were happy
though the ocean was still hungry
Anne Naito-Campbell
Konban wa FOF Friends:
Erica, Kathleen and I arrived home yesterday morning from our extended stay in Tokyo. It is soooo quiet here and I am very much looking forward to connecting soon.
As I mentioned on Bus #2 (or was it the number one bus), tonight is the opening of "Hapa - part Asian" (like me) at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center at 5:30 pm, and Japan America Society of Oregon cultural committee's "Taiko, Taiko, Taiko" with performances from two groups from Japan as well as Portland Taiko from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the World Trade Center. Tickets to Taiko are only $10. www.jaso.org
Also, as a board member of Oregon Nikkei Endowment, please come to our annual benefit award dinner on Saturday, June 18 at the Multnomah Athletic Club at 5:30 pm. Our honorees this year are Mr. and Mrs. Homer Yasui and Mr. Al Abe with guest speaker, AG John Kroger. www.oregonnikkei.org for tickets.
I cannot tell you how emotional this trip has been for me as I have wanted to visit Japan since I was 5 years old. My deep gratitude to Sho and Loen Dozono, and Kirsten, Tad and Nancy, for making the trip happen and to make it seem easy for someone like me who has never traveled to Asia before and who does not speak but a half dozen words in Japanese.
And to every one of my travel mates, arigato gozaimasu for making it a trip of a lifetime, so much fun and so very memorable. And to Amy Kohnstamm for the hours of complicated coordination to allow us to help with relief in a very small way in the devastated Tohoku Region. Every time I think of Mrs. Sato and her mother and her shiba inu dog, Du, on the second floor of the house we helped clear out, sitting in several inches of sea water for three days waiting for help, truly makes my heart break. I am so glad they survived and we were able to help clear their house out.
I will never forget the FOF to Japan trip and my new friends.
Dewa mata suguni ne (see you soon),
Anne Naito-Campbell, Portland, Oregon
Tom Sugita
Aloha You All,
Life is full of unknowns and yes, we all faced the unexpected. Who would have thought we all would ever be involved with such a great humanitarian endeavor a year ago, but we did and you all met the challenge and are commended for a "job well done"
The commitment, compassion and companionship that you all displayed says lots about who you are as an individual and there is no question your acts of kindness to the earthquake and tsunami victims and survivors will forever be entrenched in greatfulness by Japan and the Japanese people.
We did our share and let's hope that others will follow in our footsteps of "Lending a Helping Hand"
Mahalo for your Friendship.
Tom Sugita, Hawaii
Ted Welch
Here is the poem I quoted during our trip, repeated here by request from Loen:
"Tabi wa michizure, yo wa nasake."
"Travel with a companion is like a world filled with affection."
Flight Of Friendship Committee
A few days have passed since the bulk of our group returned from Japan. Hopefully all have recovered from the jet lag and the intensity of our journey. It was a pleasure to travel with so many caring and generous people; all with the same mission of aid and support.
Please post your photos and comments on this site to share with others.
