The 3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Memorial Day - Reflecting on my future with Onagawa

One day, I found myself standing in a town. I don’t know why, but I felt a burning in my heart. I wondered, “What is this?” and suddenly I started experiencing a strange feeling. As I walked around for a while and looked around the town, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes in contrast to the wonderful weather. Does this place have a special power to bring out these weird feelings? I felt as if the feelings of many people came down from the heavens and were reverberating through my heart.

I went back to work with these feelings inside me and then headed to the Onagawa Town Hall for a meeting with people from the town hall office. As I entered the spacious lobby, I saw several people spreading out dozens of banners on the floor and preparing them to be hung on a rope. I assumed that there would be some kind of event so I stopped to see what was written on the banners: There were warm messages to show support for Onagawa. Students from Showa Women’s University in Tokyo had written messages on the banners and sent them to Onagawa.

I was so shocked! “Oh my... It’s 3/11 tomorrow...” Of course, I didn’t forget that day. It’s just that in the midst of my busy schedule, I usually have a lot to do and think about, and sometimes I completely lose track of time and space, and I forget where I am and what date it is. I often find myself completely immersed in my work to the point where I was in a state of daydreaming again, so I completely forgot that it was March 11, a very important day for the people of Onagawa and for all Japanese people who remember the Great East Japan Earthquake/Tsunami, until the day before.

What a shame that I forgot about 3/11, but I really do love Onagawa. I love Tohoku. And I love Japan. I was in the States the day the Great East Japan Earthquake/Tsunami happened, but I flew back to Narita three days later and got an emergency vehicle permit from the Narita Police Department and traveled from Hachinohe to Taro, and then to Miyako on a fully loaded 4-ton truck with two motorcycles, fuel, water, and other relief supplies for the disaster areas. I still remember how I was in shock during this trip. I will never forget it. This is why I will keep on doing whatever I can to help those in Onagawa, the place where I had an amazing experience. I feel that this will bring me joy and give me strength to keep on living.