Tasukeai Japan

May 07 (Mon)

Sakura And Koinobori

  Today, just for fun, we’re sharing with you a sight that we look forward to every year. Springtime is the season for Golden Week, with giant koinobori swimming in the wind all over Japan in honor of Kodomo-no-hi, or Children’s Day. And if we’re lucky, this festive week coincides with the glorious blooming of sakura, the soft pink cherry blossoms that gladden our hearts after the rigors of winter. This year, we’re lucky. We get to enjoy the great carp swaying against the blue sky over our heads as the cherry trees sprinkle their pink petals at our feet. Actually, it’s not luck, it’s weather. The beautiful trees bloom on their own schedule, not ours. Sometimes they burgeon like pink clouds before our carefully planned Sakura Festival begins, and sometimes they wait until it’s almost over. In some places, such as the Karakuwa district of Kesennuma, some people hoist their koinobori according to the old Japanese calendar. So the big fish swim in June, long after the cherry trees have shed their glory. No problem; this scene was snapped in Isaribi Park, and that’s right here in Karakuwa. Photo by Itsuko Miyakoshi Source:KESENNUMA BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Mar 18 (Sun)

#311fromjapan

 
  After the earthquake, we received many messages to express condolences and to support for Japan and the Japanese people.We were so glad to hear many heartwarming messages and receive donations from all over the world.   The earthquake in Tohoku Area caused extensive damage.There was an earthquake and, in addition, there were tidal waves.The earthquake and tsunami has reduced the town to rubble.   Although I was in Tokyo at that time, The fear we felt at the earthquake was beyond description.Many victims have lost family, friends, homes, the work and their jobs by because of the earthquake and tsunami.   March 11 is also coming soon.Many people did stand up for step forwerd.Many people stood up and took a step forward.But,Victims continue to have a hard time getting back to their normal life. I think it will take many years to recover.We've got a lot of problems to solve.I hope that one day there will be no more problems.Please think of ways to eliminate problems here Source:Lang-8, written by Aimi

Apr 28 (Sat)

Emma Pierce – No Day But Today

  With Silver week came another opportunity to volunteer with PeaceBoat for a weekend in Ishinomaki.  Much like the July trip, we went up with the British Chamber of Commerce (BCCJ), slept on the bus two nights, and stayed at the same shelter. It was nice returning to the city a third time.  Each time the progress is more visible; each time the work becomes a little more positive.  This time, we worked for two days clearing rubble from the shore, so that the residents could finally enjoy their beach again. A city bus driver took us from the shelter down to the coast. The work day began with the morning taiso exercises as usual.  
  Much like hauling wheelbarrows of mud, this work took a lot of strength. The logs and pieces of debris were large at first.  Working as a team, we passed the splintered wood and shattered plastic up the beach stairs in sections.  At the top, everything was tossed over the edge into an endless trash pile.  
  So much rubble had built up in places, we had to be careful for our own safety.  Once – trying to work quickly -  I got too close to some other volunteers who were hauling a heavy log.  When they swung it onto the pile, it came smashing back down onto my foot.  Fortunately, I was only bruised.  Other boards had many nails and broken bits of fiberglass.  I was lucky. Later on, as the larger items were cleared away, the work became a little less physically intense.  Some of the volunteers and I went out to the edge of the shore, picking up small things from the sand.  A million little plastic caps, medical items, poly-foam, pill bottles, children’s toys, and things that couldn’t even be identified filled our white burlap sacks.  Some things we found made us sad, other things – we were simply baffled at how they could have even ended up there.  With the sea roaring and the sun beating down, it was easy to get lost in the endless collection of it all.  Looking up, we were surprised how far we had drifted from the group.  Where had it all come from? What was the story here?  
  For lunch breaks, our bus driver was kind enough to have the bus waiting so we could escape the sun.  Tying plastic bags to our boots, we stepped on the bus to enjoy our mid-day onigiris that were provided for the volunteers.  The inside walls of the bus had become a museum of graffiti.  Japanese and English messages scattered everywhere, we could see the short but detailed history of all the volunteers who had shared this ride for months before us.  Some of them had been on teams to rid houses of dust mites, others – more cleaning crews.  Many of the messages were positive words of hope for the locals, messages of encouragement, or else simply stating things how they were.  The one message that stands out in our minds – as we rode and ate on that same bus for two days – scribbled across the back wall read, “No day…but today.”    
  The second day, we worked on the side of the beach that was half flooded; it was a bit messier work here, requiring more hauling. As we saw the beach finally looking like a beach again, we became frantic to finish and bask in the end product of our labor.

By the end of it, our boots were filling with the stagnant water and our gloves were drenched.  Some of the volunteers had to go splash themselves in the ocean to clean off.  The sun, lower in the sky, made out last glance at the sea worth it.  Almost a beach again, we all hoped the locals could finally feel more comfortable wandering down to the shore.  It was the least we could do to ease their long and painful journey, rebuilding their relationship with the sea again.  

Feb 21 (Tue)

From All of Us to All of You Streets of Colour – Ishinomaki Volunteer Report