A Strong, Caring People

At 200 mph, this train is not much slower than the fastest!

We took the world's sixth fastest train, the Shinkansen, to Sendai, city of about one million people roughly 400 km north of Tokyo.   The strange-looking long nose reduces vibration and sound when passing through tunnels.  The ride was quiet, smooth, clean, and hassle-free.  

Once in Tokyo Doug met with world-renowned seismology experts.  He spent valuable hours with his colleagues exchanging ideas and recent developments in the field of earthquake research.  

 Tohoku University's Prof. Dapeng Zhao, who worked with Doug as a research scientist 18 years ago, and his wife Lucy

Sendai is the closest major city to the March 2011 Tohoku Earthquake's epicenter.  You will surely remember that the 9.0 magnitude quake and videos of the devastating tsunami that followed, resulting in about 30,000 casualties and the displacement of another 340,000.  Then the Fukushima nuclear power disaster added to the terror.    Many of the displaced people still reside in temporary housing and suffer great hardships.  For example, farmers are unable to sell their produce because of a fear that crops from the prefecture (region) might be radioactive even though the food is not grown along the affected coastal area and is safe to consume.  

Town of Fukushima

Some people described the harrowing tsunami event to us in vivid detail.  One woman said that she had lost several friends in the disaster, "One of my friends drove her car to high ground when the earthquake struck but then she thought about the dog that she had left behind and drove back to get him.  A wall of water hit her."  Many people live in fear that another earthquake will happen but "it is the way we live," she said.    While there is a general sense amongst the experts that the "faulty" situation has calmed around Tohoku's coastal region, there is considerable concern that Tokyo's seismic situation is far more unstable. 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the very brave individuals who went into the nuclear plant during the crisis to deal with the emergency situation?  Some were retired nuclear plant workers but beyond that, not much is known to the public.  Their identities are a state secret and that is the way the heroes want it.  During television interviews, their faces are blurred and only voices are heard.  They have even refused offers of government compensation for their courageous efforts.  They exemplify the

 true Japanese spirit of sacrifice for the nation.  

On my own to explore this cold, windy city, I took the "Loople" bus, appropriately named for it loops around the city making about 15 cultural site stops.  I met many friendly, kind people, beginning with the woman seated next to me on the Loople.  Using her phone to translate, she typed,  "It is pleasant sitting next to you. If you need more leg room, please stretch."  She made certain that I could read the scrolling announcements and understand the hop-on-hop-off bus system.  Mid-day a woman fell on the icy sidewalk and I stopped to offer assistance.  Then she helped me read the bus schedule--so I would stop missing buses--and gave me a free bus pass.   

Seven Generations (of Date Family Rule)

A volunteer guide at the Sendai City Museum provided a grand, personal tour, even placing this ridiculous samurai helmet on my head.  She laughed at my childish excitement when I successfully read two Kanji characters in a display caption... 

The guide even answered sensitive questions like, "How is the Emperor perceived by Japanese people today?"  Her answer:  It is not like in the days before the war when we were taught to believe everything the Emperor said. He was always right. Not anymore.  We just respect him.  And we like his commoner wife too.  Maybe his baby girl will become Empress someday!  We used to have empresses a long time ago, you know.  That evening the guide followed up with this email message...

Hello, Debra san,

Thank you very much for coming to Sendai Museum !
Are you enjoying Sendai and many places ?
This is Mrs. Yuko Fujita, a volunteer of Museum.
I can not explain lots of things in details today.
Please come again any time to Sendai Museum.
From March 1st, a special exhibition of Horyuji-Temple
of Nara Prefecture, near Kyoto-Fu, will be opened.
  Any way, please have a good time !
Best,                                     Yuko, a volunteer

 

The real spirit of the nation is also found in the warm, welcoming hearts of the Sendai people.