On March 11, 2011, a 9.1
magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast, triggering a
tsunami that devastated the region. In this collection, some of our
current and former students reflect on their experiences supporting recovery efforts and carrying out research in the affected Tōhoku region.

Me and My Colleagues at the Kahoku Shimpo Bousai KyoikushitsuEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

My sophomore summer...
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My sophomore summer was marked by a stint at Sendai’s local newspaper, the Kahoku Shimpo. The Bousai Kyoikushitsu where I worked was responsible for memorializing and keeping up with the diverse local responses in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. A week after getting my feet wet, Mr. Takeda, my supervisor, guided me and my colleagues through some local disaster sites. Each was a lesson in tragedy, humility, and hope.

Kahoku Shimpo to Okawa Elementary SchoolEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Kahoku Shimpo -> Okawa Elementary School

Okawa Elementary SchoolEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Namida-ame...
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Namida-ame, “tearful rain,” was dribbling, then pouring down the windshield as we made our way up to perhaps the most infamous preservation site in Japan, Okawa Elementary School. Seventy-four children and ten teachers disappeared after a delayed decision to rush towards the bridge, towards the oncoming waves.

Parking Lot across from Okawa Elementary SchoolEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Walking back to the car...
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Walking back to the car, I snapped a picture of the empty parking lot across from the school. Mist swirled above the nearby river and the New Kitakami Bridge.

Okawa Elementary School to Togura Elementary School (Isuzu Shrine)Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Okawa Elementary -> Togura Elementary

Minamisanriku resident, Osamu Takahashi, and his transect drawingEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

After weaving through a maze of sawed-off hills...
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After weaving through a maze of sawed-off hills, I was surprised to see replicas of the Easter Island monoliths. Built in commemoration of the global devastation wrought by the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960, the Moai statues’ precautionary message was felt by local tsunami veteran, Ms. Saito. On March 11, 2011, she urged Togura Elementary School’s headteacher, Mr. Asokawa, to take students up a nearby hill instead of the designated evacuation zone. Her advice and his flexibility saved the students.

The Shrine on Utsuno HillEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

A shrine greeted the group...
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A shrine greeted the group at the end of their climb, marking the grounds safe from the throes of the ocean. Their school did not make it.

Togura Elementary School to New Onagawa StationEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Togura Elementary -> Onagawa

The New Onagawa Train Station and BoulevardEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Towards the end of our journey...
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Towards the end of our journey, Takeda invited us to take a brief respite at Onagawa, whose survivors had stood on rooftops, constructed houses, and created social architecture to foster new bonds within the community. The New Onagawa Train Station and boulevard, just a few hundred meters from the coastline, was one of many sweeping architectural changes that took place after the tsunami.

A Cardboard Car in Onagawa's MarketEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Walking through the new marketplace...
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Walking through the new marketplace, I was struck by the revitalizing variety and humor of the local artisanal work, which ranged from giant watermelons to cardboard sports cars.

New Onagawa Station to Kahoku ShimpoEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Onagawa -> Kahoku Shimpo

Mr. Miura Speaks at a Jiseidaijuku held by the Kahoku ShimpoEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

When we were not visiting memorials...
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When we were not visiting memorials, my colleagues held events like the Jisedaijuku to commemorate The Disaster. At one, Mr. Miura, the sole survivor from his office, described how he miraculously managed to cling onto a tatami mat as the waves swept through his building, and he drifted to safety. He now always carries a lifejacket with him, either in the back of his car or at the office. Months after returning to university, I could not forget his determination to, in his words, “live and smile as much as possible.”

An Oyster Farmer Talks about Oyster CultchEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

The following summer...
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The following summer, I returned to Northeastern Japan to get a better understanding its lands and peoples. In Kesennuma, I spoke with Mr. Hatakeyama, an oyster farmer who led thousands of volunteers to the mountains in a series of tree-planting exercises after The Disaster. This ritual, steeped in hundreds of years of tradition, not only provided a better nutritional baseline for oysters, which suck up all plant matter that flows into the ocean, but also instilled reverence for the natural world among its participants. With whimsy and ecology, Hatakeyama encouraged me and his devotees to develop a holistic appreciation of the environment with the phrase, Mori wa Umi no Koibito: “The Forest is the Lover of the Sea.”

A Lone Tree Stands in ArahamaEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

Ten years later...
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Ten years later, stories about the disaster are still as contradictory and diverse as ever: they are uniquely devastating, uplifting, subtle, explicit, predictable, and impossible. In my experience however, the people who tell those stories are consistently inspiring. Takeda, Saito, Asokawa, Miura, Hatakeyama, and countless others continue to live purposefully, forging new relationships with the ocean and their communities, reminding us of the unforgettable.

Motoy Stands on a Fishing BoatEdwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University

About the Author

Motoy Kuno-Lewis is a 2019 Harvard graduate who spent his college summers in Japan. His experiences include working at a traditional Japanese ryokan, writing for a regional newspaper, and conducting thesis research on the Japanese Oyster. Since graduating he has planted crops alongside smallholder farmers with Peace Corps Malawi and worked as an independent consultant. He now fights food insecurity in Massachusetts with Share our Strength.

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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