{"id":3520,"date":"2012-11-09T10:03:00","date_gmt":"2012-11-09T10:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insidejapanblog.com\/?p=3520"},"modified":"2026-02-26T15:58:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:58:53","slug":"the-tsunami-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2012\/11\/09\/the-tsunami-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tsunami Coast"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F3520\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>Although my time volunteering with <a title=\"INJM\" href=\"http:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/insidejapantours-ishinomaki\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">It&#8217;s Not Just Mud<\/a> is drawing to a close, we managed to find time between shifts to venture down to Onagawa Port where the tsunami devastation is most evident.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204350.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204350.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-204350.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThe hospital. The waves reached up to the first floor, 18 metres in height. The third wave swirled around the building killing 16 people inside on the ground floor. Other people managed to escape by climbing up the mountain to the temple behind the hospital.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204556.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204556.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-204556.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThe view inland from the hospital. There used to be hundreds of buildings here. <a title=\"Tsunami report\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-asia-pacific-12725646\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The tsunami<\/a> waves filled the entire valley and all the buildings were swept first inland, then dragged back out to sea as the water receded.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204719.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-204719.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-204719.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThis was the ferry port waiting room, the building now turned completely on it&#8217;s side. The shell of this building is going to be kept as a reminder of the tsunami, while the area around it has been flattened and new construction work begun. The plan is to raise the level of this area by 5 metres, then build the shops, banks and port buildings as a new commercial centre. Residential areas will be built further away on higher ground.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205046.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205046.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205046.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nDriving through Onagawa. This area was once full of houses and the train station was here.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205208.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205208.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205208.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nInto the next valley, and we could see the clean up in operation. I have never seen so many diggers in action in one place.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205314.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205314.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205314.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHundreds of lorries at work.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205403.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205403.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205403.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHuge mountains of rubble.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205446.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205446.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205446.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nWe drove up to Onagawa school where many people who lost their homes are now living in temporary accommodation. Apparently this is the best housing shelter in Tohoku, designed with communal spaces, container shops and a community centre; a lot less depressing than elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205712.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-205712.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-205712.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHere you can see the temporary houses have been built on the school&#8217;s basketball courts.<\/p>\n<p>Two nights ago a couple who run a local cafe and are living in temporary accommodation came to chat to the volunteers. The lady joked about the thin walls and having to creep around her tiny living space. She was full of high spirits, but it was heartbreaking to think she had lost her home.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-210011.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-210011.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-210011.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nA noticeboard showing drawings of people missing since the tsunami.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-210121.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121107-210121.jpg\" alt=\"20121107-210121.jpg\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nI am most grateful to my fellow volunteers Kenji and Stephen who guided me around Onagawa today. Kenji speaks fantastic English and was our translator as well as driver, stopping whenever we wanted to take pictures. Stephen is a freelance journalist and has made five trips to Onagawa since the tsunami happened. He recounted the tsunami stories of the many locals he has befriended in the last 20 months.<\/p>\n<p>At times it felt uncomfortably voyeuristic to be poking around the tsunami damage. But we were not the only ones; coach loads of Japanese come every day to the town. They say seeing is believing, and visiting Onagawa was a powerful experience I won&#8217;t forget in a hurry.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121108-164552.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/20121108-164552.jpg\" alt=\"20121108-164552.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you want to donate to ItsNotJustMud and help with the incredible work they are doing in Tohoku, please follow this link<a title=\"Donate to INJM\" href=\"http:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/insidejapantours-ishinomaki\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> http:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/insidejapantours-ishinomaki<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! Although my time volunteering with It&#8217;s Not Just Mud is drawing to a close, we managed to find time between shifts to venture down to Onagawa Port where the tsunami devastation is most evident. The hospital. The waves reached up to the first floor, 18 metres in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2356],"tags":[1196,1208,1653,1678,1702,2191,2258,2289],"class_list":["post-3520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-japanese-miscellaneous-blog-posts","tag-green-travel","tag-japan-travel","tag-insidejapan-tours","tag-japan","tag-japan-trip","tag-tohoku","tag-tsunami","tag-volunteering"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3520"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36307,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520\/revisions\/36307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}