Great East Japan Earthquake
Rather than forget the horrors of the disaster, this coastal town has set up daily reminders of the tsunami on the streets.
Recovery efforts are ongoing following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, and the Tohoku region still needs your help.
High schooler hopes the prefecture will shed its disaster zone image, and that the rest of Japan will start to see Fukushima as normal again.
People in Japan responded to the remark with a heartwarming hashtag that immediately went viral, showing support for the Tohoku region.
Numbers alone can be hard to visualize, but this makes things terrifyingly easy to understand.
It’s amazing to see how far the region has come just six years after the 2011 tsunami, earthquake and nuclear disaster.
Artists from around the country took part in the project, which sees Pikachu saying thank you in forty different ways.
A little over four years ago, a week before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, 50 melon-headed whales were found beached in Ibaraki Prefecture, only about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the earthquake’s epicenter.
Now the same omen of bad things to come has happened again. On April 9, about 150 melon-headed whales were found beached in Ibaraki Prefecture. As emergency teams race to save the whales, one thought is sitting in the back of their minds: is this foreshadowing another giant earthquake?
This coming spring will mark four years since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. While that’s not nearly long enough for the those who experienced the tragedy first-hand to forget about the destruction, sadness, and fear, some politicians are concerned that in time memories will fade, which is why a bill is being introduced in the Japanese Diet to establish March 11 as an official day of remembrance of the disaster.
Have you ever thought about where you’d like to be born if you were reincarnated? It may be an odd question, but in Japan this has been asked every five years to citizens around the country since Showa 28 (1953). It seems like a pretty unassuming survey, but it appears to be a cleverly phrased poll that is able to determine how the citizens really feel about their home country.
What better way to find out if Japan is doing right by their youth, by asking them if they’d be willing to do it all over again! Find out what they learned after the jump.
Often life-altering events can inspire incredible artistic endeavors, and while the Great East Japan Earthquake is a tragic day for many people, that tragedy can inspire amazing creativity. One particular 89-year-old is using his skills to turn melancholy scenes into hopeful invigorating masterpieces.
Already well-known for delighting children with his character Keroyon, the frog who drives a red convertible, Seiji Fujishiro is probably most famous for his shadow art. These brilliant pieces of work show amazing scenes populated by his signature silhouetted elvish characters. Recently, he has turned his attention to the affected areas of the Tohoku region and has created astounding art from some iconic images created by the disaster.
For those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, three and a half years still might not be enough time separating the event from the present day. Each slight tremble in the earth, any loud alarm can be a painful reminder of all that was lost that afternoon. While the saying goes “time heals all wounds”, a bit of light-hearted fun always helps the process along. On August 11, 2014, on the 3 ½ year mark of the disastrous event, the LIGHT UP NIPPON event will be celebrating in remembrance, as it has for the past four years.
Three years ago, Japan’s northeastern region was devastated by a triple disaster of a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake, an ensuing tsunami that wiped away whole towns and caused the meltdown of a nuclear power plant. Affected deeply by the tragedy, Japan has since rallied together as a country to support those who lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes.
Last week, as a part of remembering the three years that have passed since the disaster, famed German camera maker Leica gave a high-end camera worth 1,200,000 yen (US$12,000) to a high school student whose community was devastated by the tsunami. Initially touched by the show of support, Japanese netizens began a heated conversation online about whether the very generous gift was a heart-felt present or just a PR stunt for the well-known camera maker.
The Japanese Red Cross Society recently released a summary of countries and territories that sent donations (as of the end of 2012) to the organization following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Topping the list were the United States and Taiwan, number one and two respectively, with donations in excess of 2.9 billion yen (approx. US$29 million) each. A total of 22.7 billion yen was received from 179 countries and territories, including from among the world’s poorest nations. Drawing the attention of some Netizens was the fact that neighboring South Korea failed to make the top 20.
Read More
MOST POPULAR
Now
The good, the bad, and the ugly of half-price stickers at Japanese supermarkets
Takeout ramen broth: A new Tokyo winter noodle trend that’s worth the hype? 【Taste Test】
The new Godzilla vs. Kong trailer is out! Here’s what Japanese fans think of it
Japanese government discussing stricter copyright laws on cosplay, top cosplayer Enako chimes in
Disney collaborates with traditional Kyoto designers for exhibition series【Photos】
All words in Evangelion theme replaced by cat meow in official remake by original singer【Video】
Japanese professor launches crowdfunding project to recreate amazura, a lost Heian Era sweetener
We try a dubious-sounding “wet dorayaki” and are in for more than one surprise
Do NOT eat this delicious looking bento and other Japanese food…because they’re not food!【Pics】
Two men charged for having sex at a public bathhouse in Tokyo
Weekly
Japan’s legal age of adulthood dropping by two years, but do teens understand what that means?
YouTube video about home-grown, home-cooked, traditional Chinese food causes major controversy- Japanese government discussing stricter copyright laws on cosplay, top cosplayer Enako chimes in
We finally get our mouthwatering Ichiran Ramen fukuburo lucky bag
Japan now has talking Evangelion ATMs
Tokyo ramen restaurant’s brilliant idea: takeout cups of just ramen broth!【Photos】
Japanese politician posts photo of his dinner, netizens pity him over his depression meal
Tokyo airport’s new train line to make getting into, out of the city easier for JR pass holders- Two men charged for having sex at a public bathhouse in Tokyo
- Takeout ramen broth: A new Tokyo winter noodle trend that’s worth the hype? 【Taste Test】
Monthly
McDonald’s releases an Oreo and Spam burger for a very limited time
Top 100 manga of all time chosen by survey of 150,000 Japanese people
Here’s why Japanese supermarkets play “cheap” background music all day, according to Twitter
English mistake on new Japanese beer leads to suspension of sales before its release
We try a rotating sushi restaurant in New Delhi, are surprised to find no rotating sushi- Japan’s legal age of adulthood dropping by two years, but do teens understand what that means?
- YouTube video about home-grown, home-cooked, traditional Chinese food causes major controversy
Japanese media finds out if it’s cold enough to “fry” an egg on the street in Hokkaido
Flying in Japan? Your flight may soon be arriving at “Hatsune Miku Airport”
7-Eleven Japan’s banana milk sparks controversy over deceptive packaging
Yearly
Nintendo puts out important notice for casual gamers who’ve bought a Switch during the pandemic
Jason calls off Friday the 13th activities due to coronavirus
Studio Ghibli releases 400 images from eight movies free to download online
A Pokémon glitch no one discovered in 18 years has been found…by a pet fish in Japan?!?【Videos】
Customers race to Uniqlo for new summer face masks, but are they really worth the hype?
Parasite movie releases free official wallpapers to download as backgrounds for video calls
Japanese students hold graduation ceremony in Minecraft amid school cancellation
Man sheds half his body weight, looks like a handsome model in just one year
Japan’s one-person bento box-sized rice cooker can give you freshly cooked rice at the office
Akihabara saying goodbye to landmark as giant Sega arcade announces it’s closing for good
RECOMMENDED STORIES
All words in Evangelion theme replaced by cat meow in official remake by original singer【Video】
Japanese professor launches crowdfunding project to recreate amazura, a lost Heian Era sweetener
We try a dubious-sounding “wet dorayaki” and are in for more than one surprise
Do NOT eat this delicious looking bento and other Japanese food…because they’re not food!【Pics】
Two men charged for having sex at a public bathhouse in Tokyo
Japan’s Matsuya restaurant chain debuts Massaman Curry, we find it Thai-rrifically tasty
YouTube video about home-grown, home-cooked, traditional Chinese food causes major controversy
At at-work, on-the-desk oden maker is exactly the office morale booster we need
Japanese train conductor flips off rail fan photographer, prompts apology from JR
We learn the dark secret of Japan’s Woodstock rice balls, still want to eat them【Taste test】
Japan’s legal age of adulthood dropping by two years, but do teens understand what that means?
Japanese politician posts photo of his dinner, netizens pity him over his depression meal
Simple wrist test shows whether your body type is that of a model, athlete, or sumo wrestler
-
