Bar-hopping of Japanese Sake

Two weeks ago, my wife and I including her friend participated in a bar-hopping event called 'Zig Zag'

Participants must buy the wrist band for 500 yen.

Those who wear the wristbands could drink sake at 500 yen each Izakaya , Japanese-style pub, which joined this event.

It was a good event because we can find new Izakaya I have never visited.

We enjoyed eight kind of sake at eight different Izakayas.

I recommend this event to sake drinkers.

The report of Volunteer Tour

Last month, my wife and I participated in the Volunteer Tour of Debris Removal in Tohoku area which was devastated by the massive earthquake and Tsunami last year.
I have already joined the event thrice.


I suppose we had about 40 people, about two-thirds of the group were comprised of women.
Everytime I participate in the event, there is always more number of women compared to the males.
I realized that women are more sociable and altruistic than men
I think that if women's social advancement is improved, Japan would become a better country.


Back to the concept,
I will report the situation of Tohoku which I saw that day.


It is In Rikuzen-Takata City, Iwate prefecture.
This is the 'miracle pine'  

Copyright: jetalone , Tokyo, Japan

The tree is the sole survivor among the 70,000 pines in the area.
It may be just a chance, but we believe it might have another meaning.
We prayed to this pine for the early realization of rebirth.


Rickuzen-Takata City was in a devastated state.
As far as I can see, there was nothing to look at; only the color gray.
There were many mountains of rubble, which cast shadows on our hearts.
I hope that many people will witness this sight in order to share the reality of the disaster that occured in this area.


Then,
In Kesen-numa City, Miyagi prefecture,
A big ship was washed up from the port to the center of the city and has been there for more than one year and three months.

This made us realize the grave situation that city is under because of the catastrophe.
It costs about a million dollar to remove this ship.
However, it costs about a hundred thousand dollar per year to keep this. 
So the government doesn't have any idea what to do.


In Kesen-numa city, we worked as volunteers to remove the debris in the fishing port where it was hit by the tsunami.
Removing the debris was a laborious job because of the tremendous amount of rubble but it was understandable because it's a volunteers duty to remove job it.
Finally, we were able to remove the rubble by our sheer force of number.

People that were affected by the catastrophe said that the most necessary thing to do to reverse the situation in Tohoku is to have human relationships and bond.

They are encouraged and hopefull whenever they see a coming bus full of volunteers.

It's been over a year since a massive earthquake and tsunami destroyed Tohoku area.

The Japanese people and some of the business companies keep on supporting and helping each other to recover from the terrible incident that has happened.

Even though extra efforts were being given by the people, the reconstruction and recovery of the nation is taking too long because of the lack of human power and resources.

What our country needs to have a faster recovery from the disaster, is massive human power and government support.

I want many Japanese people to visit Tohoku, and realize the present situation.

And I want them to tell their experience and something to see to their family, friends and acquaintances.

All Japanese people should not forget this.

On my way home,

I saw the moon from inside the bus.

The moon is bigger than usual.

This is called "Super Moon"

Photo by S.S my friend

In this precise moment, 

people in disaster area also saw same moon that I saw ,

people in Tokyo, people in Japan.

people in China, Korea, and Phillipines…

In this precise moment, 

In this precise moment…

We are not alone.

Go for it Tohoku!

Go for it Japan!  

and

Go for it myself !!