Hi everyone!
Here's a personal note about the jishin (earthquake) that my buddy Matthew received from Takako's (his wife) younger sister (Kaoru) living in Tokyo, Japan. Kaoru lives in the massive metropolis of Tokyo, I believe, while her dad still lives in Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken (where Matthew and I lived and worked back in the 1990s.
While Tokyo and Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City) and the rest of Tochigi (the prefecture) was spared the tsunami (tidal wave) damage that hit the coastline of Sendai-shi where Friday's earthquake was the strongest (8.9 on the Richter scale), all were affected by the earthquake and subsequent after-shocks.
I know for a fact that Tochigi's capital, Utsunomiya-shi about 40 kilometres south of Ohtawara-shi, was hit with the same quake in the high 6's... so let's assume a minimum of 6.5. That's a little more than the 6.3 earthquake that crippled Christchurch, New Zealand a couple of weeks ago.
To be fair... Kaoru wrote in English (and it was pretty darn good!!!), but I have edited it for a bit of clarity.
Kaoru Shimizu (nee Kurita) writes:
Here's a personal note about the jishin (earthquake) that my buddy Matthew received from Takako's (his wife) younger sister (Kaoru) living in Tokyo, Japan. Kaoru lives in the massive metropolis of Tokyo, I believe, while her dad still lives in Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken (where Matthew and I lived and worked back in the 1990s.
While Tokyo and Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City) and the rest of Tochigi (the prefecture) was spared the tsunami (tidal wave) damage that hit the coastline of Sendai-shi where Friday's earthquake was the strongest (8.9 on the Richter scale), all were affected by the earthquake and subsequent after-shocks.
I know for a fact that Tochigi's capital, Utsunomiya-shi about 40 kilometres south of Ohtawara-shi, was hit with the same quake in the high 6's... so let's assume a minimum of 6.5. That's a little more than the 6.3 earthquake that crippled Christchurch, New Zealand a couple of weeks ago.
To be fair... Kaoru wrote in English (and it was pretty darn good!!!), but I have edited it for a bit of clarity.
Kaoru Shimizu (nee Kurita) writes:
"Sorry,I did not get in touch with Aunt Shizuko (she lives south of Tokyo near the ocean). On the earthquake day I was working at my office. We hide ourselves under the desks. After the big shake, my co-workers felt like they were seasick. I was anxious about Hotaru (Kaoru's youngest daughter), as her kindergarten is very close to the sea.
Feeling very fearful about the tsunami, I ran to the kindergarten as the railroad crossing was closed and I couldn't use my car. I was so tired but I could not stop running. When I arrived, I saw all the children were at the special school refuge wearing a special hat calleda bousai-zukin. I was so happy to see my daughter!
Sarah (Kaoru's eldest daughter) was waiting for us near the school. That day, (my husband) Tsukasa could not come back home (Ed. Note: trains weren't running, no taxi cabs or buses, and it was too far to walk home from his workplace).
(In Ohtawara) My father's house was cracked a little, and most of dishes were broken, he said. But they (the family and Ohtawara citizens) are fine - they were a little excited onthe phone.
(Ed. Note: I believe the family home had a white cinder block fence enclosing the yard) Most of wall which is standing outside made with blocks wasbroken. (My friend) Fumie told me that thanks to that, her garden has becomewider. She is tough!
Still there were so many earthquakes in Tochigi (with three or four after-shocks).
But we are all fine now. Thank you so much for thinking about us."
At this time, much of the eastern area of Japan is without electricity. Many hard hit areas are without food and water, and there was even a nuclear reactor leak up in Fukushima-ken - but much to the resilience of the Japanese people, while there is some panic, the people are kind, calm and looking out for each other.
That said, Japan could still use our help. I urge to give what you can realizing that we are all hurting financially these days - but others are hurting more.
While the Japanese Red Cross has not yet asked for international aid, that doesn't mean help isn't required. Look for ways YOU can help. In the mean time, try this link to Amazon.com as a way to donate. HELP.
Somewhere doing what I can to help,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is by The Beatles: FRIEND.
PS: I assume that bousai-zukin the kids wear is a head flotation device to keep the head above water.
