3/11. The Date Closest to the Japanese Heart

Hey People,

Here in Japan, it is the early hours of March 11th. 3/11, just like how 9/11 remains ever close to the American hearts, 3/11 is a date that is closest to the hearts of this generation in Japan.

I remember this date very well. Two years ago, I was sitting in front of the t.v. as I got started on my art homework. It was around 12 midnight PST. My mom was flipping through the channels, when she stopped on the local Japanese channel for the LA area. There on the screen was flooding being captured live. The news ticker, which was in English, explained that an earthquake had just hit the north-eastern part on the main island. However, it wasn't until my family and I watched as trucks were being swept down the Japanese streets followed by boats that had been washed ashore that we realized just how big this earthquake was. The final verdict was that the so-called 'Tohoku Quake' was a 9.0 Magnitude on the Richter scale, making it one of the largest recorded quakes worldwide.

I was horrified because, at the time, I was unfamiliar with the location of Tohoku relative to Tokyo and had many friends, both Japanese and American, living in Tokyo at the time. But, my fear was not without reason. The quake was large enough to shutdown transportation in Tokyo for a day, create cracks in the buildings throughout Tokyo, and cause fires and other damages around Tokyo.

Looking around my dorm room, I can find cracks going from floor to ceiling. I often wonder, Are these cracks the scars from the Tohoku Quake? Most likely...they are. Why do I assume that these cracks are scars? Well, nearly 24 hours after the quake struck, I was able to Skype one of my American friends, who was studying abroad at different Tokyo college from mine. He showed me the newly made cracks in his dorm's walls. So I know that these kinds of scars exist. The other reason is that these cracks are in the corners, where I assume most of the stress would be created in the walls.

This is my experience of the Tohoku Quake. While I was across the ocean, in a different land, living in a different culture from the quake victims, I still experienced the quake. However, the fear, confusion and shock I experienced will never measure up to the whirlwind of emotions that Japan and her people experienced that day. Tohoku has been forever changed. Thousands of lives disappeared and towns were destroyed. Having experienced the recovery of 9/11, I know that Japan's wounded heart is still bleeding. As I travel around Tokyo, I see people standing with boxes calling for others to help the Tohoku people to recover.

So as you are going about your day today and tomorrow, say a little prayer for the Japanese, especially for the Tohoku victims. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers this week.

If you are unfamiliar with the Tohoku Quake and its aftereffects, I am linking the Wikipedia article about it.

Edit: I just got linked to this BBC Documentary from one of my German friends, who I met in the US. It is a documentary on the Tohoku Quake highlighting children's experiences. I have yet to watch it. I did start it, but seeing that it is early hours of the morn here in Tokyo, I will have to watch it later. 

2nd Edit: I follow an Anime news website called Anime News Network, which gives me anything news semi-related to anime, whether it's a green-lighting of new series or an inspirational charity drive. This particular news article that I am linking it an animation charity project for the Tohoku Quake victims. The charity project is a collaboration of Japanese and International artists and musicians who have created short few-minute-long films, which are being offered on iTunes. Embedded in the articles are the Youtube streams of the first two completed animations. Please at least try to watch them.

3rd Edit: Here's a nifty effort to support Japan's recovery. Japan has a well-loved children's anime character named Doraemon, who's a little cat robot that wields many different inventions. Well, around Tokyo, 100 statues of Doraemon have been erected in support and healing for Japan. Here's the link to the article from Anime News Network about this effort.

Until then, later peeps!