あっという間に過ぎてしまった一時帰国だったけど、今回東北沿岸部を３年ぶりに訪れる機会があり、震災直後の４月、避難所となっていた気仙沼小学校の代表者からもらった言葉が自分の中でよみがえった気がした。
「どうか気仙沼を忘れないで下さい。気仙沼を見続け、想い続けて下さい。」

院生活を送るなか、自分のことでいっぱいになってしまっていた最近。恥ずかしながら自分の中で風化し始めていた気持ちがあった。でも、今回、自分の目で復旧・復興への進捗状況を見て、聞いて、感じて、 また新たに想い続け忘れてはいけない！と強く感じさせてもらった。

震災３年後の時点で仮設住宅にはまだ２６万人以上の方が住んでいるのは耳にしていたけど、実際に３年前にボランティアとして関わったことのある仮設住宅を再度目にし、あれからずっと仮設暮らしが続いているんだ、と実感し、気持ちが重くなった。 復興が長引く中、仮設暮らしは深刻化し、様々な問題（うつ病、アルコール依存症、孤独死、 子供の不登校や育児放棄など）が発生し、増加している。まだまだ支援は必要だ。

短期間だったけど、沿岸部の各地で活動を行っている団体に加わり、色々考えさせられ、学び、貴重な経験をさせてもらった。
各地域での復興の進み具合やニーズはそれぞれ異なっているけれど、コミュニティー作りや仕事作りに繋がる活動、また心のケアを中心とした活動を継続し続けている遠野まごころネットとJILCAの活動はとても素敵だ、と思った。

なかなか現地に直接足を運ぶことができないけど、これを読み、一人でも多くの人が新たに関心を持ち、一度、そしてもう一度、と東北沿岸部（被災地）に足を運んで欲しい。
 
自分が思い続け、見続けるのも大切だけど、支援するバトンを渡し、想いや気持ちが繋がってくれれば幸いだ。みんなで応援し続け、エールを送り続けよう！

My visit back

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to revisit some of the Tohoku regions that I had been to three years ago.  And I felt words that had gotten lost in me come to life again. The words that were given to our volunteer group in April 2011 (a month after the earthquake and tsunami had hit), at one of the evacuation centers in Kesennuma.

"Please, please don't forget about Kesennuma. Please, keep watching over us, and keep Kesennuma in your thoughts."

I had gotten so caught up in my own things recently, and I have to admit, with shame, that I had noticed myself begin to drift away from the devastated areas. My memories and feelings had begun to fade away...

But going back allowed me to see, hear, and feel the recovery process with my own body and mind.  Throughout my time there, I felt my memories gradually coming back to me of the times I spent there.  And I was able to be reminded that I have to keep caring, supporting those who were affected by March 11th.


Currently, there are still 260,000+ people who are still displaced from their homes in the aftermath of the disaster.  I had heard this news at the mark of 3 years since March 11th, but seeing the same temporary homes that I had been to three years ago raised my awareness. The fact that the disaster victims had lived in these small homes over the past 3 years really struck me.

Many temporary housing residents were told they would stay in these prefabricated homes for a maximum of 2 years. However, as the recovery process prolongs (as well as their transition to more permanent forms of housing),  they are feeling increasingly marginalized and frustrated, and are unable to tolerate it much longer.  Due to these harsh conditions, major pyschosocial issues are emerging (and increasing) including depression, alcoholism,  'kodokushi' (lonely death), PTSD... especially, as public interest wanes.

Learned how to fold these from a woman who lived in one of the temporary houses in Kesennuma Oshima. Her origami skills were amazing :)

During my visit,  I had the opportunity to do some volunteer work with organizations who have been continuously involved in the relief efforts in the devastated regions.  Although each regions' needs and recovery process varies, relief efforts are now focused on volunteer work that can lead to the building of communities, the provision of jobs to those who were affected, as well as the provision of ongoing psychosocial support to those living in the temporary houses. 

It was heartwarming for me to know that organizations as well as individuals are still actively involved in relief efforts. Some had been volunteering continuously over the years, and I also met others for whom it was their first time going to the devastated regions.



Revisiting and engaging in volunteer work made me think deeply and learn. Although the visit felt far too short to me, overall, it was an invaluable experience. And I am grateful I had the opportunity to go back this summer. 


Being abroad, I am unable to visit the Tohoku regions as much as I would like to.  However, I hope that you will once again open your heart to the devastated regions. As much as it is important for me to keep caring and keep watching over the recovery process, I would also like to pass on the baton of support.  

Let us all keep supporting the recovery process.  And let us send our prayers to Tohoku as today marks 3 years and 4 months since March 11th. 

The first time for me to come this close to the Miracle Pine Tree in Rikuzentakata. It was the only tree that withstood the more-than-13-meter high tsunami among the 70,000 pine trees of the famed Takata Matsubara forest. It is now preserved as a symbol of hope. 

 

It has been 3 years and 4 months since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. This picture was taken in Otsuchi, Iwate, 2 weeks ago. There was a town on this empty field before the tsunami hit on March 11th, 2011 (From Tono Magokoro Net).