We headed back to Gunma on the Thursday Public holiday at the end of golden week. Since we were so close and the news flashes from there were so vivid, we decided to go back via Kesenuma.
The coastal road from Rikuzentakata (which was supposedly rather beautiful) no longer exists so we had to go a little bit inland before doubling back down a road that took us down a river into the city. It was not too long till we started seeing detritus in the river… further in. it got worse, till we entered the inundation zone.
The road was cordoned off and we had to go up a side road which passed the Shishiorikarrakuwa train station. We stopped to get a look into the cordoned off area. There was a boat, a sakura tree and an army of cops. The only reason we could think of was that they had not yet removed all the bodies that were in the area. That also means the heavy machinery had not yet cleaned all the roads and gathered up the cars and whatnot as they had done in Rikuzentakata.
The clutter was astounding. I realised that Ofunato and Rikuzentakata most likely looked much like this before they retrieved all the bodies they could and sent the GSDF in to clean up the big stuff. It also had more visible evidence of individual loss right up close than Ofunato had (aside from the cleaning of the house… but that felt like work that needed doing)
 |   There was a wrecked Suzuki Wagon R near he station. We are not certain but it looks as if there was someone found in it based on the sign on one of the windows and the items around the car (whether she was alive or not, I don’t know). Looking inside you could see the type of person she was, her hobbies and interests, a high heel shoe on the side of the car. Size L. so she was taller than average. Fashionable, possibly good looking… |
As we continued, it looked like everything and nothing we had seen before. It had its own unique characteristics but the simple truth is that regardless of where. If you take a trip all the way down the east coast of Japan, The tsunami, so some degree, has messed stuff up. There is only one thing I can really do. and that is to keep on joining in, and helping out as much as I can.
It reminds me a little of Bad Religion’s “Operation Rescue” :
it is an s.o.s. sent out telepathically, signs of our distress don'tIt is true and I too wonder what compels me to do it, but I still feel mike it needs to be done.
allow complacency, we need restoration now of our integrity and a
drastic bold reminder of our morality, the rectifying troop is here,
the ones we have needed all these years to stop the heinous wrongdoings
and verify our moral benevolence as a people, operation rescue,
they're here to right our fall, they have heard a troubled call,
operation rescue, you may wonder where they come from, but i just
wonder why they're here at all, life ever-after is what they're in the
business for, see them brandish the key to their kingdoms door, it's
persuasive, it's a part of you and me but it's not overwhelming as
they wish it to be, if no one believed in fairy tales there would be
nothing they could do but fail yet everywhere we look someone is
trying to reassure our moral benevolence as a people, operation
rescue..., you may wonder where they come from, but i just wonder what
compels them all
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