Since moving to the Fukushima a few months ago, the JET study tour was my 1st opportunity to see for myself the areas affected by the tsunami and community members who have had to move forward and rebuild. Before I came to Fukushima, I wasn’t sure what the prefecture was like let alone what kind of life the people here have been living since 3.11. Fukushima has become such a buzzword in the news so it’s hard for people outside of Japan not to see Fukushima as damaged as the circulated images make it seem. My area of Fukushima, Yabuki, was affected pretty badly during the earthquake but by the time I came here, the empty lots where houses once stood are the only visible reminders of what happened over 2 years ago. I loved getting to have coffee and talk with different people about how their lives have changed and what they hope for from here on out. The events of 3.11 though have forced a lot of people to reconsider what and who it is they work for and many have brought their focus back to Fukushima, back to their home. I learned that the people of Fukushima want the rest of Japan to visit and see for themselves the efforts to revitalize the prefecture. More than anything though, they want to strengthen themselves from within their communities with what they can provide locally, 地産地消. |
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