Two weeks ago I was given the opportunity to participate in a study tour of the Iwaki area of Fukushima prefecture. It was a fantastic opportunity to see firsthand the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami on the coast, and to connect with Japanese people who lived through it and continue to work in the area today. We started our day at the Fukushima agricultural technology center, where we were given a very thorough introduction to the radiation monitoring process in the prefecture. We were even able to see the laboratory used in the monitoring process. After a delicious bento lunch, we headed to Tomatoland Iwaki for a closer look at agriculture in the region. We were able to pick our own delicious tomatoes right off of the vine, which came in handy as a wonderful snack on the bus later. The tomato picking was followed by a visit to Hisanohama, a village that was hit hard by the tsunami. Seeing the devastation was a powerful experience. We saw the foundations of an entire neighbourhood of houses that was wiped out. Inspiringly, the residents of the village had not given up on their home, and had set up a temporary market to use while reconstruction was underway on the main shopping street. That was only the first day. We saw a kamaboko factory, a cotton farm, and a beautiful 800 year old temple on the second day. Unfortunately I don’t have enough space to capture the whole experience, but the most memorable part was hearing the stories of the people directly affected by the events of March 11th, and seeing their resilience and determination with my own eyes. Thank you. |  |
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