Ishinomaki - 7th to 10th October

The trip up to Ishinonaki was certainly a success. Our group (Team Tsukuba) arrived in Ishinomaki late in the evening of the 7th with the aim of starting work promptly on Saturday morning. Saturday saw us prepare lunch for locals living in the area where we were residing. On both Sunday and Monday, our time was spent clearing debris and unblocking drainage channels.

It is fair to say that I was not actually looking forward to the lunch event on Saturday. I wasn't really sure what to expect from the survivors and was concerned I would somehow be a hindrance to them. However, the event was a resounding success. In all, we served over 100 lunches to mostly elderly people. It seems that many of those who turned up have nothing left - no money, no clothing, and perhaps no more family. They are really living on a knife edge as the world slowly forgets them and the Japanese Government provides feeble assistance. It was sad to see such a proud group of people relying on charity to survive.

Memories of Saturday:

• People keenly collecting their lunches which really illustrated the dire position they are in.
• An elderly lady who despite all the travails was friendly and extremely jovial. When I helped carry her box of food, she jokingly asked if I was interested in marrying her.
• Watching the locals talk amongst themselves - the weekly lunch provides perhaps the only opportunity for the remaining community to meet.
• An elderly lady with a baby on her back - made me wonder where the mother was.

It was getting late by the time we had tidied away the marquee, tables etc. We drove to an onsen to wash the dust and grime off us before driving into Ishinomaki center for pizza. Business is recovering in some parts of town, and we were happy our money was helping make a difference. The pre-dinner onsen was lovely with the outside bath (called rotenburo) having a fantastic view of the waterfront. It was hard to believe that such awful events occurred there only 6 months previously. In the pictured neighbourhood below, the tsunami waters reached all the way to the roofs of the houses. Some houses were flattened whilst other stood firm. There appeared to be no rhyme or reason to the destruction - completely indiscriminate.

As mentioned above, both Sunday and Monday were spent doing manual work, mainly trying to clear drainage channels of accumulated sludge and debris. Perhaps the hardest part of this work was lifting off the heavy concrete covers to gain access to these channels.

We were extremely lucky with the weather all weekend - lovely blue sky and not too chilly at night. I did however get a bit of sunburn on my arms and neck, but that is a small price to pay. It was heartening to see other volunteer groups assist in the clean up and nice to see people of different nationalities lending a hand. Over the duration of the weekend, I met fellow Brits, Americans, a German, a Canadian, a Chinese, and a Dutch woman.

We also paid a visit to the immediate waterfront where the tsunami was at its highest and most destructive.

This building (a police station) was knocked over by the force of the water and remains where it fell. Some buildings will be left untouched for posterity and will perhaps serve as a useful warning to future generations not to ignore the threat of further tsunamis.

The following picture shows a building that somehow remained standing.

The tsunami reached the very top floor of the building as can be seen by the absence of windows and the twisted railings. I doubt anyone survived in either of the buildings pictured above.

The strongest memories of the 3 days in Ishinomaki are the sad stories told by survivors and the sight of personal possessions strewn around wherever you look. ID cards, broken crockery, kids chairs, CDs, vinyl records, golf clubs, toys.

One man who worked in our group was stranded on the roof of his home for 4 days before he was rescued. During that time, he could see the body of his mother floating nearby. The junior high school near our lodgings lost 200 students, in part due to confusion and delay immediately after the earthquake struck. This confusion meant they did not evacuate in time to avoid being swept away by the tsunami. I think it is best not to dwell too long on the fate of those who died.

So, I will probably be making another visit there in the near future. The immediate concerns are now the onset of winter and the mental health of survivors. In the street where we stayed, 4 people have committed suicide since the disaster.

May I also take the chance to thank those who generously contributed to my fundraising page. At the time of writing the amount collected is £560 (against the original target of

£250). The money will be used to buy tools and other essential supplies.

Let us all hope those that survived will one day regain some semblance of normality.

Donations for earthquake / tsunami victims

If anyone wishes to donate some money to contribute to the clean-up and relief efforts after the Japanese earthquake / tsunami, please click on this box. I'm not expecting too many donations due to 'fundraising fatigue', but a couple of quid would certainly be appreciated.

I'll soon post some text and pictures on this blog to show you the ways in which your donations make a difference. To all Scottish readers, now is your chance to dispel the stingy Scotsman myth.

Destination Ishinomaki (Miyagi Prefecture)

Well, it is over 6 months since the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit the Pacific coast of Japan. On Friday 7th October, a friend and I will join a group which has volunteered to assist with the clean up operation. We will be slumming it for 3 days.

We'll be mostly in Ishinomaki, a town which bore of brunt of the natural disaster on 11th March. According to the most up to date of information, 5,000 people in Ishinomaki have been confirmed as dead or missing. I assume that there will be a great deal of work to be done over the next few years, so this will perhaps be the first of many trips up north. I feel a certain responsibility to contribute something to the work up there as I lived in neighbouring Fukushima Prefecture for some years. The people up there were really very welcoming, so it is time to return the favour.As can be seen from the above picture, there is not much left standing in Ishinomaki. I'm not really sure what to expect, but I will post a new blog on my return.

I have just bought some hardwearing work gloves and N95 face masks which are apparently required to deal with the toxic particles blowing around. I now need to find myself a sleeping bag - still have a few days yet to get that organised.

We should be able to stay inside a building during our time up north. If not, I believe that tents are also available.

I'll take my camera with me, so I will be able to give you an update once I return. Although the radiation levels are noticeably elevated up north, I do not think it is a major concern for an adult making such a brief visit. I would however be more concerned if my children lived in the area.

Update to follow upon my return.

Quake +2: Grim Uncertainty

Looking a bit bleak in Japan at the moment. Not only are there thousands of dead, but the continuing atomic problems seem to be worsening by the hour. It seems that the Japanese Government is being a bit economical with the truth as the safety zones gradually get larger and the problems escalate. If there is any large escape of radiation, it looks like Tokyo will get a good dose as the winds are forecast to blow to the south by tomorrow.

I am currently in Kaihin Makuhari in Chiba Prefecture where my office is located. Now in my ground floor apartment which is only a few hundred meters from the sea which is perhaps a mistake as the French Embassy are saying there is a 70% chance of a magnitude 7 quake hitting in the next few days. It that happened off the coast of Chiba, the apartment where I am now sitting would in all probability be washed away by the resultant tsunami. It is pretty cold at the moment but I am trying not to use any electricity unnecessarily in order to try and minimise the strain on the power grid.

So the plan is:
1. Early visit to the office tomorrow morning to check the situation.
2. Head back to Kumegawa and work as much as possible from home for the rest of the week - if I can get back..
3. Try and stock up and prepare as much as possible for the forthcoming power outages / additional quakes / possible radioactivity.

In short, things are fairly unpleasant. Not only has there been an awful earthquake, but there is also the possibility for things to get much worse.

I will keep you all posted. It seems the power cuts could last for over a month so my online visitations may be a bit briefer. Keep your fingers crossed.

Tsunami Alert

Japan has been on tsunami alert for most of the day as waves generated by the Chile earthquake are crossing the Pacific with the potential to cause damage or loss of life. Japan has a well organised Tsunami warning system and people in vulnerable areas have been told to move away from coastal areas towards higher ground.

As you can see from the picture, all TV programmes have been overlaid with a tsunami warning map showing vulnerable areas. So far, earthquake generated waves reaching Japan have been small, apparently because the Chile earthquake occurred in a shallow area of ocean.

Another week beckons - it is not a week I am looking forward to for a number of different reasons. On another note, I am starting to get itchy feet (no, not athletes foot!) and have been looking at www.JobsDB.com. Seems like a lot of jobs on offer across Asia and I think that sooner or later I will chance my arm and send off a few applications. I'm sure we will be in Japan for a while yet, but I think I will start to get the ball rolling.

Izu Oshima in Tokyo Bay

On Friday the 28th of September, I had to get up at 5am in order to catch the hydrofoil ferry from Takeshiba Sanbashi in Tokyo to Izu Oshima. I've no idea the last time I dragged myself out of bed at such an early time.

Neil and I got a 6am train which was still fairly quiet as we were travelling just before rush hour. Once we reached Hamamatsucho station, it was just a short walk to the ferry terminal. We bought our tickets and loitered until we were able to board the hydrofoil.

We discovered that the boat was quite cramped and that we had to sit on aircraft style seats. Comfort had obviously been sacrificed for speed. However our enthusiasm was undimmed and we were in good spirits in anticipation of an exciting day ahead in what promised to be beautiful weather.

I always love travelling by ship, and Saturday was no exception. Tokyo Bay is always fascinating to observe, from the varied waterfront to the busy sea traffic. I never cease to be amazed at the size of the cargo ships which ferry products to and from Japan. To add an extra little bit of interest, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) also had a number of ships at sea. The only slight disappointment of the crossing was the lack of any real perception of speed. Although the hydrofoil must have been travelling very quickly, the sensation of speed was little different from that of a conventional ferry. I always have something to complain about.We arrived on Izu Oshima at about 9.30am. I was under the impression that we were going to disembark at a port called Motomachi but it turned out that we docked at the port of Okata, a much smaller village. This error had grave implications later in the evening.

Upon arrival, I spoke to the tourist information man and asked him to arrange accommodation for Neil and I. He booked us into a minshuku called Asami Kan and the proprietor kindly collected us in a small bus a short time later. The driver / owner seemed slightly surly at first but warmed up considerably when I went through my repertoire of Japanese phrases. When we arrived, our initial reaction was that the place was a little spartan but cost ¥6,800 per person per night. We thought this was a little expensive but the cost was tempered by the fact that both dinner and breakfast were included in the price. Fair enough.

After checking in, we hired bicycles and decided to cycle the coastal road around the island. It was about a 50km cycle and we had a full day to complete the ride. The weather was gorgeous and I was really happy to get on the saddle again and have the chance to exercise again in the countryside. The mountain bikes looked in good condition when the minshuku owner presented them to us, but we were quick to discover that they had seen better days. My bike had the habit of slipping gears, especially when going up hill - I was expecting to crush my kegs on the crossbar at any moment. Neil's bike had the even more annoying habit of shedding its chain. He had to perform regular stops to put the chain back on his bike and spent most of the day with oil on his hands. Added to those inconveniences, every time we peddled, it sounded like we were stirring a pot full of nuts and bolts.During the early part of our cycle, we attracted the attention of a carload of young people who would shout encouragement to us as they drove past us. They seemed friendly enough and gave me a big cheer when I gave them my best Royal Navy salute.

Despite the niggles with the bikes, we both loved the cycle. There were some great views, lovely beaches (with black volcanic sand), interesting people, and some challenging hills to climb. One of the hills took us a couple of hours to climb, but the cycle back down was ample compensation. The temperature was about 32C and Neil and I were both sunburnt when we returned to the minshuku for dinner, but not before we treated ourselves to an ice cold can of beer from a shop towards the end of our ride. Perfect!!!As should be expected in Japan, dinner and breakfast consisted mostly of fish. I really dislike fish but Neil managed to eat a fair amount. I confined myself to the rice, miso soup, tempura, and vegetables that were on offer and then had some Cup Noodles later that night. I think the owners were slightly disappointed that I left so much but I really do not like fish. It would be more accurate to say that I detest fish.

The biggest problem of the evening was that we had nothing to do. The town of Okata has nowhere to socialise or eat out, as we soon discovered after stumbling around in the dark for 45 minutes. We were forced to empty the beer vending machine at the minshuku and also bought a small carry out at one of the local shops. As we were not keen to spend the whole evening confined to our room, we sat on the front doorstep of the minshuku for a few hours and talked about old times, mostly about former friends and teachers at Portree High School.

It would have been much better if we had stayed in a town called Motomachi as we would have had a couple of places to dine and drink in the evening.

After sitting on the doorstep, we returned to our tatami room to drink our remaining stocks of beer and wine. We were unpleasantly surprised by the number of cockroaches in our room!! Every building on the island had cockroaches in them and I can only assume that this is a common and unsolvable problem on the island.

The next morning (Saturday), we went for breakfast at 8.30 and hired bikes again for a short 6km cycle to Motomachi. The temperature had plummeted to 16C and it was drizzling. The drizzle felt great on my sunburnt arms. We got a bit wet cycling around the town, but we eventually found a public onsen where we could have a good bath and put on some dry clothes. After that, we sat in a large tatami room and drank coffee, read, slept, and I even made a few notes for this blog. What a good blogger I am! I spotted a couple of cockroaches running around but by that time, I had become used to them.

Neil found his introduction to Japanese communal bathing a little unsettling and he wanted to get into the bath with his swimming trunks on. I told him that this would not be the done thing and he reluctantly shed the trunks and made his way to the bath. The onsen felt lovely and relaxing but I had to keep my sunburnt arms out of the water as they were starting to get really sore.

We cycled back to the onsen in our wet clothes as it was still drizzling. Once back, we changed and the minshuku owner drove us back to Okata for the return journey to Tokyo. When we checked out, I was pleasantly surprised to be given an itemised bill, rare in Japan. We could easily confirm that all the amounts charged to us were correct. Often in Japan, especially in bars, you receive a bit of paper with the final amount written on it. This system is often abused by unscrupulous owners who calculate the amount by choosing the first random number which appears in their head. The only rule required in the calculation is that the final figure should be more than the actual amount owed. I am surprised that I have never mentioned this in the blog before because it is something which happens often and continues to grate. It's theft, plain and simple.

Anyway, we had a fantastic time on the island and I was happy to see another part of Japan. We didn't visit one of the islands main attractions, the volcano called Mount Mihara. I'll see the volcano next time - we had no desire to cycle to the top after our 50km round trip.

We returned to Tokyo and Neil spent the remainder of his holiday sightseeing in Tokyo and drinking beer with myself in my local bar called Bo Jangles. Neil returned to Scotland on the 3rd of October, after a last minute rush to Narita Airport. He thought he was due to leave on Thursday night, but discovered at 5pm on Wednesday that he was leaving that same night at 10pm. It was great to see him again and I hope he returns many more times in future. A slideshow of Neil's holiday can be found by clicking on the link.