Chabo! Ms. Kazuyo Katsuma’s Inspection in Ishinomaki – Day 2

On Thursday, December 8, Ms. Kazuyo Katsuma, the author of “chabo!”, and others made an inspection in Ishinomaki for the second day.
On the day, Mr. Junishi Morioka, the chief editor of Kobunsha, participated too, going into action from early morning with Ms. Katsuma and JEN staff.

On the second day, they visited Nobiru Elementary School in Higashimatsushima City and Nobiru Station on JR Sengoku Line.
JR Nobiru Station, where the tsunami swept toward, has still not been restored, and the Sendai-Sengoku section has just resumed service via other stations with buses as their proxy jointly.

A platform of JR Nobiru Station: The tsunami swept toward the height of the mark of the station name



Leaving Nobiru Station, they headed for the assembly hall of temporary housing in Konan area in Ishinomaki City next.

In this region there are only a few numbers of buses circulating in the city, and there are not many places where people can go shopping immediately.
On the day, when JEN held Ochakko(tea-drinking party) for the first time in the assembly hall, there were many people who have met each other first time since they started living in the housing. Building a community for people who come from various regions and live in temporary housing, is just about to start.

In the assembly hall: Ms. Katsuma and others fitted in with the circle at once.



They added to the gaiety of the talk with local people while drinking tea, and the party was listening to experiences that a variety of people had at the time of the quake.

Then they went to Okawa Elementary School in Kohoku area in Ishinomaki City, Nagatsura region, where houses are still flooded, Okatsu Town and Onagawa Town.

Okawa Elementary School, where 70 percent of the students died



Nagatsura region, where houses are still flooded



In spite of a long distance travel, everyone was gazing at the scenery that was seen from the window of the car. By the time they were coming back from Nagatsura to Ishinomaki City area the evening was almost there.

After that, at a community space “Nakayashikissa” in Nakayashiki, Ms. Katsuma and others visited a weaving class, and finally dropped by the Ishinomaki Office of JEN.

We listened to their comments on the inspection for 2 days in Ishinomaki there. Then, they exchanged opinions about the problems in Ishinomaki from now on with the staff. It was impressive that Ms. Katsuma and others were thinking about the reconstruction of Ishinomaki with JEN staff in earnest, and it was a meaningful time for us too.

Exchanging opinions with JEN staff