Voices of Kataribi: Storytellers share personal accounts of the earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku

The 9.1-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it caused on March 11, 2011 killed about 18,000 people and destroyed the coast. Buildings in Minamisanriku were flattened, and more than 800 people were killed or missing in the city.

In the wake of the devastating triple disaster that struck northeastern Japan in 2011, the ancient practice of kataripi, or storytelling, has emerged as a key element in the region's recovery and preservation of its cultural memory.

The traditional form of narrative is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, and is related to the presence or absence of places and traces left by the disaster. Kataribe was instrumental in preserving memories from sites such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki from World War II.

The practice was revived in the Tohoku region of Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures, which faced varying degrees of devastation from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. Compared to other types of tours, Kataripi focuses much less on historical and geographical information, instead narrating the emotions and traumas resulting from tragic situations.

The Milwaukee Independent joined a special tour around Shizugawa Bay in Minamisanriku, hosted by Minamisanriku Onsen Kaneo on March 8. The area experienced an overnight snowstorm, just days before the 13th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

“It happened 13 years ago that we had a lot of snow on March 11 – just like this, when the earthquake happened,” Kataripi local resident Mitsuo Haga explained at the start of the March 8 tour. “In fact, it was a very sunny day on the morning of March 11. Then it started to become cloudy at noon. It started snowing soon after that, and by the time the earthquake struck at 14:46, the area was completely white.

The tsunami waves, caused by massive tectonic forces, destroyed the coastal city about half an hour later. After the evacuation, Haga recalled the cold night of March 11 when the sky was clear and full of stars. He also highlighted some of his experiences, highlighting the initial devastation of homes in the area, which were built of traditional timber frames.

“Kataripi’s role in preserving and sharing the memories of those affected is essential to the healing process and disaster education,” Haga said. “By telling personal stories and the broader historical context of the disaster, I hope to foster a deeper understanding and connection to this region’s past, its people, and ongoing recovery efforts.”

Sharing these narratives has also contributed to economic recovery by attracting visitors to support local businesses and promote Minamisanrikyu's cultural heritage. Central to such stories was an explanation of the extreme measures taken to adapt and survive in the aftermath of the disaster.

Kataribe tours unofficially began in May of 2011, when the Minami Sanriku Kaneo Hotel began receiving requests to tour what remained of its facility. It was a difficult and emotionally critical time for the grieving survivors, but visitors were coming alone, in groups and individually. An organized and comprehensive Kataripi style tour filled a growing need.

More than 400,000 participants joined the Kataribi Tour over the following years, which made stops at Shizugawa Middle School, the Minamisanriku Disaster Prevention Office Building, and the Takano Kaikan Building.

Minamisanriku had a population of approximately 17,600 in 2011. Over the past 13 years, this number has decreased by 12,000 leaving just over 5,000 people in the city.

The narrative of need touched on the massive loss of life and examples of population displacement. He also explained the challenges of rebuilding, and the decisions to preserve some disaster sites, such as the Disaster Prevention Office building in Minamisanriku.

Fifty people were in the building when the tsunami hit. Most of them fled to the roof, which served as an official evacuation site. However, they did not expect the size of the tsunami to be so large, and the waves eventually submerged the site. 43 people died and only seven were able to save their lives by clinging to the side stairs.

The local community remains divided on how best to honor that memory moving forward. Al-Hajj said that while many people want to keep the building, others want to demolish it. The Minamisanriku Disaster Prevention Office building was originally scheduled to be demolished two years after the earthquake, at the request of bereaved families. But when work was about to begin, the city decided to postpone the work and instead hold extensive discussions about the fate of the structure.

“I think it's a very difficult building to preserve. Some people don't even want to look at it. But on the other hand, I think a lot of good can come by leaving it behind for future generations.” The controversy underscores the importance of how these sites contribute to remembering “The value of human life, and the importance of remembering those lost in disasters.”

In stark contrast is the Takano Kaikan Building, just 290 yards away, a private disaster relic originally owned by the hotel's parent company, Minami Sanriku. As noted on a large bilingual banner placed at the site, 327 people and two dogs survived the tsunami while taking shelter in a wedding hall.

“We, as the owner, are preserving this building without demolishing it in order to continuously tell our stories and experiences with the earthquake and tsunami to future generations and visitors. Please always be prepared against disasters.

Centuries before the Cataripi disaster, communities struck by natural disasters recognized the need to preserve a narrative of their plight.

Along Japan's coast stand hundreds of ancient “tsunami stones,” silent sentinels that serve as warnings and memorials to the recurring and devastating tsunamis that sweep across the country. Dating back more than 600 years, these stones have stood the test of time, although some have succumbed to the destructive forces they warned of.

Japan's history with tsunamis is long and horrific. The 1896 Sanriku earthquake generated twin tsunamis that devastated coastal communities, destroying about 9,000 homes and killing at least 22,000 people.

Despite these tragedies, the lessons learned from past tsunamis are often forgotten by future generations. Tsunami Stones were created to fill this gap in collective memory. The inscriptions on these stones serve different purposes, some commemorating the dead while others offer cautionary tales. The text of the tsunami stone in Kesennuma, a city in Miyagi Prefecture, says:

“Always be prepared for unexpected tsunamis. Choose life over your possessions and valuables.

This message echoed the one Al-Hajj shared at the end of his Kataribi tour. He said that before the quake, people a mile away believed that when the tsunami came, it would be safe enough if they evacuated to the second floor of their homes.

“I think there were probably a lot of people who did not imagine it would come to them,” Al-Hajj added. The tsunami waves reached a depth of 6 miles in some areas along the coast. “Although it seems obvious, people need to remember that When evacuating from a tsunami, it is important to stay out of the sea and high up.”

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ http://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/photos/voices-kataribe-storytellers-share-personal-accounts-earthquake-tsunami-tohoku/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos