VOX POPULI: Remembering a survivor of the Noto earthquake is of pure goodness

I'm relying on notes from my interview today to write this column.

I met Hisashi Yagi in the spring of last year. He was 83 years old at the time, and was the owner of the Iroha Shoten Bookstore in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was severely damaged in the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024.

His shop was destroyed, but Yaghi opened a temporary store nearby as quickly as he could.

The reason for the rush was that he wanted to be able to provide textbooks to local school children when they returned to school for the new term.

The neighborhood's shopping street was in rubble and pitch black at night, except for the only bright spot which was Yaghi's makeshift library.

“I wanted people to see it and get some comfort and inspiration from it,” Yaghi told me with a sincere smile.

He also said that he himself is being helped and encouraged by many people. “I realized how lucky I was,” he noted. “The earthquake made me a kinder person.”

Because Yaghi appeared to be in good health at the time, I was stunned to hear of his death last September.

I visited Suzu and met his son Atsunari (52), who told me that his father died shortly after being hospitalized with pneumonia. He said that because it happened so suddenly, he feels as if his father is still there, “smiling as usual.”

Atsunari also told me that his father often used the Hokuriku expression “atawari.”

It is said to indicate the attitude of embracing one's destiny and living fully, accepting even misfortunes that cause sadness and pain.

Atsunari is following his father's wishes by opening the new Iroha Shoten next spring.

It will soon be two years since the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Let me quote from my interview notes Yaghi’s response to my question about what “post-disaster recovery/reconstruction” means to him.

“It's something you keep going, enjoy the process and feel really good about it,” he said.

I remember my eyes getting moist when I heard those words.

Yagi was always cheerful, like the bright light that illuminated the disaster area. He was 84 years old when he died.

— Asahi Shimbun, December 30

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column covering a wide range of topics, including culture, arts, trends and social developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, this column offers useful perspectives and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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