Today is 2015 January 17th…the 20th anniversary of the huge 1995 January 17th earthquake in 神戸 (Kobe), Japan.
I’ve experienced many earthquakes since I came to Japan in 1990…but only two that were big enough to destroy a city:
the 1995 Jan 17th Kobe Earthquake, and
the 2011 Mar 11th Sendai Earthquake and Tsunami.
Memorial ceremony in Kobe for victims of the 1995 Jan 17th earthquake. (Photo © Getty Images)
I never want to experience such a massive natural disaster ever again!
In the Chiba area of Japan, near Tokyo, is a superhero who looks identical to “Gotham City’s” Batman.
The Japanese counterpart is called 「千葉ットマン」 (“ChiBatman“).
He has been cruising the streets of the Tokyo area, not fighting crime, but bringing smiles to people since the March 11th 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake…but wasn’t famous until a junior high school boy noticed him and took a photo and tweeted it.
That photo was re-tweeted thousands of times (including by me). Of course, with that many re-tweets the international media noticed. And there have now been reports about “ChiBatman“ in many countries’ news sources…such as the BBC.
Today is 2014 March 14th. It’s already been three years since the huge earthquake and tsunami tragedy that hit Sendai.
I wrote a post on that day (Click here to read it) about four hours after it happened. That earthquake did damage down here in Tokyo…but nothing like what the Tohoku area suffered.
I also wrote a post about a month after the earthquake (Click here to read it) about some of the things the earthquake survivors treasure.
Today, for the tragedy’s third anniversary, the Japan Times newspaper is showing some of the hardest hit areas and the survivors three years after (Click here to see it).
A mother and her daughter attend a candle-lighting event held Sunday to commemorate the third anniversary of the March 11 tsunami and earthquake in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, one of the worst-hit areas. | (photo from: KYODO | caption: Japan Times)
The three-year anniversary of the tragic 2011 March 11th earthquake and tsunami is in six days.
One couple who lost their daughter on that day recently received a letter she had written to them in 2004.
Today (2014 January 17th) is the nineteenth anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake which struck Kobe, Japan on 1995 January 17th.
I wrote a post about it five years ago.
It was the first of two major earthquakes that have struck Japan since I’ve been here … hopefully there won’t be another!
Today is the 90th anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake that flattened Tokyo at about noon on September 1st, 1923.
Today (2013 March 11) is the second anniversary of the biggest earthquake in Japan’s history and also one of the world’s top ten biggest.
The “2011 Tohoku-Region Pacific Earthquake” occurred at about 2:45PM on 2011 March 11th…two years ago today.
The terrible tsunami that did more damage than the earthquake that caused it.
It shook buildings, including my house, even done here in Tokyo very strongly! It was an experience that I hope never happens again.
On the day of the earthquake, I wrote a post…click here to read it.
At 2:46PM today, all over Japan people will have a minute of silence to remember those who suffered and those who died in that tragedy.
In Tokyo, the Emperor and Empress of Japan will attend a ceremony to remember the victims.
Every December (for the past seventeen years or so), a 漢字 (Japanese (Chinese) written character) is chosen which has a meaning that best summarizes the passing year.
Last year the character 「絆」 (bonding) was chosen because of the way the world came together to help Japan after the March 11th earthquake.
Well, this year, for the first time since this tradition began, the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“) will be a repeat.
In the year 2000, the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“) was 「金」 (“gold”) because Japan won gold medals at that year’s Olympics and also because “Kin-san” of the famous elderly Japanese twins “Kin-san and Gin-san died that year—and her name meant “gold”.
This year too, 「金」 (“gold”) was chosen again to be the 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year“).
And once again the reason for this choice was because of the gold medals that Japan won at the Olympics. Other reasons cited were the opening of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the Nobel Prize won by a Japanese professor, and the solar eclipse last spring.
The character 「金」 for “gold”.
Writing the Kanji of the Year for 2012 in the official ceremony.
In Japan, Kit-Kat offers many unique only-in-Japan flavors.
( I wrote a post about some of the Kit-Kat Japan flavors.)
But one of their recent products was for a special cause…the “Kit-Kat World Variety” went on sale in Japan last March and ¥20 from each package sold went toward the rebuilding of the Sanriku train line (in Tohoku, Japan) which was destroyed in the 2011 March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
“Kit-Kat World Variety”
What makes Kit-Kat “World Variety” unique is that the package contains thirteen Kit-Kat chocolates…three are from Japan, five are from Australia and the other five are from England…this is because chocolate is made slightly differently in every country around the world and therefore tastes differently.
In addition to donating to the reconstruction of the train line, Kit-Kat also asked people from around the world to visit their Facebook page and leave messages of hope to the people of Tohoku who were affected by the disaster…and many of those messages were displayed on the body of the new trains for the Sanriku line.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another new only-in-Japan “junkfood” product will be by Pepsi Japan soon.
Last December, Pepsi Japan offered “Pepsi Pink“. And, next month, they will begin selling “Pepsi Black“.
This drink will contain 50% less sugar and will have a “lemon flavor”.
Today is 2012 March 11. One year since the Great Sendai Earthquake.
Of course, ceremonies to commemorate the tragedy and remember the victims will be held around Japan today.
I found a video on YouTube made in November 2011, eight months after the earthquake and tsunami.
It shows scenes during the tragedy that give you an idea of how frightening it must have been.
And the video also mentions Taylor Anderson, who was an American English teacher at an elementary school in the Miyagi area. She helped save a number of school children from the tsunami but she herself, unfortunately, died in the disaster.
Some of her former students can be seen talking about her.
The video also mentions the aid workers who came to Japan from around the world and it shows how grateful the people in the Tohoku area are to them.
It’s a very emotional and touching video. I recommend watching it.
Watch it and tell me your reaction / feeling in the comment section of this post.
Here’s the video:
Tokyo Five 
Recent Comments