16 Volunteers Joined the ACCJ's Third "Get Your Hands Dirty" Trip to Tohoku
Over Golden Week of 2012, 16 fearless and friendly volunteers joined the ACCJ’s third “Get Your Hands Dirty” trip to commemorate the first anniversary of 3.11 and support Tohoku on its road to recovery.
Meeting at the ACCJ at 11pm, they took an overnight bus to Ishinomaki, where they then spent the day cleaning Nagahama Beach. Some moments were very poignant, as when personal items like shoes and children’s toys were found, and one could only wonder what had happened to the owner. The evening was then spent recovering from a productive day at a local izakaya. After spending the night in Ishinomaki, the next morning, the group organized clothing donations at a kasetsu jutaku (temporary housing) in Higashi Matsushima and talked to local residents. The trip was hosted by NADIA, an NPO active in Ishinomaki. Volunteer Aska Kuwabara observed, “It was hard work but it was so much fun as well as very rewarding! There is a lot more to do up there, so if you get a chance I highly encourage you to go.”
Below are the photos from Onagawa, where everything was washed away. Most of the buildings were subsequently removed and only a few remain in the area. For the full photo album, click here.
