Save Iwate @ Morioka, Sanriku Coast (off Tokyo): May 10-11, 2014

Lots of efforts have been made and are being made by NGOs, volunteers, private companies and the local governments to restore quake-hit communities and people’s life in Tohoku district. The process is, however, not fast enough. There will be a long way to go (See 3 years after the Quake article: May 10-11, 2014).



I visited the offices of “Save Iwate”, a NGO aiming to help people who had been hit by the disaster and to contribute to the recovery of the region. It was established just after the quake in March 2011 and is now active in various fields (see below).

Its head office is in Morioka, and it has branches in the Sanriku coastal areas, which were severely damaged by tsunami disaster.

>>Activities



Save Iwate's activities include:

* Management and delivery of aid materials (which are sent from many places in Japan) to local people.

* Fukko Zokin project: Save Iwate sends local people orders to make floor clothes. Floor clothes are collected and sold by Save Iwate. The project  provides job opportunities for local people, especially for elder women. 

The floor clothes along with other products were sold in a store in Morioka railway station.

* A project to make handcrafts and other products using aid materials such as old clothes: It is calles the "Rashinban Project". The products include wallet, accessory pouches, book covers and dolls. People can strengthen ties among the members while working together.

* Sanriku Fukko Calendar: Pictures of traditional culture and activities are used in the calendar.

* Walnut project: Walnuts trees stand everywhere in the coastal areas in Iwate. Save Iwate started buying walnuts from tsunami-hit people just after the disaster in 2011. 

Local people can pick up walnuts even if they do not have special tools. (Tools had been washed away with their houses). Save Iwate sell the nuts in various form: natural nuts to eat, art crafts, ingredient used in processed foods etc. 

(Note): Japanese walnuts is smaller than western walnuts. Its shell is harder.  

* Support of life of the people who were hit by tsunami disaster: Thousands of people left their hometowns in Sanriku coastal areas and moved to Morioka after the quake. About 1500 people still stay in Morioka. Save Iwate supports them through various activities: tea meetings, cultural events, seminars etc.

* Educational supports for children and students:  They hold classes in Morioka City and Yamada Town, in the coastal area.

>>Morioka Head Office



I first visited their office in central Morioka. 

Save Iwate has its working spaces in the 2^nd floor. Fukko Zokin (floor clothes) were piled in the stock shelves. Working desks were placed to make crafts from aid materials. (3rd picture from the top). The walnuts project is also active here.

There are office spaces for the public bodies in the same building (Morioka Fukko Shien Center, which means the support center for reconstruction).

I saw people enjoying tea meeting and playing "igo" games in the 1st floor. Most of them are from coastal areas. 

>> Working site in Sanriku

I also visited a working site for the walnut project in Nodamura village in Sanriku area. 

About 2 tons of walnuts were in a shed. (the top picture)

Local people are working there. A working group is formed with 5 to 10 people.
They crack the nuts (at a speed of 10 kilogram par hour), take out the fruits from the shell, check the quality, and send the products to Morioka.

>> Blue sky, fewsh green, Walnuts

I found many walnut trees here. New leaves have just appeared. The sky was blue and the leaves were fresh green. The breeze was confortable.

Save Iwate’s leader Mr. Yoshio Terai started the activities on March 12^th, 2011, the following day of the earthquake, with a feeling of “I have to do something.” It has been a continuing process of trial and errors, he recalls.

More than 600 volunteers have joined the activities. Tens of staff members are working in various fields now. However, restoring process is not fast enough and there are many things to do, he recognizes.