May hope prevail in Japan 日本に希望を

After coming back from overnight evacuation without internet connection, I gradually realized the scale of this earthquake...  Why this tradgedy had to hit our country?  Why these people have to suffer death and fear?  ...Questions went on and on. 
I was suspended by my new emplyer from commuting to the office for a week.  My husband and I decided to stay in Tokyo, and do something to help people around us who were having difficulty because of this disaster.  We invited to our home friends who lived alone in Tokyo and were afraid of staying home while the aftershocks and blackouts still occur frequently.  We cooked dinner together and some stayed with us to spend safer night.  I also sent some clothes and daily necessities to Tohoku via my friends' NPO. 
However, in the long run, to reconstruct the severely hit Tohoku/Kanto area and Japan as a whole country, what can I do...?  Probably I need to ask this question many time for going forward.  One thing I can say for sure at the moment is, that I am thankful and proud to belong to this beautiful country.  On the way to evacuate in Machida last Friday, I saw many drugstores stopped the operation due to power outage.  All the shopkeepers went outside to avoid being hit by their shops' racks and furnitures, leaving all their goods in the stores with the door opened.  However, no one even tried to come in and steal their goods.  Bus services, the only available alternative transportation other than trains, were so crowded but people tried to calmly queue and wait for the next bus.  Many of them even offered seats to old people and small kids.  I love this culture that our country nurtured over the history.  Not sure specifically what I will do, bu tI want to commit to more value things and culture of my country. 
地震の日、インターネットもテレビもない帰宅困難の一夜から帰宅して後、私は徐々に今回の震災の規模がいかに大きいかを悟った。なぜこの悲劇がこの国を襲わなくてはいけなかったのか？なぜこの人達が死と恐怖に苦しまなくてはいけないのか？
私は転職先の職場から1週間は自宅待機を通告された。主人と私は引き続き東京に残り、せめて身近な人でこの地震のために問題を抱える人を助けようと決めた。一人暮らしの友人で余震・停電に不安を感じる子たちを家に呼び、夕食を共にし、泊めてあげた人もいた。友人のNPOを通じて被災地に防寒着や生活物資も送った。
でも、長い目で見て、被災した東北・関東地方や日本の国全体を再建するために、私には何ができる…？たぶんこの疑問は今後何度も自らに問うて行かなくちゃいけないと思う。一ついま確実に言えるのは、私はこの美しい国の人間であることに感謝し誇りに思っているということ。金曜日町田に避難する途中、ドラッグストアが何件も、地震後の停電で営業を休止していた。店員は全員けがを防ぐのに屋外に避難していて、商品は全部置きっぱなし、ドアは開けっぱなしだった。しかし、誰一人として店に押し入って物を盗ったりする人はいなかった。電車が止まって唯一動いていた公共交通手段のバスも、乗客は静かに長い列を並んで待っていた。たくさんの人が老人と子供に席まで譲っていた。私は自分の国が歴史を通じて培ったこんなすばらしい文化が大好きだ。これから具体的にどんなことをしていくかわからないけれど、私はこの国の文化をもっと大事にしていきたいと思っている。

Heading for Saturday evening service at church 土曜の夕拝へ

Earthquake on March 11

On Friday, I visited Buaiso (former Shirasu residence) in Tsurukawa, wearing kimono.  After the big earthquake occurred and train systems all stopped, I moved to Machida by bus, waiting for Odakyu line to recover its services.  It was already past 6PM when I arrived there, but the train suspension was still on.  The station announcement repeated that it would take long hours to complete checking all the railway safety and resume the train system.  Overnight recovery of the train system was even uncertain.  It was full of passengers who could not go home everywhere in the station.  Somehow I couldn't make a call or send out single email on my mobile.  I lined up for public phones a few times, but even after a long queue, my call did not work for both my husband or my hometown in Kansai.  I finally decided to look for a room in a reasonable hotel nearby, as I might need to walk home on the following day.

However, it was too late.  Three hotels that I could walk to were all fully booked.  At the lobby of the hotel I was among other people who had no idea where to go to avoid cold weather during the night.  Some started to doze off on sofa there, everybody was exhausted.

Suddenly, around 10PM, hotel clerks came to us and invited to their restaurant.  It did not operate due to power outage anyway, and the hotel offered its tatami rooms for us to lie down and rest.  Around 30+ of us in total, most were on business, some were tourists, and some even had small kids.
When we went in, we were also served with hot tea and hot scallop soup free of charge!  What a generosity under this emergency...  they were out of business but still trying to offer help for free...  I was so touched that I didn't know how to thank them enough.
We could sleep and rest there.  I never expected to sleep in kimono directly on tatami floor.  But I was fortunate to have accomodation on the cold night.  On the following day 7AM, privately-run trains were all running.  I said 'thank you' many times to the hotel people before leaving there.  It was funny that, since I was in kimono, some people who stayed at the restaurant took me as one of the hotel clerks, and they thanked me very politely when they left there... 
Integrity in adversity saves somebody.  As the famous Good Samaritan's parable concludes, it is my turn to "go and do likewise".  Thank you ver much, everyone in Hotel Villa Machida.

地震が起きた金曜日は最後の休日で、着物で武相荘（旧白洲邸）を訪れていた。地震で電車が止まったためバスで2時間かけて町田駅へ向かったが、午後6時を過ぎても小田急線は回復しなかった。駅中全て無数の帰宅難民でいっぱいの中、駅のアナウンスはダイヤ回復まで相当の時間がかかる見込みと繰り返すばかり。始発までの回復も怪しいとのこと。どういうわけか携帯が通話もメールもできない。公衆電話に長い列を何度か並んだものの、主人にも関西の実家にも連絡がつかない。結局私は近くのホテルを探そうと試みた。次の日もしかしたら歩いて帰らないといけないかもしれない。そのためにはどこかで休まないと。
しかし時すでに遅し。見つけたホテルはどこも満室で、ロビーもたくさんの帰宅難民が占めていた。みんなどこで寒さを凌ごうか途方に暮れて、ソファで居眠りを始める人、地べたに座り込む人、子供連れの親、みんな疲れきっていた。
10時頃、ホテルの係員が来て、｢皆さん、うちのレストランの座敷を良ければお使い下さい｣とのこと。私たち30人くらいがそちらへ移ると、なんと暖かいお茶と雑炊が各人に出された。しかも無料！お店を閉めないといけないくらいなのに、タダで帰宅難民を助けてくれて、どう感謝したらいいかわからないくらいだった。まさか着物着て座敷でビジネスマンと雑魚寝することがあろうとは予想もしなかったけれど、寒空に屋内の休む場所をもらえた私達は幸いだった
なんとか一晩休み、翌朝7時には私鉄各線が走っていた。お店の人に何度もお礼を言って、そこを辞した。（着物を着ているせいで、他の避難者からホテルの人間と勘違いされ、何度かお礼を言われてしまったが…）
大変な時の中での誠実さは必ず誰かを助ける。有名な「よきサマリア人」の結びではないが、今度は私が「行って、同じように」する番だと思った。ホテルヴィラ町田の皆様、ありがとうございました。

Free hot soup served 無料でふるまって下さった雑炊

Traffic in chaos right after the quake 地震直後、混乱する道路

Our home わが家

Finally came back! やっと帰宅！