2016. 3. 11

It was a cold rainy day.

It's been five years since the Great East Earthquake and Tsunami happened in 2011.
I stil remember the day well.
It was Friday.
Before going to work I went to Asakusa in the morning to book the conference room for the JENESYS Programme.
Then I went to the office in the afternoon.
At 2: 46 pm we felt the big shake which lasted for a long time than usual. At first we did not expect it became such disaster because we often have earthquakes. But it was different. We were asked to evacuate with helmet and got together at the nearby shrine. We watched our building swinging slowly.  We stayed outside for a few hours.  We could not use cellphones.
In the evening those live in Tokyo area started going home, but since all the trains were stopped, I could not go home. After having dinner at a Chinese dining, my colleagues and I went back to the office. I live far away from the office and knew it is impossible to walk back home. So I gave up going home but stayed at the office. I  did not  sleep at all.  There were water, electricity, blanket, and foods at the office. I took a right decision. Telephone lines were not available, but fortunately I could use Facebook and let my friends know that I was OK.
Next morning, the director, colleagues and I went back to Kanagawa together by taxi, and I took a train from Kamioooka, and got home.

For a few days we could not use the electricity for a certain period to save energy and we could not go to office too.

There are still many people missing, and living in the temporary housings.
And in Fukushima it is said it will take 40 years to close the nuclear plants.

We stll need to work to make the places and peoples' lives get back to normal.