When the most powerful tsunami in Japanese history struck, few places were hit as hard as Minamisanriku.
A wall of water obliterated the town, claiming the lives of 820 people. After the unthinkable human loss and almost total physical destruction, some wondered whether Minamisanriku would continue to exist as a town at all. But today the village hums with a quiet rhythm.
Why We Wrote This
Many fishing villages along Japan’s northern coast have an intimate and fraught relationship with the sea. Minamisanriku has become a symbol of resolve as it resurrects itself after the 2011 tsunami.
The recovery began with what Minamisanriku residents know best – fishing. In April, a few short weeks after the disaster, the seafood market reopened one day a month in a makeshift tent. Since then, a soba noodle restaurant, offices, park, and shopping center have been rebuilt as the town was moved to higher ground.