Report #2 of Tao Sangha Members visiting Sendai April 3 & 4, 2011

April 3rd, 7:50AM
My wife made Onigiri (rice ball) and miso soup, which warms and heals
my heart. I see a light snow outside.

9:10 AM
I gave the supplies to them and asked what is needed for next step.
I went to center provision for earthquake disaster. I met Mr. Kokuta and I
asked him what do you need now and in the future?
The answer was "rain coats for working on rainy days, under pants and
jerseys, sandals, wet tissue, small radio, umbrella, pouch, day packs,
pajamas, masks, hats, and if possible washing machines would be very
helpful...."

About 700 people are living in
these shelters and mostly people
lost their homes and future and
some people lost their families.
Government has a plan to make a
small house (temporary house) for
victims but nobody knows when,
could be in 1 or 2 years.
This project of making small houses
(temporary houses) for everyone is
going to be a long way in the future
for these people. Washing machines
would be very helpful for everyone
because it's a hard job to wash
clothes by hand outside in cold
winter days. I said we will think
about the washing machines.
10PM Volunteer Shiatsu was is Welcomed
We moved to the next shelter near the first one. Because volunteer
Shiatsu needs permission from the shelter's leader, Mr Kokuta guided and

introduced me to Mr. Tsubouchi to ask about giving volunteer Shiatsu.
Mr. Tsubouchi said with smile, "sounds good, first of all could you give
to me?" and he also said to everyone, "they can massage for us, would
anybody like to receive?" The replies came; "I would like to receive
because my shoulder is so stiff"; "me too”, “me too!!" I and Mr Haku were
so happy to hear this positive response and when we came to lunchtime
we were invited to eat the same lunch with everyone.
                                                            1:05PM

Delivery of album ... Suddenly, somebody said in a bigvoice "thank you thank you!!!!"  It was Mrs. Miura - somebody who was walking around outside found her picture album and delivered it to her.

1:20 PM

We slept on the Tatami
One more happy incident -
everybody was sleeping on the
floor, until someone gave us
60 Tatami mats. Everyone was
so happy. We can sleep on the
the softer tatami flooring
starting tonight.
2:10pm
Mrs. Kaneno Takeko
Shiatsu started again. Mr. Sato joined in to give treatments. We gave
through the afternoon and then by candlelight at night. One patient said
"it was the hell". It seems they are living with so much despair and deep
sadness.
Later Mrs. Kaneno Takeko. A 60 year old woman was asked "do you have a problem anywhere?" she said "both of my hands have numbness"
also she said with a small voice……"the Tsunami attacked my husband, I
pulled my husband with both of my hands, I tried hard, again and
again…... but my hand power ran out and he just slipped away". She has
been keeping in her big tears.

6:40 PM
Most people sleep or lay
down. Only a few people
watch TV or radio. We ate
Onigiri (rice balls) from Mrs
Kazue and left-over
Yakisoba (Japanese style
fried noodle) from lunch.
Mr Haku went home and I
stayed here to write down
today’s experiences.
8:15 PM
In the Dark of the Night
Mr. Kazue passed a small light to me. It was so dark outside that I saw
the sky and falling stars. But people here have no space in their hearts to
enjoy this view of the sky. There must be so many people in this dark
night feeling heartbroken and hopeless……so many…...
11:30 PM
I sent email with my phone but it cannot send well and I felt frustrated
with the phone company. I gave up and went to bed. Then Mrs.
Kaneno’s story came from my memory. She lost her husband……. and
her hands still sensitively remember his feeling at that moment. I
was not able to sleep any more………
April 4th 6:30 AM

I woke up and
walked around. I
did Renki near the
temple, and got
more cheerful. It is
still snowing
outside.
7:50 AM
I ate Onigiri and Miso soup. I packed
my bags to prepare to leave in the
afternoon.
8:30 AM Goodbye
I went to shelter a little early, Mr Miura
said "everybody could sleep very well
thank you so much, it's like you are our
new family member.” I thought I was
happy to give this shiatsu in my life.

Dear Mr Ryokyu, Tao Shiatsu really gave
happiness to everyone.
A lady nearby came to me and asked
about massage. I was ready for Shiatsu
because Renki makes me and my body
ready. Next person was Mrs Kazue. Everybody has a job in here even
older person, because it's a good reason to move the body and keep
healthy. I felt Mrs. Kazue always takes care of herself last. She is just like
a Boddhisatva. Because I have to leave earlier today I decided to give to
her first. I really thank you Mrs. Kazue.
I gave treatments for more people and just a little time was left. I said,
“One more person if you like.. anybody?” Mrs. Kaneno put her hand up. I
was so happy to give shiatsu again for her because she was on my
mind. She said she felt "her condition was very comfortable afterwards" I
imaged god with nembutsu during session. it was a memorable session
for me.
My volunteer shiatsu mission is finished. Mr Haku and Mr. Sato will
continue after me. Mrs Kazue gave me onigiri and banana and water and
said "please eat these in your car while you drive home." I said goodbye
to everyone and went home. I will come back!
I hope everyone's life will be happier.... NamuAmidaButsu.

Report by Shin Hasegawa (Tao Sangha Tokyo)
Translated to English by Satie Fujimoto (Tao Sangha Madison) and Yutaka Toyoda (Tao Sangha Montreal) with English editing by Deb Bachmann (Tao Sangha Madison)

Report of Tao Sangha members visiting Sendai April 1 & 2, 2011

Report by Shin Hasegawa,  長谷川　森 ,  Tao Sangha Tokyo member

Translated to English by Satie Fujimoto

with English check by Deb Bachmann, Tao Sangha Madison members

April 1st, 9:35 AM

What we can do?

Mr. Haku and I ride in a long-distance bus to the town of Karakuwa, city Kesen-numa in Miyagi-ken (prefecture/state) from Shinjuku-ku in Tokyo. The purpose of this trip is to be able to see and grasp the reality of the place, the people, victims of earthquake and understand what we can do for them. Also we wish to find out what kind of supplies are needed there. And we’ll do volunteer shiatsu if their condition is ready for it, listen to the victim’s heart, listen to their voice and story  that does not come up in public.

4:10 PM

Arrived at the city of Sendai (Sendai is the biggest city near earthquake area)

Arrived at the hotel, left our backpacks and went shopping. Sendai also got damaged badly but shopping arcade back to life. We enter Daiei (the one that is a popular big supermarket in Japan), in order to buy some supplies which we’ve learned they need from Mr. Kokuta of the center of disaster provision department. We found the supplies easily and bought socks/sneakers/jerseys for 10 people. We told the register lady, just in case, "this is not buying up stuff: (people’s tendency to over buy or buy up after earthquake because of too much worry)".

Finished dinner by about 9 PM and went to bed. Two Futon covers don’t work well, it's cold. We already heard that there would be no electricity no heater, no shower when we were reserved this room, but it’s much colder than we thought….. couldn't sleep. We thought it would be a good idea to sleep with a winter coat on, but after a short amount of sleep we would wake up again.

April 2nd, 8:10 AM

Move to Karakuwa-cho Kisennuma-shi from Sendai

The breakfast in the cold lobby, was croissant and boiled egg, and I drank coffee, which I usually don't drink, in order to wake up. I told Mr. Haku "you couldn't sleep could you?"  He said “what? I was able to sleep  very well". I thought maybe I’m weak? but so lucky to I have a reliable partner.

No train, so only way to go is to use rental car, and it was no problem getting a full tank of fuel. Sometimes we felt a big shake on the drive, earthquake? blast? We are honestly scared, and just kept concentrating on having a safe trip.

 When we were almost to Kesen-numa-shi, we saw a view that looked like everything was hit by a nuclear weapon. Small amount of snow on top of lots of debris. Gasho (join the palms).

We kept driving and entered Karakuwa area. We saw a yellow car on top of a pile of debris over 15m high, from a supermarket. The tsunami did this.

1:10 PM

Mr. Sato who is a student of Tao Shiatsu, was waiting for us in his house which is near the disaster provision department. We kindly were treated to hot tea at his house. Their place is just a 3-4 minute walk but it is located on higher ground, so nothing was damaged by Tsunami. By the way, his son’s name was Mr. Tao!!

 

1:45 PM

We visited disaster provision department, and couldn't meet Mr Kokuta,. We heard that this department is mostly running by Mr. Kokuta and Mr. Ogawa, and Mr. Sato really appreciates this. We gave the supplies and Mr. Sato guided us to disaster area.

2:13 PM

Only sigh

We left the high ground and went down to a lower area, the view suddenly changed, everyone got silent. Coming through many brutal sights, unbearable for speaking, naturally keep silent, like my heart is crushed, sigh. we ride around in car. This vision is not a TV show – just immense mountains of debris.

We came here in order to see this reality, we are seeing it and taking this in deeply, but we sigh and sigh. We went back to the car and move to another disaster place, some beautiful seaboard is still there but afterward coming again horrible views.

6:20 PM

Crying crying and more crying

We were supposed to sleep in the disaster shelter or a car, but we stayed at Mr. Sato's house, finished dinner, talked by candlelight, this cold temperature makes me drink a Shochu (it's like a sake, shochu is a distilled beverage native to Japan. It is most commonly distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, or rice.). Kotatsu (electric table heater with futon) doesn't work, but somehow we feel heat from Kotatsu. 

Mr. Sato said "my lovely town got Tsunami, some people died who I know very well, many of my loved ones lost their home, job, future, I  was just crying, crying and crying". The next day, I heard from other person about Mr. Sato, that he was running helping the fireman just after the disaster.

Mr. Sato was asking about the shiatsu class, which he couldn't attend, and he said "I think I'm not going to be able to join the class for a while"

9:30 PM

I went to bed early from lack of sleep from the last days and Shochu works.

 Shin Hasegawa, 

  長谷川　森

Getting Up-to-Date

There has been so much happening in Japan since March 11, that it is difficult to know where or how to begin this entry.

So let's do our best to provide a brief summary of some of the efforts made so far by Tao Sangha members around the world.  Please also note that more detailed information is available in Japanese and English through the links posted on the righthand side.

• On March 14, only 3 days after the earthquake, an Etegami Workshop in Montreal turned into a workshop to bring hope and best wishes to the people of Japan.  Etegami is a hand painted picture on a Japanese post card, with a message written from the heart.
  Lead by Sachiko Hata Pereklita, with the theme of "Letters for Japan", Sachiko has continued to give workshops with this theme since then, with the cards eventually finding their way to people in the affected areas of Japan.  Click here for some etegami pictures from the first workshop,
  https://picasaweb.google.com/montrealtaosangha/EtegamiWishToJapan#
• Tao Sangha members around the world have been working hard volunteering their time and energy to give Tao Shiatsu treatments in order to raise money to send to Japan.   The fundraising events continue - please check the Tao Sangha Website for the next opportunity to receive a treatment and support Japan! 
• In Japan, Tao Sangha members have been visiting the affected areas and communities, providing Tao Shiatsu to many people, especially the elderly.  
• From the town of Hutaba-chou, Fukushima, about 1,500 people were moved (due to the risks of radiation) to shelters located i Kazo-city, Saitama. The people are under so much stress, facing an uncertain future, far from their own homes.   Tao Sangha GUC Japan's request from local government for a dedicated space to provideTao Shiatsu Therapy was granted, and now, Tao Shiatsu volunteers, with the support of Tao Sangha GUC, provide continued shiatsu to those in need.
• April 1, 2 Report of Tao Sangha members visiting Sendai, the largest city directly affected by the earthquake (to be posted April 27)
• April 9th Relief Trip, A report from Clive France who lives in Japan, a member of Tao Sangha G.U.C.  (You can see his original full write up by clicking here)
  http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://tohokuaid.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/april-9-relief-trip-a-few-bumps-but-all-good/
  A Few Bumps but All Good ..............Steve Dodds, James Barratt and myself left Tokyo on April 9 at 5:30 am,
  considerably later than planned due to Steve’s having an alarm clock
  malfunction (his actual words are unprintable).
• The rain was coming down hard when we reached the Tohoku Expressway.
  Surprisingly, given the bad weather, the road was busy. It was also bumpy,
  as new cracks from Thursday’s strong aftershock had been hurriedly filled in
  with tarmac......There is something appealingly subversive
  about driving through traffic lights that don’t work. Convenience stores
  were open but dark and cavernous inside. Lines of empty shelves greeted the
  few shoppers..... The devastation is immense. Huge swathes of land covered in the same debris we’ve seen all along the coastline. Household items, drinks machines, boats,
  concrete slabs, timber, railway tracks, crushed vehicles—always so many
  vehicles. .........
• On April 12, Tao Sangha GUC (Global Uni Community) decided to purchase 10 Washing Machines and donated them to the shelters in the Karakuwa area, Kesennuma City.  Since then, the machines have been delivered and about 700 people living in 12 shelters (small shelters have 20 people and some big shelters about 200 people) no longer have to wash their clothes by hand in the cold water.  The money was raised, about ¥338,000(US$4,044/ CAN$3,894/ EU€2,793) from overseas Tao Sangha Centres.   Message from the Tao Sangha members in Japan: "Please let people know how their money has been used with gratitude."
• in June, Tao Sangha member and documentary filmaker / television producer from Toronto,Yuki Nakamura will travel to Japan to work on a documentary about the disaster.

There will be more posts soon.
There is much more work to do.
And we look forward to everyones support.

Alex Pereklita
Tao Sangha Toronto

Welcome to the Tao Sangha Japan Relief Updates blog

This blog is a place for people to read about Tao Sangha relief efforts in Japan, including:

• real stories from Tao Sangha members and friends in Japan
• Tao Sangha International efforts in support of Japan
• links to Tao Sangha relief updates in Japanese
• links to other relief work in Japan which may or may not be related to Tao Sangha
• updates about current situations in Japan

We sincerely hope that many will be inspired by, and share this blog, in support of those affected by the terrible disasters in Japan.   

And please remember, support starts with our good thoughts and best wishes, and that these wishes can be felt near as well as many thousands of kilometers away...   

Tao Sangha North America