Report By Ryokyu Endo (excerpts from Japanese posts in April and May)

Arriving to the affected area
We spent the whole morning to find what people in the affected area need , arranging a car rental , etc and finally could depart just after 12:00 pm.
I am a world ranking bad direction man. I really worried about whether I can arrive where we are supposed to arrive while driving, but the highway brought us to our destination after about 2 hours drive.
Here we were standing at a destroyed Kesen-numa city, that reminding me a movie scene from “the planet of the apes” which is years after the world nuclear war. I almost felt dizziness by the nothingness. It is a place where  there was a city. I couldn’t feel it as a reality. Also I couldn’t feel to take pictures because I felt like taking picture feels like printing one’s misfortunate, but the other hand, it is a mission for those who step into the area, I resolved to myself  to take some.

 Finally we arrived to the affected area supporting headquarters after 5:00pm. I thought an idea that  we come here was a right choice because the supplies that GUC  H.Q sent haven’t arrived yet. Anyway, we handed the supplies that  we brought to Mr. Ogawa, and Mr. Kokuta who is the leader of headquarters, and also informed them that we purchased 10 washing machines.
I thought we could give some treatment from now on, but we were informed that there are no volunteer activities permitted  after 5:00 pm here. Karakuwa town where we are has no power yet, so we start tomorrow.
Night of April 4^th is falling with occasional after shocks all through the night.
I was going to treat some people right away in the morning, but as I decided I took some time to take pictures.
Tsunami attacked just 20 meters away from where I stayed according to Akira San who is a level I Tao Shiatsu student in Tokyo. He also kindly let me stayed in his place. The area nearby was completely disappeared. It washed away. Here Karakuwa town residents lost 60 people by the tsunami and 700 people who lost everything but themselves are in the shelter. The ones I treat are those who experienced a miracle to find themselves as an alive being.
I asked Mr. Tomari to coordinate  people who want to have a treatment. He is a very good coordinator, people came one after another, and those were having heavy symptoms such as back pain for 30 years, dislocated joint, and torn ligament etc.
It seemed like I haven’t forgotten how to give treatment, everyone cured and feeling happy about result, but everyone is carrying a great amount of damage in deeper part of their heart. I had to take longer time than usual and double amount of care. I took Sho-diagnosis for each person, and determined to cure everyone completely by one treatment. My concentration level was always hitting in red zone over boost and my heart was screaming in recognition because of it.
I think I treated about 13 people, maybe 12 that day.
When I went back Akira’s house at night, there were some beers and Sake on the table. I was wondering what kind of miracle it is, and Akira told me the person who had torn ligaments brought them as his appreciation that he can walk as before injury. Apparently he was a visitor , one of a few who didn’t loose their house like Akira. He brought some stuff that is rare to get here right now, so grateful for his care.

After Shock Mag. 7.4
Next day, April 7^th, Treatments continued from the morning. The coordinator is sending whoever without doubting the effectiveness of treatment. Those are the people who have deep obvious wound. I cannot neglect my full concentration even a split second. I continued to treat one by one with my whole existence, carefully and wishing to not regret for what I didn’t do. The meaning of non regret is if we give anything, we don’t regret for those but if don’t give, it remains as a life time regret.
At twilight time, I gave 338000 yen to electro store owner ( he lost everything now) for washing machine. At night, power was back. It’s been no power for 3 weeks. I could give more treatment total also 12-13 people today. 
When I was in the middle of a temporally relief out of the darkness, it was around 11:30 pm, I felt unforgettable rumble that was followed by a big quake. Then, power that just came back is gone again, “hello darkness, my old friend” .
Akira said that the other building is considerably safer, so we moved there in the great amount of shaking. Akira turned a  flashlight on, and the radio as well. They said it was magnitude . 7.4. Akira whispered “ Tsunami might hit again….”I thought if it hits here maybe not safe because piers at the ocean were destroyed already. I prepared for that moment and decided to just sleep  but the following after shocks were also quite strong to wake me up many times till the morning.
Next day, the highway can’t be entered, and traffic lights weren’t working.  It took me 7 hours to get back to Sendai. Even this day and next day I continued to feel shaking feeling that feels like body is shaking all the time.

Blog is a good source of information
“ I saw your blog, and  I want to bring washing machines to Kesen-numa and other stuff as well” I received a message like this from someone unknown. I really felt grateful and glad. To feel someone’s giving heart always makes us happy. I immediately called several shelters but can’t connect, and finally able to connect one of them  through an information from an old friend of mine, Clive ,who is a member of GUC and a foster parent of Rakhein child, and now he is delivering stuff to the affected area almost every week. .
A representative out there is very happy about washing machine, and I asked for anything else or more that they need. Answer was, some can food, instant cooked food and some vegetables. I asked for a man who saw my blog to bring them as well.

Grateful for support from many places.
I heard from Japanese who live in Canada about the image of Japan and that people now feel it is polluted with radiation everywhere. I thought the same thing , because we are thinking about everywhere is polluted with radiation in Fukushima Japan. "The view from outside country for Japan ---> The view from outside Fukushima in Japan for Fukushima" pretty similar graph.
By the way,  good news with washing machines arriving to shelter, and also a message from Mr. Akira "the atmosphere of shelter got really brighter than before" That's really good message! Otherwise, Canada Tao Sangha gathered with 2000 dollar (it's about 175000 yen), and that money has arrived so I'll go to a bank. This money can be used for purchase of relief supplies. also US Tao Sangha informed us that we will send some solar cooker for Japan, this supply really helped in 2010 Haiti earthquake. I'm starting to check where I can send them for right now. I  really appreciate that we can do larger scale of support because of   "everyone's support to Fukushima support”

The serious case of lack of vegetables.
There is a pretty serious that there is a lack of vegetables in the shelters. I heard people in the shelters have only carbohydrate meals. I had experienced that (only a carbohydrate diet for about a month, when I was  17 or 18 as a runaway boy) so I totally understand how hard  that is. The body becomes lazy and mind becomes inactive. Unhealthy meals make damage for a human heart. After a month I was so impressed with a meal that has meat and vegetables!
This information came from yesterday and Mr. Hasegawa and I looked for possibility about delivery from local city.
But it's hard to find, because vegetable stores are unwilling to deliver to Kesennuma City and may take many extra days to send.  Mayu said "Let's send from Kyoto by mail, that's easier." I see, I think so too. At once Mr Masato and Mr Mahiro and I went to vegetable wholesaler then delivery store, and we sent it. I really hope that it arrives fresh.
The details are : Potatoes 30 kg, Onion 20 kg, Radish 30 kg, Carrot 10 kg, total about 6 big boxes. I wish somebody also send vegetable it's like us. We are also keep looking for delivery volunteer in Miyagi state. 

UNI CHARITY FESTIVAL

In Kyoto, Japan 

For Tohoku Disaster Refuges

•Live Music  •Flea Market  •Natural Energy Displays & Speakers

 Sunday May 22
11:00am -5:00pm

Organized by NPO UNI and Yamauto volunteers 
A triple disaster of an earthquake, tsunami and radiation spills have never happened before in history. At the same time this can be a turning point for Japan to change into country based on natural and renewable energy with a spirit of taking care of each other. We wish to create such a future with everyone in this event.
Natural Energy
Displays:
Bicycle-powered electricity
Solar cookers and more!
Speakers:
•Aileen Smith has been active in the anti-nuclear movement in Japan since 1982 after a year of interviewing residents living around Three Mile Island, USA about the 1979 nuclear accident. She is the co-founder of Stop the Monju (1990), a citizen organization working to stop Japan's fast breeder reactor, Currently Aileen is the executive director of Green Action based in Kyoto, which aims to stop Japan's plutonium utilization program.
 http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/entop2/
•Midori Hiragi co-founded Handmade Projects NGO in Hong Kong in 1998 to organize the Journey to Forever project. Journey to Forever is a pioneering expedition by a small, mobile NGO (Non-Government Organization) involved in environment and rural development work, starting from Hong Kong and traveling 40,000 kilometres through 26 countries in Asia and Africa to Cape Town, South Africa.
Theme "What will you eat in this radiation era?"
Radioactive food and drink will damage your body from inside for long time. Should we feel so safe about food so easily? Can you trust your institution for what you eat?
Not only radiation, but today's food systems are harming us and the Earth. We should re-think about becoming more self-reliant about what we eat.
http://journeytoforever.org/index.html
Live Music: 
(Part of the electricity for the live music will be created by bicycle-power)
•Hiroki Okano began his solo music career in 1987. Okano's highly acclaimed music blends traditional and digital instruments with natural sounds, expressing the typical Japanese sensitivity of respect and appreciation for the natural world. Hiroki Okano has given concerts with various bands and artists touring Europe and U.S. His current working passion is music with the theme of "sympathetic resonance" for the earth as a sacred place, creating musical dedication to World Natural Heritage sites.
http://www.tenkoo.com/hirokiokano/
•MEW grew up listening to pop, reggae, and rock music. She's been performing since 2005, and has built her career as a vocalist, including performing with Fumiyo Nomura. At the festival she will perform with the Jazz Band SMO.
•Endo Ryokyu and Lamani
Lamani is the "Ambient Rock" band which musician Endo Ryokyu organized after he has released 5 CD albums from major Japanese Record company called Midi. (which has been releasing  Sakamoto Ryuichi's albums). In his band Endo plays electric guitar, recorder and Koto (Japanese zither).
Other musicians are: Mayu (synthesizer), Jiyu (percussion), Nam (piano, foot base, voice), Genryu (acoustic guitar).
A unique aspect of this band is that all members are practitioners of musical Buddhist chanting of Wadaji temple, which Endo Ryokyu is the head priest of. "Music of Lamani is a soothing great gift. It is devotional, ecstasy, love, and tenderness all in ONE." Barbel Gleason (Austria)
http://www.endo-ryokyu
Flea Market:
• German Group
German Food Shop, Face Paint, etc.
http://www.mausgruppe.com/lang-de.html
• Rokuro Bicycle-powered electricity
Come experience creating natural energy by yourself!
In this live exhibit, when you bicycle and make continuous electricity to play one song on a CD player you will receive 1 UNI which you can use as 100 yen in this event.
Bento boxes, used books and goods, Healthy & vegan sweets, Chai, Solar coffee, Arabian food, and more!
All booths and performers in the Uni Charity Festival are for donation to care for the Tohoku disaster refugees. The festival is following the example of restaurant owners going to shelters and making meals for free for refugees.
All vendors and performers are participating with this same heart.
100% of all vendors' net income will be used to support the disaster refugees. Please see http://npouni.net/event/eg
If you wish to open a booth please contact: keijun55@s9.dion.ne.jp or stratix@hotmail.com.
Organized by
NPO UNI of Tao Sangha
http://npouni.net/event/eg

NPO UNI (Global UNI Community=GUC) is the Buddhist NGO with aid projects run by Wadaji Tao Sangha. Its purpose is to take care of people who are suffering. Or in other words it's a chance to make the world a more fun place to live. GUC has been giving support to various people in the world, including sending supplies & funds to Haiti, building water wells in Sri Lanka, and running 3 elementary schools, an orphanage, and a community center in Bangladesh. There are GUC branches in Europe, North America and Bangladesh. 

GUC also makes T-shirts, which is a symbol of Peaceful resistance against the occupation in Palestine.

Since the Tohoku disaster, Japan UNI has started supporting the refugees by sending food, washing machines, refrigerators and other things to 7 shelters in Tohoku. Tao shiatsu (which is also run by Wadaji Buddhist Temple) is sending volunteer Shiatsu practitioners regularly to this area. Two practitioners visit a shelter of 1000 people (those who escaped from the town in Fukushima where the nuclear plant exploded) and give shiatsu to the refugees 4 times a week.

True Value as A Human Being

A Report by Ryokyu Endo

An over seas member sent a YouTube video called “Pray for Japan”. It was made by a foreigner who was impressed by how the Japanese earth quake survivors act in a situation like that.

I also was impressed as well, and even more impressed because, those people in Tohoku area are helping others also holding own egos. I think in a situation like that, we show our true selves that might be hidden in a normal situation.

Some financial expert in the United States announced that Japan will become a poor country. It maybe true, but, I think if Japanese people help others with manners and respect as a human being, and indicate a richness of humanity, this is not poor at all; also it’s much better than “overflowing with material but poor in humanity”
Japan has to be changed through this situation. They need so much help materially and emotionally. They can’t live with only self-care, the ego has to be held.
I think Japan can’t recover emotionally without the people there caring for each other on the individual level, and really think that nuclear energy should be given up as a source of electric power, because the nuclear image gives us a fear of what happens if accidents occur, so not only environmental damage, they also give us emotional damage. If Japan takes this disaster as a turning point, and gives up the nuclear plants and at the same time replaces them with clean energy sources, based on a “giving and caring spirit”, it will become a great environment-care-taking-nation, which means the richest country on Earth!

Anyway, the best way to find everything out is by being there.

According to Mr. Hasegawa who has been there, there is no power in the disaster areas yet and no power source such as oil, while the snow and cold weather persist.

And, according to someone else, many of the people can’t even change their clothes, and are desperate to have a pocket body warmer, that’s why I brought a trunk full of body warmers. I didn’t bring my (clothing )changes at all when I heard how they are out there.

At late afternoon, I arrived in Sendai city. I met Hase san ( Mr. Hasegawa)  just came back from a shelter there and was on the way to Tokyo. He told me they may need some futons and washing machines more than small goods, because they all evacuated with empty hands which means they don’t have enough bedding and having very hard time to get to sleep every night, and missing  about 50 of them. How could I get 50 pieces of futon in this city ? How can it be delivered ? I had to think about it.

And, Hase San spent some time with people and finally they told him, that they have some generators, so, if we have some washing machines, it would be great relief because hand washing with cold water is not easy, but it maybe too luxurious. They are very humble to ask to have what they need.

There is a man who lost his house and shop---a consumer electronics shop--- in that shelter, and his estimation with maximum discount price for washing machine is about $3000 Euro which is almost same amount as European Tao Sangha  members donation. People in the shelters total is about 700, so if we buy 10 machines it would be good, and we still have some left over money, which is able to buy some other stuff. So, I discussed with Hase San, and decided to buy 10 washing machines.