HOPE FOR FUKUSHIMA
Fukushima Prefecture has always been known for its humble communities of workers. Townspeople, farmers and fishermen who quietly pursued their daily lives, knitted together by years of tradition and coexistence.
On March 11, 2011 this community was hit hard several times: First, by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, then a powerful Tsunami, the floods from which then caused a terrible nuclear accident and toxic contamination by radiation. Those who survived these traumas, were immediately ordered to evacuate.
Many people lost their homes, family members and friends. The world watched disturbing video footage in horror whilst entire communities were erased. Gone was the daily life in which side by side people are born, grown up, start families and grow old. Gone were the expeditions to the shops to buy groceries, the toil in the rice paddies, the long days of school and the fishing expeditions to bring in the day's catch.
All that was taken from them by a combination of the might of Mother Nature and the hand of man.
During my visit, among all the images of desolation and abandonment of Fukushima I was surprised by its beauty - in both its landscapes and also by its people. Time and time again I heard desolate stories of tragic loss - but always, hidden in the stories were sparks of life and of resilience - like the embers of a fire that insist on continuing to burn.
These people with their determination and fortitude, their love for their land and their willpower are for me an inspiration and should serve as role models.
For me they are the true hope for Fukushima.

The torii on Benten-jima Island and the gorgeous little temple by the sea both survived The Great Tohoku Earthquake and the tsunami that followed. They both now represent a symbol of hope for the people of Fukushima.

Some of life's simple pleasures are slowly returning to Fukushima.

When I decided to take part in the Fukushima Disaster Tour I didn't really know what to expect. Like most people I had heard much about the subject through the media. But spending a few days here and meeting some of the locals opened the door to a totally different impression: The daily life of the people of Fukushima, the past tragedy, the arduous journey back to some semblance of normalcy, always full of hope.

The torii on Benten-jima Island and the gorgeous little temple by the sea both survived The Great Tohoku Earthquake and the tsunami that followed. They both now represent a symbol of hope for the people of Fukushima.