高松市 たかまつし Takamatsu City
With gratitude to Akiko
Category Archives: 05 LP 053 Around Japan
Tanabata たなばた
The most famous celebrations of the Tanabata Festival are yearly in Sendai, in northern Japan. Since the cataclysmic tsunami disaster much of the party spirit has disappeared.
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
Tanabata たなばた
More information on Tanabata:
Tanabata たなばた
Matsuyama Public Bath, Shikoku
Sendai – one year later
Kanto Earthquake 関東地震 かんとうじしん
The Great Kanto Earthquake 1923
Tokyo 1 September 1923
140,000 people lost their lives
Shikoku 四国 しこく
Shikoku 四国 しこく
Earthquakes 地震 じしん
地震
11 March 2011 Sendai Earthquake
a horror unfolding
20000 lives lost and still counting…
first there is shock and horror…
then there is just desolation…
Sendai Airport’s runways
and then there is almost endless sorrow…
before
after
and more and more destruction,
unbelievable destruction
As far away as Tokyo and Yokohama the quake
is felt and damage is recorded
the subsequent drama that unfolded:
the Fukushima nuclear power plants’ disaster
The drama continues still now…
Tsunami 津波 つなみ
津波 つなみ tsunami
A tsunami is a giant tidal wave. Japan has experienced this kind of wave over the centuries, but more recently these waves are being named using the Japanese word. The power of tsunami are almost unmeasurable. These days with modern computers and impact models the effects are being studied and measured. Even so, scientists still get it wrong regularly, as the giant tsunami off the Indonesian coast on Boxing Day proved. Hawaii is another country which is aware of tsunami effects, as it regularly experiences them, being out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
A couple of facts need to be remembered: no-one can outrun or out-drive a tsunami. They can travel at a speed of some 800 kilometres an hour (the speed of a plane).
And also: 1000 litres of water is one tonne of weight, so if 20 kilometres wall of water rushes towards you, it is like being hit by a mountain. Fatal.
However, most damage and most injuries are caused by the debris, the flotsam and the wreckage that are carried along by the water. In certain circumstances trees, houses, boats, cars, even houses can be swept along. The human body has no chance.
The following images, though they may have temporary awe and amazement for a potential surfer, they are truly ghastly and to be feared in any real tsunami situation.
This is how tsunamis work according to scientific research:
This is a wood-block print by a famous Japanese artist centuries ago, Hokusai, and it shows a beautiful artistic impression of what would have been a horrific event.
And this is what Hollywood makes of it. Well, 40 metre high waves have been recorded, so it is a possibility, but not even the Boxing Day disaster looked like this. The sad reality is that survivors are not concerned whether the suffering was as a result of a 20 metre wave, or a 40 metre wave – the helplessness, despair and trauma is the same.
The recent tsunami disaster in northern Japan near Sendai was caused by 15 metre waves. Land inward up north from Sendai water reached 38 metres up the hill. Added to that, some coast lines sank in the quake by between 2 and 5 metres.
Narita Airport 成田空港 なりたくうこう
成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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aeroplane 飛行機 ひこうき hikōki
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Narita Airport 成田空港 なりたくうこうNarita is a large modern airport, about 70 kilometres from the centre of 東京 とうきょう tōkyō Tokyo.
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Japan Airlines 日本航空 にほんこうくう nihon-kōkū
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It is a hub of activity and designed to cater for modern air travel. Although all announcements are in Japanese, an English translation, or a translation in the language of the target group is provided. All signage has English, Chinese and Korean translations as well.
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your most important piece of paper:
パスポート pasupōto passport
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(Or the one from your own country. Do check whether you need a visa. Many countries have agreements with Japan, so for tourist purposes under a certain length of time a visa is not needed).
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Your very smart piece of paper: レールパス reeru-pasu rail-pass
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This can only be bought OUTSIDE Japan.
It saves you an awful lot of money.
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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それはちょっとねえ–え
sore wa chotto neee
That’s a little… (cheeky)
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Carrying suitcases is not a problem as elevators, escalators automatic walkways and conveyor belts are everywhere. We would have taken the elevator, but well… hey, why not the escalator, some people seem to think! It’s an -ator after all, isn’t it?! Close enough.
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Ever tried running on one of these? not very Japanese…
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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And then there is East and South and West
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North 北 きた kita
East 東 ひがし higashi
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South 南 みなみ minami
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West 西 にし nishi
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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There are many arrivals and departures all day long, so please keep an eye on the different boards. However, if you speak Japanese or English you won’t have a problem. The Japanese have a reputation for being just superbly well-organised. Unbelievable! They even manage to smile to their guests while being very busy.
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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Welcome to Japan
yōkoso
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成田空港 Narita Airport なりたくうこう narita-kūkō
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Lami Japan 