We have arrived at Kashimidai by Shinkansen and have been welcomed in to my Cousin Colin`s home with his Wife Miyuki and their children Allison and Rikuu. What a wonderful reunion as we have not seen one another since he moved to Japan six years ago, since our wedding In May 2006. I am so glad that Colin and his family are doing well since the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. Colin recounted the tale of his experience and it was litterally a cigarette that s...

In Ishinomaki, this was a water tower that looks like it was painted to look like a can of stew for advertising. The massive can is lying in the middle of the boulevard while traffic passes around it. To me, the can represents the sheer power of the tsunami to obliterate the landscape and move around enormous objects.

We arrived in Miyagi prefecture, near Sendai city. We are staying with Colin & Miyuki and their family. They have been so kind to us, and generous with their time. We have enjoyed playing with their children Allison and Riku, who have been very excited to spend time with us. Colin & Miyuki's town of Kashimadai is close to the epicenter of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. We drove to the coast to view the extent of the recovery. In summary, an ama...

We won:t be able to post photos of today at this time, but we wanted to share about our journey to Ishinomaki in the Miagi Prefecture where Colin was teaching on the day of the Tsunami. Words cannot express the deep sadness in this place as you drive into the ghost town of Ishinomaki`s once bustling town. There is life still present but there is a lot of destruction that is still in place with the wreckage piled high in mountains of ruin. Homes completely washed ...

We spent an overnight in the post town of Tsumago in the Kiso valley where homes and buildings are preserved from hundreds of years ago. Our first stop was our Ryokan, the Maruya, an old traditional Japanese house. Dirt floors on the ground entrance where you take off your shoes and walk carefully along a wooden plank to enter the home. The dining room has tatami mats with a small table, where we enjoyed our beautiful dinner sitting cross legged in our Yukata. Ou...