Three Eleven

During the last couple of weeks we have been seeing more and more scenes of what transpired March 11, 2011 beginning at 1446h as the Jishin or earthquake (magnitude 9) occurred off the coast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean opposite the city of Sendai in Myagi prefecture. Then the shock wave created by the continental plate movement caused a tsunami to strike the Pacific Ocean side of Japan destroying much of the coastline and killing many people. The tsunami overpowered the nuclear reactors in Fukushima prefecture south of Sendai.
The effects of the damage caused by all three disasters are still being dealt with. The loss of life will never be forgotten particularly by those whose family members were lost. More than thirty percent of the Japanese soldiers deployed to look for bodies among the wreckage both on land and offshore had themselves lost family in the tragedy. I cannot comprehend what they must have been feeling as they searched.
Today Yayoi and I got a ride to Fujishiro Eki (train station) and off we went to Yokohama to see Yayoi's two friends and the art being exhibited by one of them at Landmark Plaza in Yokohama. All the art being exhibited was created by Japanese women.
As we exited the station to walk across to the Plaza we were greeted by probably at least twenty groups of people including many school children in uniforms, asking for donations to continue the restoration efforts of the disaster.
The art exhibit was quite impressive, with a wide variety of artistic techniques being employed including the use of actual flower petals to create a wisteria scene. Yayoi's friend's exhibit is displayed in the photograph.
At 1446h there was an announcement in the Plaza asking for a moment of silence in respect of those who were so negatively impacted by the disaster exactly one year ago.