Tohoku Caravan Day 2: Two events & a visit to the Sanriku Coastline

Caravan Day 2: Two events & a visit to the Sanriku Coastline

We began the day with a second visit to the Yamachi Rakunou Dairy Farm to meet up with Yoshizuka-san, who would take us to the first event location. Before leaving the Dairy Farm, we walked out to the mountain meadow where the cows are allowed to roam free to feed on the grass. Matsumoto-san, as a farmer, was interested in Yoshizuka-san’s dedication to a return to the origins of farming…farming without synthetic chemicals or unnatural feeding techniques, etc.

How can we apply this philosophy to tea farming? What is considered excellent taste in tea, is not necessarily the plant’s natural flavor. Shading, for example, is an example of an artificial change. However, we discussed how our zairai plants (plants from seed rather than cuttings) are one effort to discover tea’s natural origins. (See, Sencha of the Wind and Sencha of the Earth)

Two events @ Tanohata Temporary Housing Facilities

Yoshizuka-san led us to the first housing facility located on the grounds near the area’s Junior High School. The houses are very well built. Temporary, perhaps, not quite the same as living in your own house, but we were glad to see that the survivors were being treated well.

You can tell by the photographs that most of the participants are older women. They came in with smiles, although not quite sure what why we were there. We came, of course, to give them a little bit of cheer with our tea.

The power of tea can be seen in the smiles of those that came to our little party. Tea brings people together. Matsumoto-san mentioned a great word, 茶話会 or chawakai. Cha = tea, wa = to talk/chat, kai = a meeting or party…a party to drink tea and chat. Bringing smiles, bringing cheer.

We all alternated between working the event — passing our tea, washing cups, etc., and talking with the residents. We had to tiptoe around asking about the area, as explanations inevitably led to memories and what they had and what they lost.

We didn’t come for that. We came to bring a little bit of warmth and hope. And, if our first two events were any indication, looks like we’re doing a good job so far.

The Flag

The flag in the photos says,
Ganbare Nippon! (Go Japan!)
Ganbare Tohoku! (Go Northern Japan!)
…and we are having people sign it, passing on messages of encouragement to the next set of party participants on this Tea Relief Tour.

Visiting the Sanriku Coastline

Between the events, Tadao Hatakeyama, the head of the temp housing facilities in Tanohata, led us to the Sanriku Coastline explaining as we drove along the sea how the tsunami reached some 30 meters in height in some areas.

He explained how, no longer able to fish, some residents took up gathering matsutake mushrooms (rare mushrooms that fetch high market prices) on the steep hills and cliffs nearby. The cliffs have seen a few deaths after the Tsunami as people lose their footing while gathering mushrooms. There have also been suicides it seems.

Sometimes surviving is more than just staying alive.

Hatakeyama-san took us to a wonderful lookout point, Kitayamazaki, that has an amazing view of the coastline. In such a peaceful scene, it is hard to imagine the destructive power of the tsunami.

懇親会 – mixer

懇親会 or konshinkai, is a “mixer”…a more formal way of saying party to get to know each other better. This was for volunteers and local partners – Yoshizuka-san and his partner from the Kumagai Dairy Farm, the Imaizumi water company who provided the mineral water for our tea, and others from the area.

It was a packed day…only 19 left!