1-06 First-Year Boy

     I was taking a calligraphy class at Kesen Elementary School when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11. The ground shook powerfully, so we all took cover under our desks. At that time, I was laughing and playing Rock-Paper-Scissors with the people around me. I didn't feel any fear at all. When calligraphy supplies and textbooks fell one after the other off of the desks, and then a class trophy fell over, I was surprised but wasn't frightened yet.

     After the shaking had stopped, we evacuated to the school yard. Before long, a tsunami warning sounded. But, I didn't think a tsunami would actually come. The fact is we had already had a warning two days before when we had an earthquake on the 9th and nothing happened then, and furthermore, the alarm sounded a few times a year without a tsunami ever coming. In any case, they were predicting a three-meter high tsunami and the Matsubara embankment was 15 meters high and the ones along the Kesengawa River were at least 3 meters high. So, even if a tsunami came, I didn't think it would make it over the embankments.

     We lined up in the school yard and my grandma came to pick up me and my sister, but as we got into the car I was thinking that I wanted to stay and chat with my friends. The school teachers asked us several times if we really were sure about leaving the school, but it seemed my grandma was also thinking that a tsunami wouldn't come because she said we'd be okay and we left for my grandpa's house in Osabe. After driving a little, we saw my mom who said she had gone to check on the house and then walked to the elementary school. A little further along, we passed our house. I didn't realize this would be the last time I'd see it, so I wasn't thinking anything as I looked at it.

     Arriving at grandpa's house in Osabe, we heard the emergency public address system start to loudly announce the tsunami's breach of the embankments and orders to evacuate to higher ground. I couldn't believe what was happening! A moment later, the tsunami was approaching Sugoroku. I climbed to higher ground in Koya with my grandma and little sister and looked at the Koya coastline. We could see many houses being swept away one after another, but we couldn't say anything. From the back of Osabe Nursery School, I looked in the direction of the port. Almost all of the houses were gone and only the fishery cooperative remained. I figured my house was probably a loss, but I was very concerned about whether my parents were safe. We spent the night terrified, with no electricity or kotatsu [1]. I have never experienced such a feeling, nor do I think I ever will again.

     The next morning, my mom and dad safely returned to us and I was happy beyond words. From the day of the disaster, we were left with no electricity or running water, but we got through it thanks to the aid of people all over Japan. In April, I started junior high school, and in September we took a school trip to Nagoya, and in October we enjoyed the school culture festival. I have a lot of great memories. There were many things we couldn't do and many things we lost because of the disaster, but I'm happy for what we have gotten through this experience. I hope that I will be able to help those people who provided us with support if they are ever in need.