We visited Minamata, a small fishing town that suffered from Minamata Disease Incident in the 1900s. Our visit seemed strangely quiet as the subway stations near there were completely empty. There were
only a few restaurants in Minamata but none of them were near the station. Thankfully, we came across a Seven-Eleven where we interacted with a few locals but there was such a lack of community and people. When we went into the museum, a large group of younger students greeted us excitedly and it was so wholesome. But it also made me wonder how rare it is for Minamata to get any visitors.
The storyteller was a kind gentleman who talked about his family’s experience with Minamata disease. He explained how tough it was to lose his
grandfather and father to this incident. He was only a little child when his grandfather passed and growing up, his father would run through the town all day saving as many patients as he could. He described his father as very brave and he understood his responsibilities even though he would rarely get to see him.
We went through the museum that shows the timeline of the disease and pictures of those who suffered. I can’t begin to imagine how much the victims and their families must’ve suffered with this neurodegenerative disorder, especially when they have no hopes of getting better. Even though some victims recieved compensation and Minamata Bay has been cleaned, the damage was irreversible. This incident and sociopolitical matters drove out most locals out of the town and had people second-guessing their visit. We viewed the Bay from the observatory and the view of the sea was gorgeous. Several isolated boats were arranged by the shore and we didn’t see a single inhabitant around. It’s disheartening to see that a full recovery is unlikely for this beautiful town but I still wonder what lies ahead.
