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.

Our group stayed in Hiroshima for a 2-day visit and we admired the beauty of the city. The bus rides were so peaceful and the people there were very friendly. Despite many places being closed up for the G7 summit, we were able to enjoy our stay including a visit to an incineration plant by the ocean and Miyajima Island. When I imagined our trip to Hiroshima, I pictured most of the city to be in ruins and most people still struggling with health issues. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast this city has recovered with the locals living regular everyday lives.

However, I couldn’t stop thinking back to the past when the atomic bombing occured. The Hiroshima Peace Museum exposed the true reality behind this event in a way American classrooms cannot. The exhibit began with a floor simulation of the bomb and led to a hallway filled with disturbing paintings (ex. people getting burned alive, skin peeling off) and gory pictures showing the unimaginable extent these people suffered. Each picture also had the victims’ stories written next to it making it even more mournful and shocking. I got particularly emotional when it came to the children’s stories and how their items were laid out covered in ash or the victim’s

blood. Some of the victims reminded me of people I know, which is a reminder that the people of Hiroshima had their whole lives ripped away from them the moment the bomb dropped.

One story that stood out to me was “The Breakdown of Family N”. A man named N suffered from several mental and physical issues including depression. He continued working countless hours despite his condition so his family wouldn’t starve to death. N was refused treatment at several hospitals and the moment a hospital took him in, they sent him back with a white plaster cast because “there was nothing they can do for him”. With no will to live, N passed away 7 years later. He had repeatedly cut himself with a razor over the 22-year ordeal, leaving over a hundred scars. He used self-harm to distract himself from the agony he felt.

Even though it was extremely hard to go through, the Hiroshima Peace Museum did a spectacular job in showing the reality behind the nuclear bomb. This wasn’t just a self-defense tactic made by Americans but a mass genocide planned to eliminate a whole population. Realizing how horrific these consequences are is the first step in making sure these nuclear weapons are revoked so these mistakes won’t be repeated.

Our program had the privilege to visit Okawa Elementary School which had been overcome by the 2011 Tohuku Earthquake and Tsunami. This disaster decimated the school’s buildings, leaving them in ruins, and took the lives of 74 students and 10 teachers. We learned about this through our background research but seeing the school and listening to the story in person was absolutely heart wrenching.

The area has been cleaned up and preserved despite the main building being torn open and exposing the rooms inside. The storyteller first gave us a tour of the classrooms, playrooms, and even the little wash basin outside. Everything seemed so vacant with only a few objects symbolizing the joy those rooms used to hold. She then led us into the central part of the school where the kids would meet after school before heading back home. The muddy black water marks stain the building’s ceiling, showing us how the tsunami nearly engulfed it whole. The storyteller gave us a breakdown of what happened that day, from the earthquake protocols to the events right before the disastrous tsunami.

After a long day of earthquake protocols, the students were getting ready to go back home. But they didn’t know what tragedy was about to come until the guard warned them about the tsunami. The students gathered outside on a path as the teachers discussed evacuation plans. One teacher protested that they evacuate to the hills while ten others disagreed saying it was too dangerous. They led the students to the river as an alternative plan not knowing the tsunami was streaming in from there. The tsunami wiped out the town, including the school, with only four students and one teacher managing to survive. This incident has such devastating consequences when the hill was a possible, and even the safest evacuation plan. 

The details like how freezing cold it was and how the students didn’t even have a chance to put on coats and shoes kept playing through my mind. I was so shocked to find out how easy it was to walk and climb the hill and how the wide platform could’ve safely occupied everyone. The storyteller also opened up about the loss of her son to the earthquake and I deeply admired her strength. Despite this being an agonizing loss, she used it to teach us a lesson to always save ourselves during an earthquake. I’m so grateful she can tell these stories as a mental outlet and we had the opportunity to listen to her about the tragedy at Okawa Elementary School.