Devastation in Japan

At 14:46 on March 11 there was an 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Miyagi prefecture, the biggest in Japan and Pacific in recorded history (over 1000 years), and said to be the 5th largest in the world. 

Since that time until now, March 13th, 12:06, just after midnight, there have been 106 earthquakes of over 5.0 magnitude. Due to the earthquake I won't be having work for at least a few days. I'll be sitting at home watching the news, reading articles, and listening to earthquake warnings. Apart from that, I'll be enjoying my time with my family, visiting friends, and jumping at every tremor. It's been said that it's a matter of time before another big one hits. 

These photo's below are only a small portion of the reality that's all around us right now in Nagano, Niigata, Ibaraki, Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Utsunomiya, Tokyo, and Chiba prefectures. 

Whatever Happens

  In the moment of undeniable danger, when something is as powerful and uncontrollable as the earthquake that hit yesterday, one must admit that he is weak. Even the strong man will be given the chance to stare death in the face and feel fear for either himself or his loved ones.
  Kenji and Deryk, you may be too young to understand the magnitude of what just happened and may even think that it was slightly exciting, and I myself will soon forget about this too, but the reality of the present is that people are dying, suffering, and are still trapped amidst fallen rubble and flooded waters. We were very close to being in that situation.
  Whatever happens, mommy and I really love you, ok?

Facebook Posts

• Shimonaka Yushi

  Just so glad that all of us are safe. Good to know that you, Hik, and Mas, are alright. Tried to get in touch with you, but couldn't.

• Shimonaka Yushi

  I'm sitting at my computer at home at 5:40 in the morning. Tremors continue every 10 or 15 minutes. It's been said that the water of this entire area is going to be cut off in 20 minutes, so we've filled up our bathtub.

• Shimonaka Yushi

  A building next to ours was in flames and fire engines were just then rushing to the scene. None of our cell phones worked; splendid, when it was the one most desired time to call our loved ones.

• Shimonaka Yushi

  After the 1st quake, we all took a dash to the 1st floor and then outside. Freezing our butts off by the sudden change of weather that seemed to turn on us from sunny to rainy; rainy to snowy, a non-religious Japanese man looked into the sky and said that God must be angry with us.

• Shimonaka Yushi

  Sirens were blaring, and a man was yelling through the speakers to run to the nearest clearing. We were huddled together. Suddenly strangers were becoming friends. Ha!

• Shimonaka Yushi

  Man, that was freaky! It was only a low 6 on the Richter scale where I was, but I was on the 2nd floor of the place I work, and when things started to shake real bad I was freaked! Hundreds of boxes and containers were falling off of shelves 5 levels up, thick dust filled the air, a wall came down, and our building was obviously cracking.

The 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami (東北地方太平洋沖地震, Tōhoku Chihō Taiheiyō-oki Jishin^[3]?, literally "Tōhoku region Pacific Ocean offshore earthquake") was an 8.9-magnitude megathrust earthquake that created tsunami waves of up to 10 metres (33 ft).^[4] It was measured at 7^[5] on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale in the northern Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, with an initially reported magnitude of 7.9,^[5] while the JMA's tsunami warning listed the magnitude as 8.4,^[6] later updated to 8.8.^[7] The earthquake focus was reported to be off the Oshika Peninsula, the east coast of Tōhoku on 11 March 2011, at 05:46 UTC (14:46 local time) at a depth of 24.4 kilometres (15.2 mi).^[8] News reports by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) indicate that at least 1000 people have died and another 530 are missing in six different prefectures,^[1][2] although it is feared the total number of dead could be far higher.^[9][10]
The magnitude of 8.9 made it the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history^[4] and the seventh largest in the world since records began.

Even Fonder Memories

Amanohashidate beach, like a hundred years ago. 

Gym gathering

When Fay and Kenji 1st visited us in Tamba

On our way to Juri's place at Atago station

Lala Port

Vacation

Our Family

November 15--Kenji's Birthday!!!

Let's just say that my good excuse for being late to post this was our move into Chiba. 

We had it in downtown Namba, Osaka--as city as it gets. We went to a Thai All-You-Can-Eat Restaurant. My parents showed up, and my brothers and sisters and their girlfriends and friends--it amounted to nearly 20 people

  

Kenji wanted Daiki to have a go at throwing the Shurikens

John and Love and some of their kids came too. 

Mommy made a Tank Pinata for Kenji--order-made, and we invited our neighbors to join us out on the streets to tear it up

That's the awesome cake mommy made

And you would wonder why my mom is on the phone

Btw, I did the decorations

Christmas of 2010

December 26th' 2010

Christmas with the Yamashita's

There are a lot more fun pics of time spent, but I need to filter the photo's real well lest I get negative feedback. 

December 27th' 2010

Christmas at Noda Home

Our Kitchen, Dining, and Living rooms. Check it out!

Dining room

                                                             Kitchen

Living room

December Update

  Fay, the kids, and Grandma Sunshine left for Chiba on Sunday night, November 28th, while I stayed on in Osaka for a few more days. I finished up work, completed packing, and attempted a proper parting with our close friends. On the night of the 2nd of the next month I found myself on an over-night bus--whisked away. By that time my terrible cold had subsided, and I was able to travel in ease.
  We immediately went to see a few houses, almost settled for a few, but reached an agreement on a particular one that I had basically thrown out of our options because I didn't think it was homey enough. This was on the 9th, a week later.
  Now, the paperwork is done, and we have the key to our new home. We'll be moving in on the 17th. So, heads up for photo's on our blog soon, of our new house. It's a big burden off our backs for sure, 'cause it's been 2 weeks since we got here, and we hadnt a home until now.
  ...The next hurdle is a job.