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Shimanokoshi Station was relocated and The also stops at Horinai Station, which has rebuilt after it washed away in the tsunami an elevated platform to help prevent damage from tsunami caused by the earthquake Connecting Sanriku, Connecting People

The Sanriku Railway resumed limited operations just five days after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and had restored all the rail lines in the north and south sections by 2014. In March 2019, a new line will connect the ends of KATSUMI YASUKURA the north and south—Kamaishi and Miyako—covering the entire Sanriku area in . Two railroad men share their stories of the challenges involved in restoring train operations and passing down memories of the aftermath.

N March 11, 2011, says. “Our company president steadily recovered, the Sanriku the Great East decided that we had to restart Railway must have given hope to Japan Earthquake the trains as soon as possible, those struggling to rebuild their devastated the Pacific understanding that they were lives after the earthquake. Ocoast of the Tohoku region. looking for people and to obtain In 2013, the popularity of Just five days after the quake, necessary items but couldn’t use national public broadcaster however, the Sanriku Railway the national highways, which NHK’s TV drama Ama-chan, in Iwate Prefecture had restored had been buried in debris. So we which was set in areas along service between Rikuchunoda ran free train services as a part of the Sanriku Railway lines, and Kuji stations on the North reconstruction assistance.” boosted the number of visitors. Rias Line. Atsushi Tomite from Sanriku Railway trains In April 2014, both the North the passenger services division, gradually extended operations and South Rias lines were fully who surveyed the situation after to cover the distance they once restored, which brought the the earthquake, reflects on the traveled before the disaster, railway completely back to pre- situation at the time. thanks to the mighty efforts earthquake operations. “While we were checking of the railway staff as well as There will be even more good the damage along the rails three cooperation from the Japan news this spring. “The JR Yamada days after the earthquake, we Self-Defense Forces, who were Line, which connects the Sanriku saw many people walking along assigned to assist their efforts North and South Rias lines, was the tracks that the tsunami after the railway appealed to entirely out of service due to had not washed away,” he the mayor of Miyako City. As it the tsunami. However, Sanriku

22 highlighting japan Sanriku Railway is headquartered at . The station building was used as a base of operations following the earthquake Connecting Sanriku, Connecting People

Railway will take over operations 2012, mainly aimed at elementary take on future challenges and after JR completes restoration to high school students,” understand the importance work on the line. This line will explains planner Mamoru of knowing about disaster make a fresh start as the Sanriku Nihashi from the passenger prevention,” he says. “They also Railway Rias Line on March 23, sales department. “This special cultivate an awareness for the so the 163 kilometers between train ride is dedicated to disaster large number of people nationally Sakari Station in Ofunato City prevention study. Using photos and internationally who and Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji and slowly passing by train cooperated to restore the lines, Station will be connected by rail,” through the areas affected, we and the importance of bonds Tomite shares enthusiastically. explain what it was like when with friends and family.” Sanriku Railway is also keen the earthquake happened as The railway plans to operate to use the knowledge gained well as the current state of the the Disaster Education Train on from the earthquake to prepare reconstruction, in addition to the new section connecting the for natural disasters by passing discussing future issues with North and South Rias lines as the knowledge down to younger students. Our staff and local well. “While this new section generations. “The Disaster residents serve as guides. Every is still in the Sanriku area, Education Train started in June victim feels differently about geographical features, damage the earthquake depending on from the disaster, and the Kuji their experience, and each has current state of reconstruction

North views about issues that should be are not the same. We’ll carefully Rias Line addressed.” investigate and expand the While the content of the earthquake learning program,” Iwate Miyako study program varies slightly concludes Nihashi. Prefecture depending on the guide, Nihashi The Sanriku Railway’s speedy believes it is important to deliver recovery and efforts to connect Kamaishi this message as-is. “In the end, people, preserve memories and South Sakari Rias Line every guide sends a message that pass along knowledge make it a they hope students will bravely railway with great heart.

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