Latest Activities Report

General Incorporated Association "3.11 Monument Project" aims at building a monument as a place to pray for the victims of the tsunami on March 11, 2011, to preserve the memories and to sympolize hope.

Marble sculpture "Circle Wind" by world-renowned artist Junkyu MUTO will be the monument.

The monument is to be placed at the Memorial Park planned in the Minamihama area of Ishinomaki City, whose residents comprise 30 percent of the tsunami victims in Miyagi Prefecture.

World renowned pianist, Reiko AWAZU's fifth outreaching activity in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. Soon after devastating natural disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, she had imagined musical notes on scores like spouting seeds, and decided to start the series of the outreaching, supportive activities with music named "Plant Seeds of Music". This marked the sixteenth in the series. She held a master class for local, young piano students on July 1, 2017 followed by Gala concert to perform together at the Concert Hall of Kesennuma Civic Center providing a valuable experience of playing Steinway Concert Grand piano in front of the large audience. Some of them played last year, and showed considerable progress in a year.
Ms. Awazu first played three piano pieces.

The flyer for the concert.

The program.

9 performances by the children.

Choral performance by "Plant Seeds of Music Choir" formed by local singers and Kesennuma High School Choir (about 30 members), and later with all member of audience.

On July 5, 2017, all pupils and staff of Kesennuma Elementary School (330 in total) were invited to Kesennuma Civic Center Concert Hall. After piano recital and screening of a documentary film provided by the American Embassy followed by the discussion shared with all, the fifth graders gave a choral performance on stage, then the program concluded with sing-along with the all participants.

All the participants.

Chorus by the fifth graders, presentation of flower bouquet, and singing by all.

All the participants sang the school song and others.

Big art "Wish upon a star" present from Seisen International Elementary School to Kesennuma Elementary School.

Since immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011, the Specified non-profit corporation "Hero" has been providing performances for children in response to their request for "heros". (52 performances after October in 2011, 290 performances in 2012, 233 performances in 2013, 216 performances in 2014 and 240 performances in 2015. The total audience: 1,942 in 2014, 2,216 in 2015.)

Advertisement of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai in the booklet distributed at the performances on November 12 (three times) and 13 (twice), 2016 at the Kahoku Civic Hall of Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.

The hall with the capacity over 400 was full of children and their parents.

The hero "Bakishin riser Ryu" fighting the enemies.

The very popular heros had photo sessions with many children.

As the Kiwanis One Day event, Kiwanis Club of Sendai hosted a charity recital at Donald McDonald House Sendai. About 70 members of the audience included 6 children and their families hospitalized at Miyagi Children's Hospital.

The venue was the cafeteria of Donald McDonald House Sendai.

Prize winning players: Ranko YOSHIDA (flute), Kazuhisa YOSHIDA (viola/violin), Maya FUKUMURA (piano).

Donald McDonald House Sendai is for families of children hospitalized at Miyagi Children's Hospital.

They played beautiful pieces familiar to children.

World renowned pianist Reiko AWAZU's fourth reconstruction support activity in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, musical notes on the piano score looked to her like buds from seeds. She decided to start the series of reconstruction support activities through music named "Plant seeds of music". This was the twelfth in the series. She publicly invited children in Kesennuma City who learn to play the piano, selected 11 among them and gave public lessons to them on July 1 and 2, 2016. On July 3, these children had a valuable experience of playing the concert grand piano in front of the large audience in the Kesennuma City Auditorium. (Financial support in collaboration with Kiwanis Club Joint Fund.)

Program

Opening address by Reiko AWAZU, chorus by Aiko Kindergarten kids, chorus by a choir publicly invited and selected for this occasion (composed of Kesennuma Senior High School Choir and about 30 citizens), and chorus by all.

Performances by elementary school children.

Performances by junior and senior high school students.

Performance by Reiko AWAZU.

Address by Mayor Shigeru SUGAWARA of Kesennuma City. "Would like to build bright future for these children, some of whom were born after the Great East Japan Earthquake".

Since the earthquake and tsunami 5 years ago on March 11, 2011, many children came to live in Sendai City. "Shellcom Sendai" operated by Sendai City Sports Promotion Foundation has been organizing sports events for those children. The 13th Futsal Competition was organized on March 13, 2016. Eight teams took part. Each team was composed of 5 to 10 members from one or multiple families. At least two children in elementary school or younger and at least two players in high school or older needed to be at play all the time. The goalkeeper had to be in high school or older. Kiwanis Club of Sendai, Children's Fund provided JPY 200,000 to support this competition.

Indoor sports ground "Shellcom Sendai" and children at play.

President Yoshiaki SATOU of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai presented to each children a 1,000 Yen pre-paid book coupon with Kiwanis logo. The activities of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai were also explained in the program.

Over 900 junior high school ping-pong players (7th and 8th graders) met at Sendai City Gymnasium for competition on February 20, 2016. Kiwanis Club of Sendai provided 100 dozens of ping-pong balls for the competition. At the presentation ceremony, President Yoshiaki Satou of the club explained the activities of Kiwanis.

Ping-pong balls. President Satou and the girl who received the balls on behalf of all the players. The players filled the hall for the practice session.

45 ping-pong tables were provided for the competition

PARACUP, Inc. (in Japanese) organizes charity marathons to provide support to children of the world. The first charity marathon was held in 2011 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Every year since 2012, the charity marathon has been held in the tsunami devastated area near Sendai Airport. (cf. PARACUP Sendai (in Japanese).) In 2015, it was held on Sunday, October 25 from 10:00 till 15:00. The funds raised at the marathon will be used to support children in the tsunami devastated areas.
As in 2014, we provided support in collaboration with Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund.

One of the three "Millenium Hope Hills" in the memorial park near Sendai Airport in Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. In this area, there used to be communities, which were devastated by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. The hills are made up of the rubble, and could be used as refuges at future tsunami.

The memorial monument in the park.

Warm-up exercises by the participants.

At the starting line for the 200 meter run for children under third graders.

The goal for the 200 meter runs for first through third graders as well as for preschoolers.

Kiwanis International Foundation President-elect-designate Hwang Chia Sing of Malaysia visited areas on September 5--8, 2015 devastated by the tsunami after attending the 39th Japan District Convention held on September 4, 2015 in Omiya.

At Hiyoriyama in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.

View before and after the tsunami on March 11, 2011.

Current state of Minamihama-cho, Ishinomaki City.

View before and after the tsunami of Nakase, Ishinomaki City.

View before and after the tsunami of Minato-cho, Ishinomaki City.

Former Kadonowaki Elementary School (in Ishinomaki City) hit and burned by cars swept away by the tsunami.

Former Nobiru Station building in Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture devastated by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. The new building was built on the hill behind and began operation on May 30, 2015.

The monument in Yuriage, Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture. The tsunami reached the height of the monument.

Former building and the vicinity of Yuriage Junior High School. The building and that of the near-by Yuriage Elementary School will be demolished in the fall, 2015.

Sendai Airport was devastated by the tsunami, but re-started its operation four months later.

Shizugawa Community was devastated by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. Surrounding hill areas are being scraped away for housing and road, while low-lying areas are being raised.

The photo above taken in November 2011, while the photo below taken in July 2015.

The photo above taken in November 2011, while the photo below taken in July 2015.

World renowned pianist Reiko AWAZU has been providing support through music to people devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. On July 7, 2015, Kesennuma Junior High School hosted her 10th project entitled "Wind from Poland on Star Festival day" at the neighboring Kesennuma Civic Auditorium for all its students totaling about 300. KC of Sendai, Children's fund supported her travel. With the cooperation of the Polish Embassy and Instytut Polski w Tokio that have been providing support to Kesennuma citizen, Polish animation film "Astronaut" was shown, and then Ms. Awazu played piano masterpieces of Polish composer Chopin. With her accompaniment, the audience sang favorite songs including the school song. Seeds of music were planted on the hearts of the students.

Kesennuma Juhior High School is built on the hill in the upper left photo. A large part of its school ground is occupied by temporary houses. The junior high school borrows the ground of the neighboring Kesennuma Elementary School for its sports activities. Kesennuma Civic Auditorium is located next to the junior high school.

Vice-Principal Osamu ODAJIMA and Ms. Reiko AWAZU at the opening.

Piano solo by Ms. Reiko AWAZU (Chopin's waltz and nocturn as well as medley of Gibli movie music).

Sing-along of favorinte songs including the school song.

On May 9, 2015, 22 members, family and friends of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai visited Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture. They met and had a good time with the 11 members of Sennan Satellite located in the community.

The Kiwanis support so far to Marumori Junior High School in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which was newly built in place of the four junior high schools in the community devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

• (January, 2012) Repair and purchase of instruments for the school's brass band. (Jointly by Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund, KC of Sendai, Children's Fund, and Bikki Organization Miyagi)
• (August, 2012) Equipment and goods (soccer goals, soccer balls, basketballs, tennis balls, judge's stand, etc.) for sports clubs of the school. (Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund)
• (March, 2013) Financial support for re-drawing of two basket ball courts due to the change of rules. (KC of Sendai, Children's Fund)
• (April, 2015) Pre-paid book coupon cards with Kiwanis logo for students of the school's brass band. (KC of Sendai, Children's Fund)

Visitors from the Kiwanis Club of Sendai were welcomed by Marumori Junior High School Brass Band at the fair "Marumori Market" held near the town hall.

President Kaoru AKIBA of Sennan Satellite gave a welcome speech. Appreciation to Kiwanis was expressed by Mayor Hoshina of Marumori Town, Principal Sato of Marumori Junior High School and a member of the Marumori Junior High School Brass Band.

Speech and introduction to Kiwanis by Chairman Yoshiaki SATO of Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund Steering Committee as well as President Seiichi AGATSUMA of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai

President AGATSUMA of the KC of Sendai presented pre-paid book coupon cards to the members of Marumori JHS Brass Band.

Osaka-Kobe Area was devastated by a severe earthquake 20 years ago. Kansai North Division (composed of KCs of Kobe, Kyoto, Nishinomiya and Ashiya) of Kiwanis International Japan District organized a "Kiwanis One Day" meeting on April 4, 2015. As a part of the program, a junior high school student from Miyagi Prefecture reported his tsunami experience on March 11, 2011, while students from an elementary school and a junior high school in Kobe City reported the disaster mitigation training they now receive 20 years after the earthquake devastation 20 years ago.

Cherry blossoms along Ashiya River were in full bloom on April 4, 2015.

A junior high school student from Miyagi Prefecture gave a 25 minute report on what he himself (as a third grader then), his teachers and friends experienced at the tsunami on March 11, 2011.

Fifth graders of an elementary school in Kobe City reported the disaster mitigation training they now receive in light of the devastation 20 years ago in preparation for a possible big earthquake along the southern coast of Japan.

PARACUP, Inc. (in Japanese) organizes charity marathons to provide support to children of the world. The first charity marathon was held in 2011 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Every year since 2012, the charity marathon has been held in the tsunami devastated area near Sendai Airport. (cf. PARACUP Sendai (in Japanese).) In 2014, it was held on Sunday, October 26 from 10:00 till 15:00. The many including those from Kansai Area took part in the marathon. About 150 volunteers helped the organization. The funds raised at the marathon will be used to support children in the tsunami devastated areas.
(In collaboration with Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund)

Sendai Airport was hit by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. (photos displayed at the Airport lobby.)

The area between Sendai Airport and the Pacific Ocean was devastated by the tsunami. Those who used to live in the area continue to live in temporary houses, and are expected to be collectively relocated to an inland area of Natori City. The marathon course area will eventually be landfilled and regraded for roads and parks. The marathon is intended for the participants and volunteers to get to know the current state of reconstruction and to cheer up the people devastated by the tsunami.

In response to the Kiwanis support, shirts for volunteers and the course marking flags had the Kiwanis logo. (Hiroo Sato, Immediate Past President of the KC of Sendai to the left, and Kiwanis Joint Fund Steering Committee Chair Yoshiaki Sato to the right.)

The goal tape also had the Kiwanis logo.

All the runners wore bibs with the Kiwanis logo (Miura, member, KC of Sendai)

The "Kids run" for 100 children third graders or younger.

Many runners including those for the family marathon masqueraded.

230 teams of about 1,300 runners took part in the 3 hour relay marathon. The winning team ran 28 times around the 1.8 Km course (amounting to over 50 Km).

The team of Minegishi (Past President, KC of Sendai)

The team of Miura (member, KC of Sendai)

Natari Elementary School in Minamisanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture is located 15 meters above the sea level. The tsunami on March 11, 2011 flooded 30 centimeters above the second floor of the school building. On the first floor, only the frame remained. All the children fled to the higher ground behind the school building and escaped the tsunami. The school held its classes in another elementary school in the community until the restoration of the school building was completed in November, 2013. All the regular classrooms are located on the second floor. To facilitate escape from future tsunami, a bridge was installed between the second floor and the higher ground behind the school building.

The restoration was still under way when we visited the school in August, 2013.

The group photo of all the children in front of the restored school building. (November, 2013)

Classes started in the new building on November 8, 2013.

The ocean viewed from the library on the second floor. After all the children had fled to the highter ground behind the school building, teachers in this room could see the sea bottom when the water receded before the tsunami. A bridge between the second floor and the highter ground behind the school building.

(In collaboration with the Heart on Coin "Kizuna" project by students of Kwansei Gakuin University.)

Built at elevated location as in the case of tsunami-prone communities, Koizumi Elementary School was not hit by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. However, many of the parents of the School's pupils were devastated by the tsunami. They can no longer afford to pay for the fees needed for the pupils' extracurricular educational activities. At the request of the School through the Heart on Coin "Kizuna" project, we provided the necessary financial support.

The third graders visited a denim sewing plant in Kesennuma City.

Watched the inventory and sewing, and tried sewing themselves.

Question and answer session, and group photo at the entrance.

On November 6, 2013, seven second year students ("eighth graders") and their teacher of Koizumi Junior High School (in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture) came to visit the office of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai to express their gratitude for the financial assistance to the school's extracurricular educational activities by the KC of Sendai, Children's Fund in collaboration with the Heart on Coin "Kizuna" project (by students of Kwansei Gakuin University) and Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund.

Group photo taken at the office of the KC of Sendai.

As in every year, the second year students (17 of them this year) made an overnight trip to Sendai City. As a volunteer activity, they solicited funds in downtown Sendai for the annual nationwide charity. They then split into groups to visit and write report on historical buildings, museums, etc. as a preliminary practice for what they will do next year during their graduation trip to Tokyo.