The documentary explores the recovery of Japan's Tohoku region 9 years after the devastating 2011 tsunami. The region is still being terraformed, with some towns being raised 10 meters above sea level. The film visits Minami Sanriku, one of the worst-affected areas, where a destroyed building has been left as a monument to the disaster.
The documentary then shares stories of resilience and recovery. A strawberry farm in Yamamoto, which was destroyed by the tsunami, has been rebuilt and now produces Japan's most expensive strawberries. Fishermen in Ishinomaki have formed a company, Fisherman Japan, to rebrand the fishing industry and attract young recruits.
The film also showcases an inventor who has created reusable chopsticks made from scallop shells, a sustainable alternative to single-use chopsticks. In Tokyo, the documentary visits a restaurant that serves fresh seafood from the Tohoku region and meets with Yuki Tsuda, a member of Fisherman Japan.
The final story is about Ichio Kanno, who runs an inn in a fishing town that was devastated by the tsunami. Despite losing her home and family members, Ichio continues to run her business and has become a pillar of the community. The documentary concludes by highlighting the resilience and optimism of the people in the Tohoku region, who have found ways to rebuild and move forward despite the trauma they experienced.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Japanese coastline is prone to tsunamis.
2. On March 11th, 2011, a tsunami hit the Tohoku region.
3. The tsunami was triggered by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake.
4. 400 kilometers of coastline were destroyed in a single day.
5. Over 15,000 people lost their lives in the disaster.
6. The estimated cost of destruction was $235 billion.
7. The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami remains the costliest natural disaster in the world.
8. Minami Sanriku was one of the worst affected places along the coastline.
9. The town of Minami Sanriku is being raised 10 meters above sea level.
10. A five-storey building in Minami Sanriku was left untouched as a monument to the disaster.
11. The building was once a popular wedding venue.
12. On the day of the tsunami, 327 people took refuge in the building.
13. Over 40 people were in the elevator shaft on the fifth floor of the building due to the cold weather.
14. A tsunami expert present on the day warned most of the people to stay inside on the upper levels.
15. Not everyone heeded the warning, resulting in tragic consequences.
16. The water level in the building came higher than the second floor.
17. A shrine in the building remained intact despite the massive earthquake and tsunami.
18. The town of Yamamoto lost its entire farming industry overnight due to the tsunami.
19. Strawberry farmers in the area teamed up to work together and cultivated the most luxurious variety of strawberry in Japan.
20. The company GRA received international publicity for selling Japan's most expensive strawberries.
21. The price of a box of premium strawberries, called "Migaki Ichigo", is around $50.
22. Each strawberry is cultivated to absolute perfection.
23. Over 25,000 fishing vessels were lost or damaged in the tsunami.
24. 319 fishing ports were completely wiped off the map.
25. Many fishermen were failing to attract young recruits to their fleets due to the sector being perceived as uncool and old-fashioned.
26. A company called "Fisherman Japan" was formed to rebrand the fishing industry.
27. Fisherman Japan launched a marketing campaign called "Fisherman Call", which quickly went viral.
28. The campaign allowed people to choose a fisherman to call them up in the morning instead of using a phone alarm.
29. The campaign led to an influx of 10,000 members joining their fan club.
30. Fisherman Japan set up a restaurant in Tokyo to connect the dining experience with the hard work and craftsmanship of the fishermen.
31. In the days following the disaster, people fled to evacuation centers to seek shelter.
32. Supplies quickly began to run out, including eating utensils such as chopsticks.
33. 24 billion pairs of single-use chopsticks are disposed of every year in Japan.
34. A man took note of the problem and created reusable chopsticks made from scallop shells.
35. The chopsticks are 51% made of scallop shells, durable, heat-resistant, and produce less smoke when incinerated.
36. Ichio Kanno runs an inn in a peaceful fishing town on the outskirts of Kesennuma city.
37. Ichio suffered great personal loss, including the loss of her home and her entire village.
38. Ichio's husband, eldest daughter, and son-in-law lost their lives in a fishing accident in 2017.
39. After several months of mourning, Ichio took the difficult decision to re-open her business.
40. A gigantic concrete sea wall, 8 meters thick and 2 years in the making, was built to protect the community from frequent tsunamis.
41. The sea wall is located just a few yards in front of Ichio's home.
42. The estimated cost of the sea walls that stretch along Tohoku's coastline is $12 billion.