Cheerful Humors in Post-Disaster Japan
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Slides from a PechaKucha presentation at epic 2011. Abstract: After the tremendous natural disasters of 11/3/2011, Japan has been in urgent need of actions for reconstructing our society. I want to suggest one idea as something helpful for reconstruction, "cheerfulness" which I found in old Japanese people. This "cheerfulness" is the sense of humor, not to think about things too seriously, but to accept and enjoy the present situations.
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Cheerful Humors in Post-Disaster Japan
- 1. Cheerful Humors: Changes in Japan after the Disaster Satoshi Kageyama Daishinsha Inc.
- 2. March 11th 2011, Tohoku, Japan
- 3. But the Japanese people themselves were truly noble in their perseverance and stoicism and orderliness. There’s a common Japanese word, “gaman,” that doesn’t really have an English equivalent, but is something like “toughing it out.” (Nicholas Kristof, “Sympathy for Japan, and Admiration”, The New York Times, March 11, 2011)
- 4. Cheerfulness of People of Old Japan
- 5. Ansei Edo Earthquake (1855)
- 6. Namazu-E (Pictures of catfish)
- 7. In Edo era, people described catfish (a symbol of cause of earthquake) with humor, and they cheer up themselves to restore their lives.
- 8. Humors to cheer up Japan, 2011
- 10. Keep Out Keep Out under suspension for brownout Prohibiting from using power makes us negative
- 11. http://setsuden.tumblr.com/ If you turn off, Someone can turn on . Save power Our love will reach Now we are saving
- 13. “ Matsuri” (festival) in disaster area
- 14. Ishinomaki, one of the main quake-hit areas
- 15. in April in August Ishinomaki, one of the main quake-hit areas
- 16. “ Ishinomaki Kawabiraki Festival”
- 20. “ Arigatou” from Japan “ Arigatou” for all your help, support, and cheers
Editor's Notes
- On March 11 th 2011, We met terrible disasters. And Japan has been in urgent need of actions for reconstructing our society.
- Right after the earthquakes, many countries are astonished that Japanese people dealt with the matters so calmly and cool-headedly without big panic or disorder. An American journalist described this Japanese character as “stoicism” and “orderliness”.
- Here, however, I want to suggest one idea as something helpful for reconstruction, "cheerfulness“, which I found in early Japanese people, and still lives on in the current Japanese.
- In 1855, a huge earthquake hit Edo (Tokyo) city. It is said that the quake had a magnitude of 6.9, and about 4,000 lives were lost.
- In Edo era (old time of Japan), people believed that large catfish (in Japanese, “namazu”) caused earthquakes. After Ansei Edo Earthquake, they drew many funny pictures of catfish, to entertain and comfort themselves. In this picture, people are beating catfish.
- And in this picture, catfish helps people. By describing the (symbol of) cause of earthquake with humor, instead of crying, they cheered up themselves to overcome the disaster (and restore their lives).
- Now, I will show two efforts to overcome the difficult situations after the 3.11 earthquake disaster.
- Because of earthquakes and tsunami, some nuclear energy plants have stopped. So people in Japan had to save on electricity use to help Tohoku. This is map of Japan, illustrate average nighttime lights and those on March 12, the next day of the quake. Tohoku area turned dark.
- To save electricity, we must restrict ourselves in daily lives. It is logically acceptable, but can be emotionally hard. Depending on circumstances, we’ll save electric power reluctantly. In these pictures, we’re kept out of escalators to save power.
- Then, Japanese graphic designers made various posters which motivate us to save electric energy and feel positive about our circumstances.
- Their posters were printed for free, and posted on many places. Through seeing these posters, people consciously or unconsciously cheered up each other to save power. The Idea could make us act positively.
- Next case is “Matsuri”—which means “festival” in Japanese—held at a city of Tohoku in this summer. People cheered up themselves by going crazy at the festival.
- Ishinomaki city is located in the north-east of Miyagi Prefecture. Ishinomaki is one of the most terribly damaged areas by the disaster. Despite over six months has passed, the area’s recovery has been delayed badly..
- Some rubble was removed, but many houses and buildings remain still collapsed. Victims can’t restart their lives as they had lived before the quake. In this city, people have held the annual festival for over 80 years.
- This year, people in this city debated whether to hold the festival. Some said it was imprudent to make merry in such situation, but eventually, they decided to hold.
- The festival offers extraordinary experiences to participants. In these pictures, local women are cheerfully dancing a traditional dance passed down from ancient times in Ishinomaki. They are depressed by the disaster, but on the day, they forgot their circumstances for a moment, devoted to their performances and enjoyed.
- Many people visited Ishinomaki during the festival. Some visitors had been living there before quakes, and now are forced to live away from their hometown. They saw their friends and neighbors again, chatted, and smiled at each other.
- One of the hosts of the festival said, “It is what I want to do! ” , watching many people there smiling. He also lost his house by tsunami. He believes that enjoying crazily the festival’s extraordinary situation gives power to the victims and leads us to change our perspectives.
- Today, people in Japan are struggling to regain ordinary lives. We are deeply grateful for your all help, support, sympathy, and cheers. Though only gradually, we make steps for change. Hold on together. Thank you very much.