Now Japan Is Severely Confronted...

Welcome To Another Journey With Me Focused On Tragedy....
This Time My Thoughts Were Held By The Enormous Tragedy Occurring For Japan...



                 I don't want to make this a depressive Journey... there is sufficient media exposure you will have been exposed to accomplishing that without me overly adding to the devastating event for all of Japan on Friday 11 March 2011. Though this Posting will include photos I sourced from ABC News showing aspects of the horrendous effects Japan's Earthquake inflicted, which in turn compounded when the Tsunami also occurred, they are an important Record. They are part of what is creating History. The really difficult part with all this is Japan is another Casualty of Events Nature is pouring onto Planet Earth since, to my awareness, December 2010..... Japan would have to be the worst outcome for now.... and I write 'for now', because I have reached a time within my self where I almost hold my breath for the next Country or Town having to face some level of Natural Disaster when the News is told over the Radio....

         Now let this Prayer Giving for Japan begin.... and the word 'Prayer' for me is a secular path... a Personal Bringing Together Of Focused Thoughts Towards Those Needing To Feel Empathy Flowing To Them.... which at this time still includes Christchurch in New Zealand, and Australia's North Queensland.... Japan's Recovery Trials has just begun...  and they are now not just facing the aftermath of an Earthquake and Tsunami.... but also the struggle to prevent the breakdown of their Nuclear System. Nothing on this Planet needs that Nuclear Plant to Meltdown on top of all else occurring.

         First a Map to begin seeing where Japan is, its alignment with all other Places on this beautiful Earth, and where Japan's dreadful experience emerged from....

         Next, insight into the Magnitude of Japan's Earthquake.....

A Technician Points to Graph of Earthquake

Source - Vincent Kessler, Reuters

       On Friday, 11 March 2011 in Strasbourg... graph showing the seismic registering of the massive 8.9 Earthquake that travelled through North-East Japan.


         Now that we can visualise Japan's location in relation to wherever we may also be on this wonderful Earth... and where Japan's tragedy began... and maybe imagine a little what feeling our Earth shake to that degree may be like.... I would like to draw upon Japan's Culture to give us something beautiful and special to the Japanese to fill within our thoughts and allow to be part of this Giving....


         The CHERRY BLOSSOM FLOWER from the CHERRY TREE - SAKURA.... Japan's National Flower.

 Sakura of Fukushima-e. (2007 Kropsoq)

Fukushima is Capital City of Fukushima Prefecture on the Abukuma River in North Central Honshu, Japan. (Prefecture is a District under a Prefect's Jurisdiction.)

         Japan has a wide variety of the Cherry Blossoms, over 200 cultivars can be found there. The Cherry Blossoms  for the Japanese is an Omen of good fortune, an Emblem of love, affection, and represents Spring. They Symbolise Clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse. Cherry Blossoms are also an enduring Metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life.

         In January, as the warmer weather approaches Japan, the Cherry Blossoms begin their Blossoming Journey. Travelling Northwards up the Archipelago, reaching Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April, and continuing North to higher altitudes.
       Would be a beautiful sight watching the path of the Cherry Blossoms blossoming as they fulfill their Journey.... like a gentle wave of Pinks moving across Japan. I can see in my mind why they Symbolise Clouds.
         Every year the Journey of the Blossoming Cherry Blossoms is tracked by the Public and Meteorological Agency. The Cherry Blossoms Journey is known as the Sakuru zensen (Cherry-blossom front).

Sakura at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. 

March 2008. "Tyoron2"

         Since the fiscal and school year both begin in April in many parts of Honshu, the first day of work and school coincides with the Cherry Blossom Season. "Hanami", the centuries old practice of picnicking under a blooming Sakura or Ume ("plum") Tree, makes tracking the Cherry Blossoms progress an important Tradition. Cherry Blossom Festivals give the opportunity to relax and enjoy the beautiful Flower Viewings, the visiting of Parks, Shrines, and Temples with Family and Friends.
        Outside many Public Buildings and Schools in Japan Cherry Blossom Trees have been Planted.
         During Spring, Japan would be a beautiful place to visit I feel.

   Another aspect of Cherry Blossoms is their Culinary Use....

 Pickled Cherry Blossoms

         The Blossoms are pickled in salt, and Umezu (Ume Vinegar) is used for coaxing out flavour in Wagashi, (a Traditional Japanese confectionery).


         Now that we have filled our thoughts with Japan's beautiful significant Cherry Blossoms, it is time to find a way to send the beauty into the devastation the following photos will show.... Remember also that it is now March... the time nearing when the Cherry Blossoms would begin blooming in Tokyo... and continuing along their Northern Journey to higher altitudes. To what degree the Cherry Blossoms can still blossom with what Tokyo and surrounds have now experienced is maybe only going to happen from the thoughts we extend into their devastated Path..... hopefully, some will physically manage and give the Japanese hope.....

 After the Earthquake on Friday 11 March 2011 the Tsunami that Followed Engulfs Natori

Source - Reuters

The Earthquake was the biggest to hit Japan in 140 years, and triggered a 10 metre (about 32 feet) Tsunami that swept everything away in its path when it rushed into the Residential area of Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in North-Eastern Japan.

Homes, Trees, Anything Within the Tsunami's Path Was Swept Away.

(Natori, in North-Eastern Japan).

Source - Reuters

Wide Spread Destruction Ensues

Source - Yomiuri, Reuters

         In Natori City in North-Eastern Japan, many homes, ships, cars,, and farm buildings were on fire after the Earthquake and then swept away still burning by the Tsunami that followed on Friday 11 March 2011.

Still Burning After The Earthquake, A Home Is Swept Out To Sea By The Aftermath Tsunami On Friday 11 March 2011

Source - Reuters

         Much of Japan's North-Eastern Coastline after the massive Earthquake measuring 8.9 was ablaze with fires, personal injuries, enormous damage and then came a Tsunami to ensure even more catastrophe.

 

Train Carriages Strewn Amid Earthquake Rubble

Source - Kim Kyung-Hoon, Reuters

         This train wreckage from the Earthquake and Tsunami is near the Coastal Town of Sendai in Japan. Saturday 12 March 2011.

Ship Tossed Ashore by Tsunami.

Source - Reuters/Kyodo.

         This Ship seen on Saturday 12 March 2011 in Aomori Prefecture in Northern Japan, had been tossed ashore by the Tsunami following the Earthquake.

Whirlpool Seen Off Orai City.

Source - Reuters/Kyodo.

The Whirlpool is seen near Orai City, Ibaraki Prefecture, North-Eastern Japan on Friday 11 March 2011.

         To bring this Journey to a close I've chosen to return us to the Cherry Blossoms as a way of loosening our focus on the horrendous damage Japan has now to recover from, and also succeed in preventing the Nuclear Meltdown they are still struggling with at the time of me writing this...

Sakura and Moss Pink at Yachounomori Garden, Tatebayashi-shi (City) Gunma-ken (Prefecture), Japan. 10 April 2009.

By TANAKA Juuyoh

Salt pickled Cherry Blossoms in hot Water is called Sakurayu. It is drunk at Festive Events like Weddings in place of Green Tea.

         Though this is not a Festive Occasion... it is significant of the Season becoming Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, in Japan... and though right now Japan is suffering and struggling, it would have been their time of tracking the Cherry Blossoms blossoming. Doing their Traditional "Hanami".
         So I feel it would be nice to think of this as our way of fulfilling the Way... we can think of partaking of the Cherry Blossoms Tea while sitting under the beautiful Sakura Cherry Tree and pouring back into Japan all that beautiful Energy that would have begun happening in those Regions affected that are now in pain and shock instead of enjoying the beauty of the Cherry Blossoms blossoming.

The beautiful and simple Introductory and Ending Candles are from -
   http://www.animated-gifs.eu


The wonderful Map is from -
   http://www.worldatlas.com
I found the Site to be excellent. Information is provided as well as Maps. A Site I would definitely return to, even if only to read about different places on this wonderful Earth.


The Seismic Graph, Photos and their information on Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami are from - 
   http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos

The Cherry Blossoms photos and information are from -
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_Blossom

With my deepest good wishes to you,

and also my deepest thanks to you for caring enough to do this Journey with me, from Magda