Several years ago, I visited the Minamisanriku Sun Sun Shopping Village with a delegation. At the time, the earthquake and tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake had devastated the Tohoku region. Many families suddenly lost their homes, and some even lost beloved family members and friends forever. Faced with such a devastating blow, the local residents did not give up. Instead, they worked together to regain the rhythm of everyday life and bring attention back to Minamisanriku’s delicious food and local appeal. The Sun Sun Shopping Village was born from this effort, bringing local businesses together so people could reopen their shops, rebuild their livelihoods, and gradually emerge from the shadow of the disaster while combating the reputational damage caused by rumors about the disaster and nuclear accident.
Thinking back on that visit, I realized that the shopping village later moved to a new location. Seeing how lively and vibrant it has gradually become fills me with mixed emotions. It’s not just the growing number of shops and visitors—it feels as though the local residents’ tireless efforts over the years have slowly built up to what it is today. I’m sincerely happy for the people here to see Minamisanriku gradually coming back to life. I hope this hard-won prosperity continues for a long time. If I have the chance in the future, I definitely want to return, walk around, and personally feel the strength that keeps this shopping village moving forward.
