" After the Earthquake " - Kashiwazaki, Niigata, Japan. July 2007.

01

The sky over Kashiwazaki, Niigata. After the earthquake, people often observe the sky anxiously if there is a sign of another earthquake.

09

Mr. Yukihiro Ohta at the evacuation site. He was buried alive under his house for one and half hour and rescued fortunately. He lost everything except a couple of underwear. "I concern this is my second life. Once I recover from wound, I would love to work on helping other people's life," Mr. Ohta told me with clear eyes.

02

Downtown Kashiwazaki. 11 people were killed and 2,098 were wounded. 35,842 houses were destroyed.

10

The Kambayashi family at the lunchtime. The grandmother takes care of the children while the parents are working on repairing their house during the day.

03

Downtown Kashiwazaki. 11 people were killed and 2,098 were wounded. 35,842 houses were destroyed.

11

At the evacuation site. The sign says, "You can wash your hands, but cannot drink water yet."

04

A local shrine in Downtown Kashiwazaki. The mail hall of the temple was completely destroyed.

12

At the evacuation site. The people are forced to live in the houses without walls.

05

Following the damage of the shrine, the principle statue of the temple is temporally enshrined in the living room of the chief priest.

13

Momoka is sleeping at the evacuation site.

06

Mayor Hiroshi Aida is having a press conference in work clothes. He criticizes government and people living in the metropolitan area, who depend on the power supply from the nuclear power plants in Kashiwazaki but do not concern the people's damage seriously enough.

14

Even though everyone suffers for the earthquake, children find enjoyment in their everyday life. They create a "secret base" in the evacuation site and play inside.

07

The detail of evacuation are shown on the wall of the headquarters of disaster relief.

15

The hypocenter is located 60km away from this view. Many people visit here for swimming during summer usually, but not this year.

08

The gym of a local junior highschool. Over 12,000 people are forced to evacuate and live in the gym of a local school for over two months.

16

Ami Kambayashi (left) and Daisuke Ishizuka (right) are hunting insects near by the evacuation site. I personally thank them so much because I was healed everyday through playing with them while I was visiting Kashiwazaki.