August 16th 2024.
For over a decade, Yasuo has been on a relentless search for his beloved wife, Yuko. It all began on that fateful day, March 11, 2011, when a catastrophic tsunami hit Japan's coast, leaving behind a trail of destruction and loss. Those were the last words Yuko spoke to Yasuo before she was swept away from the top of her office building in Onagawa. Despite the passage of time, Yasuo has not given up hope of finding his wife's body. He longs to give her a proper burial and bring closure to their love story.
Yuko was working at a local bank when the tsunami struck. Along with her colleagues, she sought refuge on the building's rooftop, which was 30 feet high. Little did they know that the tsunami would exceed all expectations, reaching over 60 feet where Yuko was. In the chaos and devastation that followed, Yuko was among the 2,523 people who were never found. Her body vanished into the murky ocean, leaving Yasuo with a broken heart and a desperate need to find her.
Determined to bring his wife home, Yasuo learned to scuba dive and became certified to search for Yuko in the treacherous waters near where she disappeared. He has conducted hundreds of dives, scouring the ocean floor for any sign of his wife. Despite finding belongings of others who were lost in the disaster, including photo albums, clothes, and jewelry, Yuko remains missing. Yasuo's instructor, Masayoshi Takahashi, who specializes in cleaning up debris from the tsunami, has been a great help in his search. Together, they brave the icy waters, hoping to one day find Yuko.
In an interview with the New York Times, Yasuo shared that he knew the search would be difficult, but it was the only thing he could do to honor his wife's memory. He feels closest to her when he's in the ocean, and it gives him a sense of peace to know he's doing everything in his power to bring her home. For more than a decade, Yasuo has been diving regularly, never giving up hope of finding his wife.
Unfortunately, Yasuo is not the only one who has experienced a deep loss in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami and earthquake. Other survivors have shared stories of encountering the ghosts of their loved ones. In the city of Ishinomaki, which was hit hard by the tsunami, around 6,000 people lost their lives. In the months following the disaster, rumors started to spread among the city's cabbies about ghost passengers who would ride in their taxis before disappearing. Kiyoshi Kanebishi, a sociology professor who has studied the supernatural experiences of survivors, believes that these sightings are real, especially those of taxi drivers. He recalls a driver telling him about a male passenger wearing a thick coat in the August heat. The driver turned on his meter, but he had a strange feeling about the passenger. When they arrived at their destination, the sun had already set, and the passenger had vanished. Similar experiences have been reported by other taxi drivers, adding to the belief that the ghosts of the deceased are still present in the city.
Yasuo's search for Yuko and the stories of other survivors encountering the ghosts of their loved ones serve as a reminder of the lasting impact of the 2011 tsunami and earthquake. Despite the immense loss and grief, the survivors continue to persevere, holding onto hope and cherished memories of those they have lost.
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