It’s six months since a massive tsunami tore into the North-East coast of Japan. It was the biggest tsunami for a generation – communities were destroyed and almost 20,000 people lost their lives.
At the end of June I travelled to Kamaishi in Iwate prefecture with Don Productions to make a film for Al Jazeera English about a remarkable story of survival. Based around the idea of self preservation at all costs, Tendenko teaching goes against much in Japanese culture – the sense of self sacrifice and deep family connections that have seen whole families die together in past tsunamis.
But by practicing Tendenko, by saving yourself first and having the faith in your family to do the same, communities along Japan’s coastline will face a better chance of survival.
We spent a week filming with the Yorozu family who shared their remarkable tale of survival. The film is due to be broadcast in November.
