pulling me back to shore

pulling me back to shore a photo by anyram on Flickr.

Ever since the earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan, I have been thinking about this place, Matsushima. I took this picture about four years ago, hitch-hiking my way south from Sapporo to Kyoto. It's a little bit north of Sendai, and purported to be one of the three most beautiful places in Japan. We got a ride from a young guy with a souped up car and three cell phones that he seemed to be talking on all at once while he drove us from the highway into this little tourist town.

Although this place is in a protected bay, and was spared much of the damage from the tsunami, nearby towns have been destroyed and lives lost. I'm lucky though. My friends in Japan were not affected by the disaster, but I can't help thinking about this little town, the beautiful coastline, and the people I met there.