A City Of Resilience

On This Day In History
1995: The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake strikes

Quote Of The Day
""January 17th shall never be forgotten." We inscribe this phrase in our minds anew."
(Governor of Hyogo Prefecture Mr. Toshizo Ido)

I took all of these photos last night but I am using them today since they are more relevant to this day in history. The main photo was taken from the Observation Lobby of City Hall overlooking Higashi Yuenchi Park where I took yesterday's blip. The second extra was also taken from there but looking north rather than south. The beacon on Mount Rokko that normally just reads "Kobe" had the date "1.17" added below it for this special occasion. The first extra is Marina, a statue with a clock that toppled when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck and is now a monument at the entrance to Higashi Yuenchi Park, it's clockface eternally frozen at 05:47.

This morning's Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Assembly went off flawlessly; I couldn't have been prouder of my class. They definitely deserved the Golden Time with which I rewarded them.

We sing this in the assembly every year; a song written by a music teacher, Makoto Usui, whose home was destroyed in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. He wrote this song as an evocation of hope amidst the disaster. It always brings a tear to my eye when the children sing it; it is such a beautiful song.

Shiawase Hakoberu Youni