June 26, 2012

120621_img1316-1Summer in Japan is a time for festivals, where people often wear a traditional light-weight cotton kimono known as a yukata. Unfortunately, those who lost their homes in last year’s disaster have had too many other items to replace, so few have been able to replace their lost yukata. Hearing that residents were hoping to wear yukata to the summer festival that will be held in July in Oharahama on the Oshika Peninsula, JEN arranged to purchase cloth from a dry-goods store in Ishinomaki that had been damaged in the disaster and distributed it in mid-June to residents in temporary housing and others. From June 13, residents met at the Ohara Meeting Hall to begin helping each other to make yukata. Hopefully this effort will help make this year’s summer festival a bright and cheerful event!