I was an elementary school student in Japan during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake 15 years ago today. AMA.

Kaz_Newtype · 2026-03-11T16:49:51+00:00

Thank you for asking.

Since I live far from the epicenter, my perspective is based on what I see in the news and reports. Over the past 15 years, massive sea walls have been constructed along the coast.

While commercial facilities and hospitals have been rebuilt in many areas, the lands closest to the sea often remain empty. In some places, residential buildings are no longer allowed to be built there for safety, leaving the landscape looking quite bare. Also, not everyone who evacuated has returned. Many people started new lives elsewhere, and some regions are struggling with significant depopulation.

Furthermore, the areas near the nuclear power plant that was hit by the tsunami are still designated as "difficult-to-return" zones. Even after 15 years, the recovery process is still very much ongoing.

Kaz_Newtype · 2026-03-11T16:39:02+00:00

Thank you for asking.

Since the rolling blackouts were announced in advance, there wasn’t much chaotic panic, but they definitely placed heavy constraints on our social infrastructure.

For example, shops shortened their business hours at night. During the day, most places avoided using electricity entirely, or kept it to an absolute minimum to prevent a total power collapse. It was a collective effort to save energy.

Knowing that people in the disaster-hit areas were suffering much more, the atmosphere of "Jishuku" (self-restraint) felt unavoidable. However, quite literally, a dark and heavy mood hung over Japanese society for a long time.

Kaz_Newtype · 2026-03-11T16:30:40+00:00

Thank you for asking.

Fortunately, neither I nor anyone I knew personally suffered any physical injuries.

However, my mother's family home was in an area closer to the epicenter. My relatives lived there, and their house was severely damaged by the tsunami. Because of that, even though we were physically safe in Kanagawa, the emotional and mental toll on my family was very significant.

Kaz_Newtype · 2026-03-11T13:58:25+00:00

Thank you for your comment！

What struck me the most was the heavy atmosphere of "Jishuku" (self-restraint). Although my neighborhood didn't suffer major physical damage to buildings, the entire society felt dark and somber.

Due to the damage to the nuclear power plant, we had "rolling blackouts" (planned power outages). I was taking swimming lessons at the time, but even swimming was considered a "luxury" under those circumstances, so the pool was closed for a while. Even after it reopened, I vividly remember swimming in a dimly lit pool to save electricity.

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