Why Japanese can form a line peacefully during emergency

Because we know help come. We Japanese know help should come. So, we don't have to be upset. Looting is just non-sense. This is probably because we took good lessons from the Hanshin big earthquake in 1995. At that time, help didn't come timely. Secondary accidents were serious. So, governments and people organized manuals about what should do in the case of earthquake occurrence. Hanshin lesson was well practiced for next big earthquake occurred in Hokkaido 1993, or in Niigata in 2007. Many Japnaese are fed up with Japanese cabinet, but we trust national services in that area.

Especially, Sendai people, or broadly Tohoku (Northeastern area) people including Fukushima are famous as most forbearing. Their patient characteristics is well expressed by Kenji Miyazawa's poem, "No losing to the rain". Since I am not a Tohoku native, I respect their patience when I compare with my hometown Nagoya (TOYOTA's hometown).

The power is back, but no water and no gas as of 10th day, March 20. Ken and I still join a line every other day.

On March 16, I gave up to form a line because I could see more than thousand people were already there when I joined the line at 9 am.

On March 17, I patiently formed a line for three hours in the snow.

After the snow, Sam and Dan scooped snow for toilet flushing. They enjoyed. They worked with vigor and enthusiusm. Snow in the bath tub looked like ice in the Antarctica.

As of 10th day, shopping lines get shorter. More varierty of goods we can buy. Water is scheduled to be back by March 31 for our area. Gas should take longer. Maybe by summer?

I am planning to get out of Sendai next week with my boys. We won't come back until gas is back.

I hope the town is back to be normal as soon as possible.