My name is anna. Today I’m in kesennuma city in miyagi prefecture. I read that when the great east japan earthquaqe hit in two thouend eleven. The tunami and a fire destroyed large parts of this city. There is still a lot of work going on but I can feel the positive energy of the people.
Suddenly, I hear the voice behind me.
Hi there are you here on vacation?
Well I am here to do research on the a new guidebook about japan
I’m actually looking for interesting places in this city.
Then, There is a great café in town.
A café?
I talked to several more people. And they all tell me to go to the same café.
Kesennuma is one of the busiest fishing ports in japan.
I wonder why a café is famous in the a city that is famous for fish. I’m going to find out why it is so special.
Hello. I am working on a guidebook about japan.
Many people in this city told me the that your café was special
Could you tell me more about it?
Sure
I’m anna by the way.
I’m hideyuki iwamoto.
Nice to meet you
This café looks like it has have a long history. When was it built?
It was built in two thousand fourteen
Two thousand fourteen, then it's new.
Well we built this after the in tsunami destroyed the original building
My grandfather started this café in nineteen fifty one
It was the first café in kesennuma
People had never been to a café before so many people came and soon it wasn’t beginner big enough any more.
In nineteen fifty eight, my grandfather moved it to a bigger building
We were there until the day of the earthquake.
The original building was destroyed, so we reopened it in the a small shopping center built after the earthquake. Then, we moved here.
Ah I see. Was it difficult to make the new café look like the original one?
It wasn’t easy. But we waere lucky because many customers had pictures of our café.
Also, I found a piece of stained glass in the broken building the day after the earthquake.
It wasn’t damaged that much. So I used it to designed the stained glass you see now.
That’s an interesting story.
So this café is the a special place for the people of the kesennuma.
They have been making memories here for over sixty years
So would you like to have something?
What do you have?
We have cafee and we also have ramen, fried rice and other foods
Ramen at the café?
Yes, but the children around here think my café is the ramen shop
I decide to have the cafee. Mr iwamoto tells me they have been serving tha same brand blend since nineteen fifty one.
Muu this coffee taste like it has have a long history. It's so good.
I’m glad you like it. If you have time, you should go to kesennuma oshima.
Kesennuma oshima?
Yes it's a place of with the wonderful view . you will love it.