Rest day at Waichi San‘s

I took a rest day in a tiny village called Sanriku. The village was stricken by the tsunami and earthquake disaster in 2011 and had to be rebuilt from scratch. The place where I stayed belongs to Waichi San. Together with other locals involved, Waichi San reconstructed the playful yellow house under the motto “Let’s go hand in hand“. Not only has it become a memorial to remember the catastrophe but also a place where travelers like me can rest for a few days. It is open non-stop for everyone - just show up and feel like a home.
Waichi San and I spent some time together. In the morning, he showed me his secret place in the mountains. Up there, a spectacular view can be enjoyed in absolute tranquility. I was happy that I was being chauffeured to the top of the mountain in his jeep. My bike took a day off too and stayed in the village. Later in the afternoon, we visited his house by the sea where his friends live. The location is absolutely breathtaking. Far from civilisation and probably a nightmare in snowy winter. There is only a steep gravel road going to this remote place.Read more