Four Years After 3/11: The State of Sanriku Today

The March 11, 2011, megaquake generated tsunami that brought destruction to the entire length of the Sanriku coast, stretching from Aomori Prefecture in the north down through Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures. Even before the disaster, the hard-to-access communities here were watching their populations and economic vigor dwindle, with little industry beyond fishing to depend on—making 3/11 a massive shock to an already shaky regional society. Four years on, the rubble has been cleared away, but in many Sanriku communities all that remains is empty land.