KIBOW Mito 25th March 2011 | What we do | General Incorporated Foundation KIBOW

KIBOW Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture

Today’s KIBOW@Mito will be held at a local restaurant called Spain Bar Gancho, because all other venues such as hotels, city government, and cultural center are unusable from extensive damage. The extent of damage in this region is serious, and all hotels near Mito station are still closed. Then to add to the tragedy came the harmful rumors about food produced in these areas. I enjoyed eating Ibaraki-made vegetables like baby leaf, spring onions, spinach, cabbage, and rice, and also drinking local milk.

I’m now on my way to Mito on the highway bus. After boarding the bus following a half hour wait, I crashed and fell asleep in my seat. The bus drove on the Joban and Kita-Kanto highways and we’re now back on normal roads. I see many houses using blue plastic sheets to cover roof tops with fallen tiles to prevent the rain from coming in. Many shops and businesses around Mito station are still closed, and there aren’t many people to be seen. The boulevard in front of Mito station has been blocked off due to sea water. Hotels and department stores are all still closed. I’m afraid it will remain like this until the Joban line reopens and TEPCO resolves the nuclear power plant issue. Time for KIBOW@Mito now. Ganbappe (local dialect for “Go!”) Mito and Ibaraki!

KIBOW@Mito participant reported that Hori-san came to Mito yesterday to attend Ganbappe Mito. Despite the lack of fuel for cars, we had a higher than expected number of participation. The strong and passionate message from Hori-san was really like a rainbow of hope pouring into Mito. Mito will not only recover, but will rebuild a new foundation. We hope that one day Mito will become a global city and that we will be able to put a rainbow from KIBOW from Mito to the world. From KIBOW participant Mr. Rikio Koizumi.