My First Home in Japan
When I first stepped into Ofunato in 2008, I didn’t know that this small coastal city in Iwate would change my life.
It wasn’t just the waves, or the cliffs, or the quiet charm of a fishing town on the edge of the Sanriku coast. It was the people, the community, and the way Ofunato gently, steadily became my home.
The Beginning: A New Life in a New Country
I had come to Japan to teach. I had no idea what to expect, only that I was moving to a city most maps didn’t even highlight in bold.
But Ofunato welcomed me.
I taught in local high schools and special needs schools, where every classroom was filled with laughter, effort, and more warmth than I ever expected. My students were kind, curious, and full of energy. Some taught me more about life than any textbook ever could.
Those early years were filled with language learning, shared meals, first snowfalls, and quiet walks along the coast.
And something else… love.
Where I Built a Life with Mai
Ofunato is also where Mai and I lived as newlyweds. Although we first met in Morioka, it was in Ofunato that we spent our first few years together.
We built a little life. It was simple, happy, filled with late-night chats, weekend trips, and warm kotatsu winters.
We laughed a lot. We grew together.
March 11, 2011: The Day the Sea Roared
Then came the day that changed everything.
On March 11, 2011, the ground shook. The sea rushed in. And our town was torn apart. Fortunately, Mai was visiting her family in Morioka on that day, but I was in Ofunato.
I was actually teaching at that very moment. In the chaos, I did what I what my heart told me: I led my students to safety.
I will never forget the fear in their eyes… or the relief when we made it to high ground as the tsunami past below us.
We watched as the tsunami devastated our city below. Schools, homes, lives. All changed in moments.
But in those moments, something else emerged too: strength.
Neighbours became family. Regular people became heroes. The entire town came together and not just to survive, but to care.
The Honour of a Lifetime
Later, I was humbled beyond words as I was nominated for a Royal Testimonial for Bravery from Buckingham Palace.
But truthfully, the real honour came from the people of Ofunato who had taken me in, trusted me with their children, and stood beside me in rebuilding a city.
That award hangs on a wall. But the gratitude and love I feel for Ofunato lives in my heart.
Five Years That Will Always Be With Me
I lived in Ofunato for five years, but it gave me a lifetime’s worth of meaning.
It gave me:
– A place to grow as a teacher
– A place to start a family
– A place to face the unimaginable… and find hope again
Even after I moved, Ofunato never left me. It is part of who I am.
Final Thoughts: My Soul by the Sea
Some people travel for adventure. I traveled for a job, and found a home.
If you ever go to Ofunato, look out at the sea. Walk the Goishi Coast. Watch the boats come in.
And know that here, in this quiet city shaped by tides and time, life goes on and not just with survival, but with grace.
Ofunato taught me that. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.
