ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--The Dalai Lama gave a memorial service here Nov. 5 for victims of this community devastated by the March 11 disaster.
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--The Dalai Lama gave a memorial service here Nov. 5 for victims of this community devastated by the March 11 disaster.
Some 1,000 people attended the service in the grounds of the Saikoji temple.
The surrounding area was once a thriving neighborhood, but has been reduced to a wasteland.
The Great East Japan Earthquake spawned tsunami that took the lives of more than 3,200 local residents. More than 680 still remain unaccounted for.
Touching upon his own experience of living in exile from China, the visiting Tibetan spiritual leader said he wanted to "share" the deep suffering of victims. "You are not alone," he told them.
Tomeko Sugawara, 63, who has a part-time job and lives in temporary housing in Ishinomaki city, said, "Tears well up in my eyes when I think of my elder sister and her husband who died in the earthquake. I was impressed that the Dalai Lama talked about his own experience. We, too, have to work hard."
On Nov. 4, the Dalai Lama visited Sendai, where he encouraged survivors of the disaster to channel their sorrow into the energy needed to reconstruct the city.
He will visit Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on Nov. 6 to deliver a speech.