information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
15 Avril 2013
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--The cherry blossoms are in full bloom on the campus of Odaka Technical High School, but the school bell has been silent, the gymnasium empty, and the sounds of slamming lockers and cheerful cacophony of teenagers on their way to classes cannot be heard.
That changed a bit on April 12 when 79 third-year students visited what should have been their place of study in their high school years in this coastal town.
The students had passed the entrance exam for the the school located on the Yoshina no oka highland--famous for its cherry trees--but the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake changed everything.
As the crisis at the nearby Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant unfolded, the school became off-limits as it fell within the designated no-entry zone. The Odaka Technical High School hopefuls were sent off to study at other high schools or temporary buildings set up in the city outside the no-entry zone.
But with the no-entry designation lifted and temporary visits now allowed, the 79 students visited the school for the first time on April 12. Under a pink canopy of cherry blossoms, their chatter and happy voices brought new life to the school grounds--and wistful thoughts of what might have been.
“We chose this time of year so we could see the school’s cherry blossoms in full bloom,” said Masatoshi Sato, a teacher who helped organize the visit.
Although the grounds were overgrown with weeds and the gym--a former evacuation center--was littered with plastic bottles and trash, it did not hamper the enthusiasm of the students.
About 15 kilometers north of the crippled Fukushima plant, visits to the area are still limited. On this day, the students stayed at the school for about an hour. Prospects for reopening the school remain dim, and it appears unlikely that the third-year students will ever be able to attend classes there. But still, they are hopeful.
“We want to work hard hoping our juniors will be able to return here,” said Yusaku Hayashi, student body president.
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