Japan Disaster: Relief & Recovery

New Beginnings in Noto: A Conversation with an Aspiring Disaster Response Nurse

As the weather finally warms up on the Noto Peninsula, flowers are blooming and residents are enjoying cherry blossom festivals. Many earthquake survivors, like 18-year-old Nanami, are also welcoming new beginnings. 

Nanami was born and raised in Suzu. After the 2024 New Year’s Day earthquake, she and her family spent time living in their car before Nanami left Suzu to live with relatives. A few months later, she returned to a hometown that had changed completely. The experience inspired Nanami to become a disaster relief nurse, and this spring, she took her first steps toward achieving her dream.

Nanami kindly sat down with Peace Winds to share her story.

“Suzu City, where I was born and raised, is full of clean air, crystal clear seas, and neighbors who treat me like family. Growing up, our neighbors would welcome me home from school each day. They’d share vegetables from their garden, and I would use them to cook meals that we ate together. In the summer, everyone in the community comes together for festivals and local traditions. Even though it’s not a big city with shopping malls or anything like that, I love Suzu because it’s filled with beautiful nature and my friends and family.

“At midnight on New Year’s Day, my family always walks to the shrine near our house to pray, and then we ring the bell at the shrine to welcome the new year. We were all gathered at my grandmother’s house to celebrate just before the earthquake struck.

“As soon as I got back to my house at 4:10 p.m. that afternoon, there was a massive tremor, and my mind went blank. I went outside and saw that my neighbor’s house had collapsed, and I got very scared.

“I walked with my family to a nearby elementary school, which was crowded with people who had evacuated. My family decided to spend three days sleeping in our car. It was really cold, but we couldn’t leave the engine running for too long, so we would turn it on and off every hour to keep warm.

“My grandmother’s health began deteriorating after several days, so my siblings and I decided to leave Suzu with her and stay at my mother’s parents’ house. My parents were still working in Suzu, so they stayed behind. As we were leaving, I saw my beloved neighbor’s collapsed house and wondered if I was making the right decision. 

“Two months later, our house was thankfully in a habitable condition, so I was able to move back. I remember feeling so happy and relieved to see my friends at school again. I think that having my friends around was what allowed me to stay focused on my studies that year, despite the stressful situation I was in.

“We lived without running water for about three months, which made going to the bathroom really difficult. I was saddened by the way my hometown had changed, but on the other hand, I was so grateful for the support we were receiving from the community and others who wanted to help. I couldn’t pack a lunch to take to school, so it warmed my heart when people handed us meals at food distribution centers.

“As I interacted with these people who were responding to the disaster, I thought to myself, ‘Next time, I want to be in a position to help the people who are experiencing what I’m going through now.’

“I was in my third year of high school and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my future, and as I was doing research in books and online, the term ‘disaster relief nurse’ caught my eye. I was really drawn to it, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do. I had actually dreamed of becoming a school nurse ever since I was in elementary school. I loved the idea of caring for children. But after experiencing the earthquake, I found myself wanting to help people of all ages.

“I’m excited for the future, but I also know it will be tough to respond to natural disasters. This spring, I’m going to start nursing school and plan to study hard with classmates who share the same passions as me.”

During the interview, Nanami mentioned that she saw videos of Peace Winds nurses during disaster response missions on YouTube and said she wanted to be like them. Peace Winds invited Nanami to help with a tea hour that the disaster team was hosting as part of its regular community events.

Nanami’s bubbly personality made it easy for her to talk with the guests, and she helped Peace Winds nurses with blood pressure checks throughout the event. Her natural sense of compassion shone through during the time that our staff got to know her. We know this will take her far, and we wish her the best as she begins her journey in nursing school.

Like Nanami, Peace Winds staff in Noto have not lost sight of helping disaster-affected residents return to their homes and daily lives as soon as possible. More than a year later, the majority of survivors who were living in evacuation centers have transitioned into temporary housing units, and others who were unable to do so have moved back into their damaged homes. The Peace Winds team continues to visit residents in their homes, many of whom are elderly, to conduct wellness checks and help them with tasks such as household chores, grocery and medication delivery, and basic home repairs. As others settle into temporary housing, Peace Winds will be helping them furnish their new units with standard appliances (toasters, hot plates, AC/heaters, etc.) through the end of May. Peace Winds staff and volunteers are also undertaking a range of community initiatives, such as helping local crews clearing debris from drainage channels and beaches.