I, like many millions of people in Tokyo were at work when the earthquakes hit us. I have no idea how we managed to keep on our feet, I have literally been in subway fires that were less scary than these quakes (I say quakes in plural because latest research tells us that it was in fact a series of unrelated quakes in different areas off the coast of Japan). I was lucky enough to be able to walk home from my office in a mere 1,5 hours. The roads were blocked with cars, and the sidewalks were full of people in good cheer on their way home. During the walk I struck up several conversations with complete strangers and most people seemed happy to engage in banter. A smile helps a lot when you are worried or scared about friends and family.
Here are some photos I took passing Ikebukuro station in north-central Tokyo, of police and emergency vehicles showing just how well prepared we were. The police did a great job helping stranded train passengers and worried members of the public with directions and advice on where to spend the night.
All of these images are offered under a CC (Creative Commons license, you may print, use, alter or publish these images as long as you attribute them to Tokyobling, this blog). Higher resolution images can be request through contacting me at my gmail account or in the account section. My email address is name of the blog @ gmail. Enjoy!
