Demolition of My Family House June 29, 2011

The buildings along the coast and behind Marine Pal are in the process of demolition.  The Chamber of Commerce’s building that was standing several meters from my parents’ house has been demolished as of Wednesday, June 22.
A large crane truck was lifting and taking down the buildings recklessly.  The grit was flying all over the place and the buildings diminished quite easily.

I asked the building department of Onagawa about my parent’s house and nearby buildings.  A clerk told me that Sasaki Portrait Studio and Sato Kogyo, the steel skeleton next to the studio would be demolished very soon.  A heavy equipment to break the steel skeleton is supposed to arrive in Onagawa this week.  Upon the equipment’s arrival and the approval from owners if possible, the buildings will be demolished one by one.  Instead of requesting to keep the building persistently, it is better to leave this type of thing up to the government at its convenience.  It would be too much for us to handle if we leave it for now and the expense for demolition is billed to us later.

The dark room survived the tsunami and my parent house diminished to 1/8 in size!
Even though the house is in this condition, I felt reassured very much, knowing that a part of the house was saved.
I thought I wanted to take pictures of the demolition of the house, so I asked a clerk about it.  I thought it over.  Perhaps, it would make me feel sadder.  Perhaps it might be better that the house disappears without its being noticed.  I am going to Onagawa this weekend.  I wonder if this visit would be my last (before the demolition) or this photo would be the last (one with the house) I am going to see.