Photo/Illutration Kazuya Iwaki puts out a “noren” curtain in front of his izakaya on Feb. 16 in Morioka. (Hideyuki Miura)

MORIOKA--As darkness descended on the Uchimaru district here in December, a red “chochin” paper lantern was lit up outside Fukuju Maru, one of the many tiny eateries in the neighborhood.

Fukuju Maru, an “izakaya” Japanese-style pub, can fit only 10 customers. But its owner, Kazuya Iwaki, 66, and his partner, Junko Onodera, 61, are kept busy serving drinks and meals to patrons.

A photograph and a newspaper article from 30 years ago appear on a wall in the eatery.

Iwaki looks at the wall to remember the good times he spent with a long lost loved one. But the picture and article always bring about mixed feelings.

The photo shows a 1.9-ton compact fishing boat that had been used by Kazuya’s father, Tetsuro, 92, and younger brother Shiro to catch scallops and other seafood.

Tetsuro had been a fisherman based in the Sanrikucho district of Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture.

The newspaper article reported on the appearance of Tetsuro and Shiro as extras in the popular movie series “Tsuribaka Nisshi” (Fishing fool’s diary) filmed in Kamaishi in the prefecture.

An image of the two grinning shyly was attached to the story.

Kazuya said he is always impressed by the “good smiles of the pair.” And he also feels a sense of regret.

“I should have switched places with Shiro,” Kazuya said.

LEFT FAMILY BEHIND

After graduating from high school, Kazuya headed for Tokyo to become a cook.

Shiro remained in their hometown of Ofunato to take over the family’s business from Tetsuro, as well as the boat, named Fukuju Maru.

Three decades ago, after Kazuya finished his cooking training in the capital, he opened the izakaya in Morioka, the capital of Iwate Prefecture. He did not hesitate to name it Fukuju Maru.

As the eldest son in the household, Kazuya still felt pangs of guilt about leaving his family behind.

Shiro, however, never blamed his older brother. Almost weekly, Shiro would bring fresh seafood to Kazuya’s shop, saying, “These are tasty and will bring in customers.”

Kazuya recalled that his kind, gentle brother was always smiling.

Shiro had also taken leadership roles in his community, such as coaching a boys’ baseball team.

“No one around him spoke ill of him,” Kazuya said.

SWEPT AWAY AT FLOODGATE

Shiro was engulfed in the towering tsunami spawned by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, in Ofunato. He was 45.

He was survived by his wife and their son, a junior high school student at the time.

Tetsuro, who had been in Ofunato during the disaster, said he will never forget that day.

“Shiro finished the daily fishing process in the morning and returned to his home on elevated land,” Tetsuro said. “After the quake hit, Shiro, as a local volunteer fire brigade member, instructed residents to flee to higher ground in case of tsunami. He then went to a floodgate to close it.”

TOO EARLY TO TALK

Twelve years after the catastrophe, Kazuya heard a tipsy customer ask what the Great East Japan Earthquake was like in Morioka, given that “Iwate was affected by the temblor like elsewhere.”

The question was made out of a sense of curiosity.

With a wry smile on his face, Kazuya replied, “Um, it was terrible around here, too.”

The customer became excited, and said, “The quake must have been as violent as I thought.”
Kazuya gently admonished the patron.

“Everything was shaken very violently,” he said. “But please note that it is still too early for people in Iwate to talk frankly about the disaster.”

Kazuya turned away and looked at the news article and the photo of Fukuju Maru.

Related News