The largest and deadliest earthquake to strike Japan in a dozen years hit New Year’s Day on the Noto Peninsula, causing destruction in the Ishikawa Prefecture that spread across the country’s west coast.
The two cities began celebrating the 60th anniversary of their friendship Friday with a delegation of 12 from Kanazawa. Ceremonial events were held at the Buffalo History Museum, along with cultural demonstrations and the unveiling of two artworks by Western New York artists to commemorate the ties between the two cities.
Kanazawa, a Buffalo sister city 75 miles away from the epicenter, avoided related fatalities, but not destruction.
More than 125 deaths had been reported over the weekend, mainly in communities closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, where it registered 7.6 in magnitude on the Richter scale.
Many homes in Kanazawa were damaged, as well as important sites, including Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Onohiyoshi Shrine and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
“Thankfully, all our contacts in Kanazawa are safe, but the damage is pretty extensive, particularly in the Prefecture,” said Christopher Morrison, president of the Japan Culture Center of Western New York.
It is why Japanese government officials have asked the center…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply