Key Points
- Nobuyuki Miura was set to open a community hub featuring a restaurant, cafe, and herb garden when a disaster struck just 10 days before the scheduled launch.
- Despite initial thoughts of giving up, overwhelming encouragement from the local community and online supporters motivated Miura to pursue reconstruction.
- The project received nearly 200 relief packages from across Japan via an Amazon Wishlist, demonstrating the impact of digital mutual aid.
- A crowdfunding campaign is currently underway to restore the facility and provide a space for local interaction once again.
Full Transcript (English)
Guest (Nobuyuki Miura): When the disaster hit, I honestly thought about quitting. That feeling was quite strong. But when the people around me started saying, “Let’s do this!” I felt like I had no choice but to join in. They really pulled me along, and I’m so grateful for that. If it had just been me, I probably would have stopped.
Host: Right after it happened, you mentioned receiving messages from many people, including on Instagram. It seems that circle of support has grown even wider since then.
Guest (Nobuyuki Miura): Yes, that’s right. After the disaster, we asked for support through an Amazon Wishlist, and we received nearly 200 items from people all over the country. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone across Japan. Also, the local people here have been so supportive. They’ve been saying things like, “It’s okay, we’re worried, but it’ll work out,” and “We want you to get this place up and running.” Since the only thing I can really do is rebuild this place, I’m just so thankful to be at a point where I can finally stand at the starting line again.
