The Meriken Park in Kobe, Japan’s port area is a lovely place to enjoy an evening or pay a visit to the iconic red Kobe port tower. It is a place filled with tourists and locals enjoying the view of the ocean with ritzy hotels and a mall surrounding them. However, in a smaller area of the park, there is a section of the wharf covered with crumbling concrete, its rusted streetlamps still clinging haphazhardly to their foundation. This is part of the Earthquake Memorial Park, which has been left unrepaired in order to serve as a reminder to everyone of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. This earthquake, which left approximately 6,400 victims and 100 billion dollars of damage in its wake, is a very major and devastating part of the city’s history.
I took the picture you see here as the sun dipped below the distant, latticed structure of the Kobe Maritime Museum and, beyond it, the newly-constructed Umie Harborland mall. This striking view resonated deeply within me because of the way the dilapidated ruins of the wharf’s streetlights juxtaposed with the thriving park. I was inspired by the fact that the people of Kobe left this area in ruin as a reminder to themselves, and everyone, of the hardships they overcame. It shows that even though the city suffered this much destruction, they could still move forward and prosper: it is as though Kobe uses this terrible part of their history to show themselves and the world how hard they worked and how far they have come. They do not want to forget this terrible part of their past; instead, they use it to propel them towards the future. Before moving to Kobe in August of 2014, I hardly knew anything about the city, much less the disaster that rocked it to its core. However, I soon learned its importance to the people who live here. Many of its citizens still remember the terrifying tragedy that changed their lives on the early morning of January 17, 1995.
I have always held a distant dream of someday coming to Japan, but it seemed as though it would never become a reality, as I lacked the courage to actually take action and realize my goals.
However, one of the reasons that I am in Japan right now is because of a tragedy that occurred in my own life: the passing of my father. Losing him made me realize just how true the age-old cliché is: life is short. Especially considering that my father himself had so many dreams left unrealized, so many parts of the world left unexplored—I knew I had to act while I still had the chance.
So, as a senior in college in the fall of 2013, I applied to a teaching program in Japan. I graduated college that winter, worked hard and nailed the interview, and moved to Japan in August, 2014. I was overwhelmed with happiness, but also scared, sad, and nervous at the prospect of leaving my beloved family and home for many years. But, I also knew how important it was for me to do this for myself—and for my father—who never got the chance.
A few months later, as I stood looking at the scene you see in this picture, the decrepit wharf area mutilated by the earthquake struck a chord with me. I realized that we all carry scars—some visible, like Kobe’s, and some not, like the loss of a loved one—but we must all be brave and continue with our lives. As Chris Brogan says, “Bravery is about moving forward, because we can never go back.” Everyone has choices. No matter what happens, we all must be courageous and “use whatever past [we] come from as part of the origin story that shapes the hero [we] will become…” (Brogan). If you feel the pull of distant worlds, go explore them. Find places far and wide that inspire you to be brave.
Although the picture here is quite simple, it is still one of my favorites. Whenever I look at it, I am reminded of the deep connection I felt with the city I now call home. The peoples’ resilience and bravery reminds me to keep working towards my own future—whatever that may be. We must all use our pasts to move us forward, just as the people of Kobe have done. I will continue to search out places far and wide as my source for inspiration. I beg you to do the same.
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