"" Reconstruction Olympics "in name only and"


"There is no sin in the player. However, this much I want to say. What's" reconstruction Olympics, ""



On the SNS, philosophy of "reconstruction Olympics", which is listed in the Tokyo Olympic Games There are also a series of people who feel uncomfortable with the Olympic Games.

How did the people in the disaster-stricken areas of Tokyo look at the 17-day Tokyo Olympics?

In the eyes of a long-established store owner of Kitakata ramen ...

The afternoon of the 8th of this month, when the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics was held and the tournament ended.



I visited the product building "Nihonbashi Fukushimakan MIDETTE" in Fukushima prefecture, located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.

Kenichi Yadame (66), the owner of the long-established Kitakata ramen shop Maruya, opens a store every month.



Fans from all over the country will come and the business will be closed as soon as the soup runs out.



Many customers visited on the 8th, and the store was closed early in the afternoon.

Persistent rumors damage

Mr. Yadame started opening a store at the Bussankan in Tokyo because he has been suffering from persistent rumors due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company.



It is said that the number of customers at the store in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, has decreased by nearly 80% at one point, and even now, 10 years after that, only about half of the stores have returned.



Every month, I go to Tokyo and run the store by myself, hoping to spread the taste of Kitakata and to know the current situation in the disaster area.

Even if you have high expectations for the "Reconstruction Olympics" ...

How did the Tokyo Olympics look in the eyes of Mr. Yadame?



When asked, he answered as follows.



"It's better to think about the Olympics and reconstruction separately. I don't think there are any visible results of reconstruction in the last 10 years, so I can't help but have great expectations for the word" reconstruction Olympics. "



He continued to talk, "But," and revealed his mixed feelings.



"Even if I thought it was unavoidable to expect it, I wanted any small thing to be the" trigger "to change the negative image of Fukushima Prefecture as much as possible."

A small "trigger" to change

There was an event in which Mr. Yadame felt that "trigger".



That is, Fukushima's peach became a hot topic on SNS for a while.



The director of the American softball team talked about the peaches he ate in Fukushima as "delicious" and became a hot topic on the internet.



On the weekend after that, there was a line of about 30 people in front of the product hall, and it is said that sales of peaches have increased by about 40% compared to the average year.



(Mr. Kenichi Yadame)


"As Fukushima's peaches became a hot topic, I think it was an opportunity for people around the world to get to know Fukushima's" now "while watching the Tokyo Olympics through TV and the Internet. Masu. Some people in Fukushima still want to come and see the situation affected by the nuclear accident. On the other hand, 10 years after the earthquake, their lives gradually returned to recovery. I think some people want to know the current situation where the situation is progressing. Also, some people want to know that the food in Fukushima, which has been damaged by rumors, is safe and secure. I want people all over the world to know more. If the Tokyo Olympics were the catalyst for that, I would be glad to hold it. "

"Reconstruction is still ahead"

According to "Nihonbashi Fukushimakan MIDETTE", the number of visitors to the product hall increased by about 20% compared to the average year during the Olympic Games, and the flowers of eustoma from Fukushima prefecture, which are used for medalist Victory bouquets, are also gaining popularity. It means that it is.



(Person in charge at Nihonbashi Fukushimakan)


"The food in Fukushima, including peaches, is delicious if you eat it. I was surprised and happy to experience the Olympics as a trigger. It is the same as reconstruction to let many people know about Fukushima, and I think it is important to proceed steadily step by step. ”



Mr. Yadame is in a hurry before returning to Fukushima. At the end, he talked about this while cleaning up.



(Mr. Kenichi Yadame)


"Reconstruction is still a long way off. Please remember us who want to use the Tokyo Olympics as a trigger for reconstruction."