A painting expressing the reconstruction and people's bonds with a lemon, which is a local specialty, was dedicated to an island shrine in Kamijima Town, Ehime Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the heavy rains in western Japan four years ago in July.
The "Western Hachiman Shrine" on Iwagi Island in Kamijima Town has been rebuilt by soliciting donations on the Internet after the shrine and other buildings were severely damaged by the heavy rains in western Japan.
Then, in July, on the 11th, four years before the disaster, a painting depicting a local specialty lemon was dedicated.
The picture of the bell-shaped fruit and countless flowers facing each other carefully expresses the lustrous lemon-colored surface and the pink buds opening into white flowers.
The author is Yoko Nomura, a painter known for miniature paintings of plants as they are, and has experience of moving to the island after the disaster and interacting with local people.
Mr. Nomura said, "I hope that people who have been affected by the disaster will be requiescated and that they will live in a positive attitude, such as cultivating lemons, in order to pass on the memories of the disaster to future generations."
Approximately 50 locals gathered in the precincts, and the woman who participated said, "I am grateful that the painting made me feel that this area was once again united."
The man also said, "I'm going to fall in love with the real lemon as it is. I think it's wonderful because you can see it coming to visit."