It has been three years since the July 2018 heavy rains.
On the way to the venue, Takahashi River Mabi Kawabe Fureai Ground, I saw new houses lining the road.
I felt that recovery was progressing and sensed the strength of the people living in Mabi, while once again remembering that a disaster had indeed occurred here.
Here is a report on the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival, held for the third time in 2021.
The information provided was accurate when this article was published in July 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival
The Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival is a festival that brings together two sentiments: remembrance and the journey of recovery toward the future.
Held at Takahashi River Mabi Kawabe Fureai Ground, it featured food stalls and displays of vehicles used in disasters, as well as stage events such as Japanese drum performances and karaoke.
The 2021 festival, the last memorial and reconstruction festival, was held amid restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To enter the venue, visitors had to wear masks, have their temperatures checked, and use alcohol-based sanitizer.
Because it was an event that brought together a large crowd, thorough measures were taken to prevent the spread of infection.
And the highlights of the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival were, without a doubt, LED sky lanterns and 2,000 fireworks.
What the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival was like
The weather forecast for the day called for a 60 percent chance of rain!
It started raining soon after I arrived at the venue, and I worried, “Maybe the fireworks will be canceled…”
Despite the bad weather, the venue was full of people holding umbrellas.
People of all ages—families, groups of friends, couples, and more—were enjoying the festival.
Here and there were adorable girls wearing yukata.
I headed straight for the exhibition booths.
At the bamboo lights and Amabie statue by the “Mabi Regional Revitalization Support Team—Bamboo Lights,” LED lights illuminated them at night, and a gentle glow spilled through the intricately crafted bamboo.
▼ Karaoke was underway on stage.
A little child was singing in front of a large crowd! I was impressed by their courage.
I missed it because of the timing, but there was also a Japanese drum performance by high school students.
▼ There was a long line at the food stalls!
Sixteen vendors had set up stalls, and delicious smells wafted through the air from festival favorites such as okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and ice cream.
So many people were in line that I thought, “I can eat later,” and put it off. I ended up missing out, which I still regret a little.
Specified Nonprofit Corporation Gorilla (Gorilla) Yasuya
Yasuko is also a staff member of Gorilla, the specified nonprofit corporation that organizes the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival.
She sells acrylic scrubbers, keychains, magnets, and other items to raise funds for Gorilla’s activities.
She met Gorilla while collecting used clothes and hangers to send to disaster-stricken areas, and later became a staff member.
The keychains she was selling had completely sold out!
Medical tent for emergency aid
The medical tent for emergency aid is primarily used in disaster relief, allowing patients to be treated in a tent instead of a hospital.
It was not used during the July 2018 heavy rains, but apparently it was deployed after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.
Cool air is sent into the tent through an external pipe, replacing the warm air inside.
The tent was cool and very comfortable.
Apparently, it is warm in winter, too, so it is comfortable inside despite being a tent.
There is plenty of space, enough to fit around four to six beds.
Hidenobu Yokomatsu of the Japanese Red Cross Society Okayama Chapter explained the medical tent for emergency aid in detail.
He was friendly and answered all my questions!
Ambulance
This vehicle is actually an ambulance.
It looks like a big camper van, doesn’t it?
And that’s exactly what it is: a camper van used as an ambulance.
This ambulance is staffed by a team of six.
A team of doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, administrative staff, and others rushes to disaster-stricken areas.
Think of it as a clinic that travels to disaster-stricken areas, receiving and treating patients on the spot.
The vehicle is equipped with a stretcher, running water, a refrigerator, oxygen cylinders, and other supplies, as well as a treatment light, making emergency treatment possible.
Lighting vehicle
As its name suggests, the lighting vehicle can illuminate an area with its lights.
It is used for nighttime work and was reportedly deployed in Mabi during the July 2018 heavy rains.
When a disaster such as a landslide occurs and urgent restoration work is needed, the lighting vehicle comes into play.
There is also a camera next to the lights, which is used to monitor areas at risk of landslides.
The lights can reach a maximum height of 10 meters and illuminate about 200 meters—bright enough to read a newspaper.
Ken Uehara of the Takahashi River and Oda River Emergency Flood Control Measures River Office, Chugoku Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, explained the lighting vehicle.
He answered my questions carefully!
Drainage pump vehicle
Drainage pump vehicles are rarely deployed, and even staff at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism seldom see one.
These vehicles are used when flooding is likely or has occurred due to typhoons or heavy rain, so it is better if they are never needed.
Mobile crane
The mobile crane truck played an active role in river construction work in Mabi.
Its job is to lift and position sandbags and concrete.
The crane can carry loads weighing 1–2 tons and can lift a single kei car and move it 20–25 meters.
A spectacular sight! 2,000 fireworks
Perhaps the organizers’ heartfelt wishes were answered: the rain stopped at 8 p.m., just as the fireworks began, and they lit up the night sky.
As the sound of the fireworks washed over us, it felt as though the pent-up frustration from having to endure so much because of the COVID-19 pandemic was released all at once.
The fireworks were not only a prayer for recovery, but also seemed to give energy and hope to people struggling through the pandemic and encourage them to keep going.
Sky lanterns, which had been said to be impossible because of the rain, were also launched at short notice. There were fewer than planned, but their gentle light illuminated the night sky.
From the Writer
Perhaps thanks to the wishes of the organizers and the many people who had been looking forward to the third-anniversary event, the rain stopped and all the events were held.
Many people must have been encouraged by the Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival, held almost miraculously despite circumstances close to being beyond anyone’s control: the COVID-19 pandemic and the rain.
It was an event filled with heartfelt passion, giving people the chance to take another step forward, renew their resolve, and keep working toward the future.
Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival: Information
| Name | Mabi Memorial and Reconstruction Festival |
|---|---|
| Date | July 3, 2021 (Sat), 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. |
| Location | 1096 Kawabe, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
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