Previously, from Tokyo: A week ago, I posted a letter from Sachiko Takagi--a Japanese woman who spent time in America and now lives in Tokyo. Her letter was a first person account of the aftermath of the earthquake, the tsunami, and the nuclear reactor failure. Her letter was calm and heartbreaking, brave and reflective of how life has changed, never to be the same again.
Photo of ripping earth from Geekosystem, via Jefferson Santos via Ryan LeFevre.
Postcards of kindness: I asked for postcards for the children of Japan. I thought it might be a small kindness, to let these children know they are not forgotten, that people far away think of them and are sending them messages of hope.
Meanwhile, I have heard from Sachiko again. Here is her message:
March 28, Going Forward
“Our biggest concern is the condition of Fukushima nuclear plants.
No one seems to have ideas on how and when the plants will be cool down.
Which means that radiation will be spread out through air and water for months and, possibly, years.
People who are evacuated from homes wonder when they go back to home.
Bottles of waters were completely out of stock at supermarkets, drugstore and vending machines.
I found a note at the supermarket nearby, which states that bottled waters are available only to people who have the certificate that they have infants at home.
We have been accustomed to life with dim light and expected power shut down.
For more than two weeks, we have been watching painful scenes on TV.
At a destructed elementary school, only bags, textbooks and shoes were left and no children left.
A crying mother was desperately searching for the belongings of her lost child.
These painful scenes…
Yesterday, I had a walk and stop by an art gallery.
Watching pictures and paintings, I felt my heart revived.
We need the power of the art to live now.
We have a long way to go.
Knowing your heart is with us is a great support.
Thank you for all.”
You can still participate by sending a postcard. You don’t have to be an artist to doodle on a card and add a few encouraging words of love, of hope, of encouragement. If you don’t want to make a postcard, you can buy one. Please send your cards to:
Sakura Children c/o
P.O. Box 12183
Glendale, AZ 85318
“Sakura” means Cherry Blossom in Japanese.
If you would rather donate money, here is a list of donation sites.
QuinnCreative 
I hope that this isn’t a stupid question, but is it okay to send more than one? I just want to make sure it’s not going to be too expensive for you to mail them.
You are kind to ask. Yes, more than one is fine. You can send them as completed postcards, through the mail (that raised the art card value) or you can send several in an envelope. You can send one or many. I can fit a lot of postcards in a small box, and I’m happy to pay for the postage. I’m not expecting thousand of postcards, although there are thousands of displaced children in Japan.
I love love this idea! Will get mine done/posted to you this weekend (international is ok, right? I’m British…) xx
International is even more wonderful. Thank you for joining up! It makes me feel like I am doing something I know how to do. Thank you for your generosity.
Finished 2, they’ll be in the mail today. Thanks Quinn for taking on this project!
http://carolynsnehring.blogspot.com/2011/04/postcards-to-children-of-japan.html
What a wonderful caring idea. I have asked my collage class to each make a post card and send it to you. A sweet project – thank you.
Thanks so much April. I wanted to do something from the heart that brought warmth to these kids.
I assume we decorate the front and half the back and leave the address portion blank…but I’m just checking. Wonderful idea, I’d love to make some!
You can do this in two ways–one is to do exactly as you said–decorate the front, write a message on half the back, and leave the address portion blank. That would require sending them to me in an envelope. But because I will send them in packages, they are actually considered “art” if you create them and send them to me as postcards–they have real artistic value and heart value–which his why you can address them to the “Sakura children”–and mail them to me as postcards. I will then ship them to my contact in Japan, who will distribute them to schools.
would love to have my cruisers make these on the ship, do you have a deadline? my friend lynn sent me! great idea, quinn, love it!!
Lynn is a friend of mine, too. I’m going to her place next week to make some cards. There is no deadline–whenever I get cards, I will send them on to Japan.I would SO love to be on that cruise with you! I can see the boat rocking with laughter and fun all the way from here!