For Japan's vernacular media, the March 11 disaster and its aftermath is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla that engulfed coverage of most other news. The items that follow give some idea of the scope of reporting over the past two weeks.
• Under the title "The cruel clawings of a 'monster quake,' " Shukan Shincho (March 24) assembled 28 stories and six photos with captions — virtually the entire magazine except for regular sections. Among the items: Japanese izakaya pubs, beef bowl eateries and bicycle shops had a field day serving stranded Tokyo commuters on March 11. Although the Ginza area was described as a "ghost town," at least one club, Futagoya, claimed it stayed open for business as usual. Using her close connections with taxi operators, its 42-year-old "mama" had reserved cars in advance to transport patrons home.
• When millions of office workers were stranded in central Tokyo and the cell phone system was overburdened, Nikkan Gendai (March 21) looked at some of the unsung heroes that helped people make it through the night. One was Skype, the telephone software that enabled voice communications via smart phones. Others were Internet cafes and manga coffee shops, many of which provide cheap showers for about ¥300. They also have facilities for recharging cell phone batteries and beverage services. The overnight charge to rent a cubicle is as low as ¥2,000. The article also pointed out that iPhones feature an application enabling them to be used as an impromptu flashlight.