A local shop selling "takoyaki" octopus dumplings that was wiped out in the deadly tsunami of March 2011 has reopened in the port town of Yuriage in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture.
A single, longtime fan, yearning to taste the original recipe of former store owner Kiyo Hashiura, 92, who was swept away in the disaster, restarted the business last year. The store now attracts lengthy lines.
Raising the red flag of Yuriage Takoyaki high above his truck — which he has converted into a mobile food stall — 36-year-old Yukihiro Sato now serves portions of three takoyaki — grilled balls of batter with a piece of octopus inside — on skewers, lathered with sweet, thick sauce.