The story headlined "Tsunami-hit Miyagi rail line back" in the May 31 edition moved me to tears.
I rode the line over 10 years when I was a student and remember especially Nobiru Station (in Higashimatsushima, Miyagi Prefecture), where an American oyster inspector and I used to get off to inspect a nearby oyster packing site.
Also my brother lived in Onagawa and after the disaster, we visited the town on the train. The area around Nobiru Station looked like a wild desert!
The line is the most important means of transportation for the people between Sendai and Ishinomaki. If we ride cars and buses, we often meet with traffic jams. Another newspaper tells us that a few people were waving tairyobata (a tradition flag flown by fishing boats signaling a big catch). We understand and share the happiness and harmony in the community awareness.
I hope that the complete reconstruction of Senseki Line will bring about unity and prosperity of the area!
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.