Of all the host venues of the Rugby World Cup, there are none with as tragic a recent past as the city of Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture.

In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged and destroyed much of the Tohoku coast on which Kamaishi is situated, killing an estimated 20,000 in the region. Along the coast of Iwate Prefecture, reconstruction efforts are still very much evident, and it is impossible to visit the area without acknowledging, with some emotion, the effects of the combined disasters.

With that somber reminder, it is still possible to find special pockets worth visiting, including some of the reconstruction efforts and memorials to the earthquake. Don't expect easy, or particularly relaxing, travels in the region, but with consideration for the locals and the area's recovery, it is a unique part of Japan to visit.