When the March 11 earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan, numerous volunteer organizations rushed to help the survivors with basic necessities like food and clothing.
As the months passed, they found that the needs of the survivors were changing with time.
A group named Ganbaranba has visited Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, once every month since April to serve udon (wheat flour noodles) from the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture — close to the hometown of its leader, Yasuo Yamada. As they served the udon, the group interacted with the people in Ofunato and tried to determine their needs at that particular time.