It is funny how road leads onto road, way onto way. It started with a chance encounter with a Japanese novelty train photograph this morning, the trail leading back to the Tohoku earthquake in 2011. The train in question, a converted KiHa 100 series was ploughing a weekly run on the heavily damaged Ofunato line. Later in the day I found the following photo, taken in 2008 in Rikuzen-Takata.



I realised that this was the same train as the Pokemon with You since they share the same number, 100-3. The photo had been taken prior to the March 11 2011 and was shot in its work-a-day livery. The town in the photo above was completely obliterated by the tsumani. The following photo shows its shocking transformation.



Over 1600 people died and over 200 are still missing. More than 80% of all housing was swept away. The town had harbour gates which failed to close and 48 firemen died while trying to close them manually. What does that say about true heroism?

The Pokemon With You is a very special train.