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Community Corner

Local Artist Returns Home Safe from Japan

New details emerge from local woman's trip to Japan

For most of us, the destruction resulting from Japan’s earthquake appeared as flashes of news on TV or the Internet.

For Diane Winter Sunshine and her daughter–Maura Bohan of Briarcliff Manor–it was much

Sunshine was traveling through Japan a part of a tour group comprised of roughly 20 ceramics museum professionals from France, Australia, England and the United States. After spending time in Tokyo, the group departed for the pottery town of Mashiko, north of Tokyo, well known for its kilns and ceramic shops.

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It was while they were in The Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art that the 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit.

“It was like being under a bridge as a train passed overhead,” said Sunshine. "Things in the museum started shaking, but fortunately many items were pinned down with wire. Several pieces fell, but there was no extensive damage since many pieces were secured.”

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However, the pottery shops, sprinkled throughout the village, suffered extensive losses.

As it turned out, Sunshine's tour group was approximately 150 miles from the epicenter.

“When the lights went out in the museum, we were able to open a door which provided light and led to a courtyard," Sunshine explained. "We moved out to the courtyard."

Both the museum director and the Japanese travel guide directed the group to remain in the museum’s courtyard. While there, the travelers experienced several aftershocks which Sunshine described, “like being on a kid’s ride.”

The group alternated between the museum’s café and courtyard, as the after shocks continued.

Although the museum had neither light nor heat, what little food that was available at the museum’s café was generously shared with the travelers.

“Our group remained cool and good humored,” Sunshine relayed.

Since road closures prevented the group from journeying to its next destination, Nikko, rooms were sought out in the village. Finding only a handful of small, cramped rooms, with no nearby bathroom availability, the group decided to spend the night on the bus. Sunshine said the unusual lodging experience "was as if someone came and sprinkled sleep dust on our group…we were all were able to sleep.”

Cleverly positioning the bus to beam it’s headlights on nearby public facilities, which had running water and were immaculately clean, safe access was provided to the travelers throughout the night.  

It wasn’t until they later reached Kyoto, via the bullet train, that they became aware of the enormous destruction from the quake and subsequent tsunami. Although ensuing food and electricity rations did not impact the tour group, it slowly began to disintegrate.

The French government recalled its citizens traveling abroad, which quickly prompted the five French members of group to scramble for transportation out of Japan. Similarly, others tried to leave the country as well. Sunshine, who would have preferred to continue her trip, decided to return home once her traveling partner indicated she would be departing. Sunshine made it home, albeit through a circuitous route arranged by her travel agent.

Surprisingly, this wasn’t Sunshine’s first encounter with an earthquake.

While travelling through China years ago, Sunshine experienced the impact of an earthquake. Reflecting upon the differences between Chinese and Japanese reactions, Sunshine found the locals in Japan to be “not cool, but calm” compared to a “more intense anxiety” exhibited by Chinese residents.

When asked about the proximity of the Indian Point Nuclear Plant to Briarcliff Manor, Sunshine responded, “It impacts my anxiety about the plant and that many precautions are taken so accidents don’t occur.”

Although Sunshine’s group was unable to complete its tour, it was able to perform a benevolent gesture prior to departing. While many of the gallery’s pieces were saved from damage, one young artist in particular suffered a major loss, his kiln.  Generously, the group purchased many pieces of art from the artist in an effort to help restore his livelihood.

Bohan was relieved as well.

Prior to her mother's safe return she said, "I have to hear my mother's voice."

Well, she has.

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