A yellow sightseeing bus will set forth on a new life as a school bus
[From Ofunato city-my stricken home town]
-East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Disaster-
Hato Bus donated a sightseeing bus to Ofunato
The bus with two sightseeing guides from the Hato Bus visited the shelter
A yellow sightseeing bus is donated to Ofunato city from Hato Bus Co., on April 21. The city is planning to use this 55-passenger bus as a school bus. The secondhand bus has run over 800,000 km but it is expected using for 10 more years. The sightseeing bus will set forth on a new life as a school bus for students who lost their school and must commute to another school in a distant town. About 260 students in the city must commute on a long way to other schools. Ofunato city has arranged three school buses for these students and the bus donated form Hato Bus Co. will be arranged additionally from July.
A well known sightseeing bus company based on Tokyo has close relationship with Ofunato city. Last summer, Hato Bus Co. had drawn up three days bus tour plan form Tokyo in cooperation with the city which traveled around sightseeing spots in Ofunato. This tour plan was favorably received. The once peaceful city of fishing port has undergone a complete change. ‘Victim citizens must need a bus.’ Some company staff thought when they saw the badly damaged scene of the city on the TV program. A proposal of donating a used sightseeing bus to the city was made on the end of March.
The donation ceremony of the bus is held in the shelter and two acting sightseeing bus guides from Hato Bus Co. attended. Ofunato city is actually home town of Ms. Ai Yachi (26) and Ms. Mayu Sato (19). They enthusiastically sung a popular enka ballad ‘Kitaguni-no-haru’ or ‘a northern province in spring’ accompanied by beating time with about 30 refugees’ hands in the shelter. The song was one of biggest hits presented by famous singer Masao Sen from neighboring city Rikusen-takata. They also sung ZARD’s popular Japanese pop song ‘Makenaide’ or ‘never give up’ for refugees in the shelter. They also hand over a card with messages from their colleagues.
‘We like to back up our home town forever. Although, we live apart from Ofunato, we are one in body and mind.’ Ms. Yachi’s eyes are filled with tears. Ms. Mitsuko Asano (83), one of the refugees in the shelter said, ‘Your songs have really encouraged us.’
＜Reference＞
http://haneda.keizai.biz/
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