After much deliberation we decided to take the risk and move to "disaster-stricken Sendai." When we got to Sendai we were surprised to see a beautiful city standing before us with no signs that the biggest earthquake in Japan's history rocked it a few months prior. Everyone was going about their business, streets were packed with pedestrians and cars. People were laughing, talking and visiting the many stores, restaurants, and bars. This city of a million people did not show visible signs of damage, and we were happy to see that our decision was a good one.
From what we know now, most of the damage happened on the coast, the area we have not visited just yet. The airport was completely damaged but both times I visited it was at night. We drove by a pile of tsunami debris but again at night its hard to tell what exactly you are looking at. Our Japanese friends told us that the streets of Sendai used to be smooth but now they are uneven and bumpy.
The other day I walked around Izumi to see if I could see any visible damage to show you all. Since I grew up in Warsaw and then lived in Chicago for almost 18 years, I know that in all big city there will be damage from cars, people, and the weather. Poland still has buildings that have not been reconstructed after the communist regime swept through and Chicago has the pot holes that could easily engulf a Smart car. So for me actually realizing what was earthquake damage and was just regular city wear and tear has been difficult. But here are some images of damage around Izumi: