Iitate Village
Aiko Saito

“Resumption of Connection.”

“Before The Great East Japan Earthquake, I had been opening a health class in the region or visiting residents and hearing from them in a field. There was also a house like a conversation lounge.”
We had a sense of loss we lost houses, fields, nature, work, family life, community network which we take for granted, after the earthquake. Many people in the village became physically-inactive after losing their job. People get lifestyle diseases due to lack of exercise, or get disease of the mind by stress of an unaccustomed refuge life seemed to be increasing. By using ICT tablet distributed to each home, radio gymnastics which health nurse exercises as a model have been encouraged.
“Although purpose is to get people exercise while watching it, I wanted to convey a message ‘we health nurses support your health' to people who can't participate in health class. I'm glad to hear 'I always use the tablet’”
“I walk by myself, listen to residents, and connect them to the health service. I see their face and they see my face. I like the feeling of distance. I want to continue to visit and listen from each of them.”

Interviewed in February, 2014
Photographer : Hiroyuki Tamura