When Rice is Life, But Can't Buy One Somehow Now!
Very hot summer blues in Japan this year and we squarely face the lack of staple food. Rice is life for me, but I can’t buy one somehow now! After the earthquake in Western Japan on August 8 with Magnitude 7.1, news and social media posts about rice shortage were circulating in many prefectures around the Nankai trough. It’s a 600-kilometer stretch from Miyazaki Prefecture to Shizuoka Prefecture. This was aggravated when the Mega-Quake Advisory was issued by the government.  As I I live in Tokyo, the capital city of this rich country, I thought we will not be affected.  I got busy with my nonstop report on different Bombo Radyo stations then. When I had the time to go to nearby supermarkets like Inageya and Big-A in Higashiyamato City the following day, there were still bags of rice on the shelves so I didn’t bother to get an extra supply of rice. After a few days, I went to 3 grocery stores in 2 different cities and not a single bag of rice can be found. Â
I noted the days I couldn’t find rice in my area and there were more posts on rice shortage in many parts of Japan. Observing and waiting for any “violent reaction” from the locals and internationals….
Days, weeks and more than a month, but no loud qualms of people in Japan, especially the people around me though we talked a bit about it. How did we survive?
Some of my students shared in the class that their family ate spaghetti for a week. Others ate bread and noodles. I shared to them about the global oil crisis in the 1970s and how my family faced the same dilemma of shortage of rice supply. It’s an exposure for my students on how the Filipinos cope with the challenges in life.  They knew so well the country I came from, but I’m a living testimony on how I’m dealing various crises. 🙂
Shop-hopping in search of the elusive rice….Still observing if someone will “become emotional or express violent reaction” because of this rice shortage in Japan. I’ve been living here for more than 32 years and this is my first time to encounter this situation. I’m actually taking it lightly as I can still find some alternatives. I bought some beans, sweet potatoes, barleys and flours.
It’s encouraging that the first to express concern was a fellow foreigner — my Chinese student! She asked me many times if I need rice as she can give me even a few cups.  Another one is a Filipina mom, a graduate of our TESOL/TEFL Certification Course living in Ibaraki.
In times like this, you can feel the love and concern of people. Some of my Facebook friends also shared their concern and even advised me to start eating bread. Let’s see how long we can keep calm and quiet with this dilemma. Kalma lang! 🙂
Peacock, one of the 3 grocery stores around my district in Tachikawa City, sell rice packs that can just be heated in the microwave oven or soaked the whole plastic pack in hot water.  The first time I ate this kind of rice was when I volunteered in the Kobe Earthquake in 1995. In the middle of the building rubbles, rubbish and aftershocks, I can still remember my surprise and respect on the Japanese innovation even on simple packed rice for survival. They seem to always have a solution to any of their circumstance!  So I believe we can survive this rice crisis together!
Someday in the future, I will look back on the hottest summer time in Japan where we also cope with the rice crisis. The good thing about blogging and vlogging, I can just read and relive memories of trials and survival…and how our gracious God sustained and protected me.  He also used people to meet my needs and even inspired me to think beyond my own circumstance. In times like this, we can seek opportunities in Japan and beyond how we can support each other.
“The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.Â
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Â
              Psalm 23
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