Tokyo, 15 September, /AJMEDIA/
The Tour de Tohoku 2024, a bicycle ride along the coast of Miyagi Prefecture to support reconstruction efforts in the area hit by a tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, was held on Sunday with 1,303 riders.
Participants from all over the country set off from Ishinomaki in the morning and rode through disaster-stricken areas where signs of damage remain, Kyodo News reported.
Before setting off, participants offered a moment of silence for the victims of the disaster at the starting point. Three courses were set up, and the longest course, 180 km, went around Onagawa, Minamisanriku and Kesennuma. In Minamisanriku, the ride passed near the former disaster prevention office building, a skeletal remnant of the disaster.
At rest areas, soup made with seafood from Sanriku and grilled scallops were served, and there was also interaction with local volunteers.
The event was first held in 2013 and this year marks its 11th time, having been canceled once due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
