Tour de Tohoku 2019 Yowamushi Pedal Gallery

[Umebachi]

Tour de Tohoku (TDT) is a scenic cycling event that takes place along the coast of Miyagi prefecture - areas severely damaged by the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami.  The event raises funds to support the Tohoku recovery efforts, and also serves to introduce the Tohoku region to outsiders. 

 

In 2019,  the TDT collaborated with the creators of "Yowamushi Pedal", a popular sports anime about competitive cyclists.  The artists prepared a beautiful gallery of illustrations for the event, featuring Yuzuru Hanyu among the 16 well-known Pedal characters.  Huge panels of the illustrations were shown around Japan (I saw them in Shinjuku Station, Tokyo) to publicize the event.  They were discussed extensively in the General Yuzu stream in the summer of 2019, but I thought the illustrations deserve a space of their own, and would provide an uplifting message in this time of pandemic.   There are 9 panels altogether, 7 of them illustrate actual locations in Miyagi,  and Yuzu appears in 6 of them.   

 

Each illustration comes with brief words expressing the mood of the scene, and the website offers additional description.  I  found them moving and very much in the manner and style of Yuzu.  In the following days, I will put up the illustrations with the English translation.   

 

Here is the link to the gallery:  

https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

And the map of the TDT route: 

 

 

 

 

[Umebachi]

source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

1.ひとりじゃない。

ツール・ド・東北参加者からは「一人で参加したけど寂しくなかった」

「地元の人々と仲良くなった」「被災地に友達ができた」という声が聞こえてくる。

東北を応援したい、という想いが、人と人とをつなぐ絆になっていく。

忘れない。何年経っても。

 

1.  You are not alone. 

A number of “Tour de Tohoku” participants said “I participated on my own but I didn’t feel lonely”. “I became friendly with the local people”. “I made friends in the communities hit by disaster”.  “I want to support Tohoku” – these feelings connected people to people with a strong bond of life – “kizuna”.  We will not forget, no matter how many years may pass. 

 

 

[Umebachi]

source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

Sendai City - "We will never forget.  No matter how many years may pass..."

 

2. ここは、津-波で大きな被害を受けた仙台市東部沿岸の藤塚地区。
「避難の丘」として、8年経ったいまも震災の記憶を私たちに伝えてくれる。
ここで起きたことは、何年経っても絶対に、絶対に忘れてはいけないと心に誓いたい。
一緒に走ってる。どんな時も。
 

2.  This is the Fujitsuka area on the eastern coast of Sendai City, which was severely damaged by the tsunami.
Even after 8 years, this "Evacuation Hill" transmits the memories of the disaster.  We swear that what happened here should never, ever, be forgotten, no matter how many years may pass.  We are continuing to run together, always together at every moment.

  

[Umebachi]

 

Source:  https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

Minami-Sanriku 南三陸町

 

3．一緒に走ってる。どんな時も。

あなたの大切な人は、いつだって心の傍にいる。
辛い時や困難にぶつかった時でも、一緒にいてくれることを感じられれば、
もっと強く、次の一漕ぎを踏み出せるはずだ。
 

3.  We are always running together.  No matter what (through thick and thin).

Your loved one is always nestled close to your heart. 

If you could feel that closeness,  then even during times of difficulty and when you are suffering, you should be able to take the next step (next dip of the oar) with greater strength.  

 

 

 

[Umebachi]

 

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

(This is the view from a tour boat in Matsushima - surrounded by the ocean and the multitude of seagulls.  I have taken this boat ride myself, and this illustration captures that delightful and nostalgic moment - the play of light shimmering off the ocean waves and the flapping wings of seagulls).   

 

4.  待ってたよ、と風が言う。

誰でもあたたかく迎え入れてくれる東北。
この地の風や日差しに包まれると、まるで故郷に帰ったような心地よさを感じる。
塩釜港から奥松島へ、遊覧船に自転車を積み込むライドなら
360度を海に囲まれてより一層、東北の自然とつながる感覚に。
 

4.  "The wind whispers: "I was waiting for you..."

Tohoku - where everyone is welcomed so warmly.  When you are surrounded by the breeze and sunshine of this place, you will feel at ease as though you had returned home.

For the segment from Shiogama Port to Oku-Matsushima, you can load your bicycles onto the sight-seeing tour boat and be surrounded 360 degrees of ocean. Then you can feel even more connected to the natural beauty of Tohoku.

 

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/ 

 

Onagawa City:  "This sweat will turn into our bond (kizuna)."

 

5. その汗が、絆になる。
見ず知らずの人々が、仲間になっていく。
それは、ツール・ド・東北でも復興活動においても同じこと。
逆境をともに乗り越えることで、絆が生まれるのだ。
 

5.  This sweat will turn into our bond. 

People who had never met before are becoming friends.
This is true for both Tour de Tohoku as well as Tohoku Reconstruction activities.
Deep, lifelong bonds (kizuna) are created by riding out all the adversities together.

 

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

6.  Higashi-Matsushima-shi  (Eastern Matsushima City)  "There is something I want to express with my back".

(Yuzu is the second cyclist in the illustration.) 

 

6. 背中で伝えたいことがある。
東日本大震災から立ち上がってゆく、東北の街。
さまざまな地域で災害が起き続けている時代だからこそ、
その背中が、日本中の人々に多くのことを教えてくれる。
 

6.  There is something I want to express with my back: The resurgence of this town in Tohoku from the devastation of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

Because we live in an era when disasters continue to strike throughout various regions,  this back of mine could serve to teach many things to people all over Japan.  

 

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

7.  Kesennuma City 

(This is my absolute favorite of the series of illustrations because it captures both the beauty and sadness of the place.  Yuzu is leading the group of cyclists along the field of blooming flowers, with his face turned back toward the cyclists, with a gentle smile.   The school building in the background is Koyo High School - one of the most severely damaged buildings in the area, which has been turned into a museum to remind everyone about the scars from the tsunami.  Last summer, I saw the giant mural of this illustration in Shinjuku station - and I was overwhelmed by its sheer beauty:  the colors - pink and yellow blooms close up and out of focus, the red, green and yellow jerseys of the cyclists moving forward, and the looming grey and beige school building in the back.  There were many people surrounding this mural in the middle of a very busy underground passageway of Shinjuku Station, and the place felt like an art museum...)

 

 

7. 涙はいつか、花咲かす。
奥に見えている宮城県気仙沼向洋高校旧校舎は、
「気仙沼市東日本大震災遺構・伝承館」として被害の様子を残している。
人々の努力によって街が再び整えられ、新しい広場や建物ができていく中でも、
その美しい景色の背景で起きた現実を忘れずにいたい。

 

7. The tears will one day make the flowers bloom.
In the background you can see the former school building of Keiyo Senkai High School in Miyagi prefecture.  The building has been preserved in its damaged state as "Kesennuma City Great East Japan Earthquake Remains and Traditional Museum".  While the efforts of the people to rebuild the city are giving rise to new plazas and buildings, we don’t want to forget the stark reality of happened behind this beautiful scenery.
 

 (Fortunately, the school was well-prepared for the earthquake and tsunami, and all the students and staff managed to escape before the tsunami hit the building.  The power of tsunami can be seen in the following photo which shows a car thrown into the classroom - on the third floor of the building!) 

 

Source: https://visitmiyagi.com/feature/tsunami-museum-at-the-ruins-of-koyo-high-school/

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

８．Ishi-no-maki City - "We don't need any words." 

 

8.「がんばれ」「立ち上がれ」……
被災したこの街に、そんな言葉を思わずかけてしまいそうになる。
しかし実際に降り立った時、むしろ言葉を失っただろう。
無限の希望を与えてくれる美しい景色が、そこにはある。

 

8.  “Go for it (Ganbare)!” “Rise up!” 
Those words may spill out of you when you see this damaged city.
But when you actually arrive here, you would be lost for words.

Because you will find - spread before you - a beautiful scenery that bestows infinite hope.  
 

 

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

9. "Let's move forward, at our own pace". 

 

9. 進もう。ペースは自由だ。
震災から8年半。街の立て直しが進む地域も、
まだまだこれからの地域もある。でも、それでいい。
ペースはそれぞれでいいのだと東北の街は私たちに教えてくれる。

 

9. Let's move forward, at our own pace.
It has been eight and a half years since the earthquake. There are areas where the reconstruction is progressing, and other areas that have yet to start. But that is fine.  The towns and cities of Tohoku teach us that it is all right to go at our own pace. 
 

[Umebachi]

Source: https://tourdetohoku.yahoo.co.jp/2019/info/pedal/

 

 

This is Yuzuru Hanyu's handwritten message to Tour de Tohoku organizers.  (See below: English translation follows the Japanese transcription.) 

Yuzu makes references to Onoda-kun and Midosuji-kun - who are among the top characters in Yowamushi Pedal, and they appear with Yuzu in several illustrations.  Through this event, Yuzu has truly entered into the world of anime - as a cyclist - even though in real life he doesn't know how to ride a bike!  lol

 

 

Japanese transcription

ツール・ド・東北フレンズとして応援している、ツール・ド・東北のポスターに、「弱虫ペダル」の世界のみんなと一緒に、初めて登場させていただくことになりました。
「弱虫ペダル」は大好きな作品で、前へ踏み出す強さ、一つのゴールへ向かっていく力の大きさ、をいつも感じています。
限界を超えていく方々と、東北の皆さんを小野田くんや御堂筋くんたちと応援できることが、とてもうれしく、幸せです！
ライダーの方々の"力"を感じ、応援することで、一つになって、"東北の力"になる。そんなツール・ド・東北を応援しています！
東北に大きな力が集まるように。小野田くんたちと、僕と、応援してくださる皆さんで、ツール・ド・東北に力を！

 

English translation 
I will be appearing for the first time on the posters of Tour de Tohoku, which we support as Friends of Tour de Tohoku along with everyone in the world of "Yowamushi Pedal".

"Yowamushi Pedal" is my favorite work as it always gives me the strength to step forward and the feeling of great power in chasing a singular goal.

 

Together with Onoda-kun and Midosuji-kun, I am so happy and delighted to be able to support all the people (cyclists) who are pushing to exceed their limits as well as the people of Tohoku. 

By supporting and feeling the "power" of the cyclists, we become one and turn our energies into "the power of Tohoku".  I am cheering for such a “Tour de Tohoku”!

 

Wishing for the gathering of great power in Tohoku, Onoda-kun and I, along with everyone who supports us:  all power to Tour de Tohoku!  
 

[rockstaryuzu]

Thanks for sharing this! 

[mambook]

Thank you for the translations!  Recently finished watching the anime and read the manga arcs following the anime season-end - really enjoyable, particularly the character development (dare I say better than YoI.....)