As this month’s Healing Ceremony falls so close to the 3rd anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Kendo Nagasaki suggests that it’s entirely appropriate to look at what’s happened since these catastrophic events.

It cannot be denied that Japan has needed to heal – and still does, and will do for many years to come – but it can also not be denied how spectacular the healing that has taken place so far has been.

The North East coast is very different now to how it looked three years ago; where there used to be so much rubble and devastation in place of homes and livelihoods, the land has now been cleared, and the grasses that will grow on the sea-salted earth have begun to soften the landscape; where there were previously such brutal scars on the land, it has taken on a gentler countenance, which is comforting in itself.

There has also been something of a quiet, determined, and resilient revolution in Japanese society, too – grandmothers in Tohoku have formed their own business and are making fashion accessories in uniquely Japanese fabric patterns, which are finding a world-wide market; school-girls designed their own fashionable reconstruction appeal T-shirts, which are also selling world-wide, and have opened doors to many budding new designers. Many “Idol” singing and dancing groups have been formed by girls relocated from the devastated towns, and in helping themselves, they help lift the spirits of others. Businesses, too, have adapted, identified the new needs of the new landscape, and met them in often brilliant ways – Kendo would point out that the samurai spirit would not hesitate to identify a challenge as an opportunity.

There has even been a revolution in health-care – an entirely new model for caring for the elderly has emerged from the loss of the old hospitals and structures in the devastated towns, and not only would the new model survive a future disaster, but there’s more contact between everyone concerned, people’s health is generally better, and many are pleasantly surprised to see how much better this evolution out of necessity now works for carers and clients.

Even that saddest of consequences – grief over lost family and friends – has moved on; more and more people now recall their loved ones with a smile, and a promise to make them proud of their endeavours.

Of course, there is still so much to do – tens of thousands still need proper homes to move into from their cramped temporary accommodations (even such refuge can be a source of further difficulties), many livelihoods still need rebuilding, and somehow, the farmland and communities so catastrophically blighted by the nuclear power station accident at Fukushima need to be recovered, and the plant itself made safe and dismantled…

…but the work goes on, the healing continues, and out of a challenge of staggering proportions comes the deepest admiration for how it continues to be met, and profound inspiration for how we can meet our own challenges, and, in so doing, help not only ourselves, but others too.

This March, Kendo Nagasaki would remind all those facing challenges, particularly health-related, to always strive for the best possible outcome; one’s own efforts may seem small, but if performed with all the might one can muster, great achievements can be the result, as can now be seen in Japan.

So, this March, as 3 years ago, we wish Japan continued strength and healing; the results of the next 3 years of “doing one’s best” will undoubtedly be as remarkable as the last 3, and as inspiring for the rest of the world.

“Gambatte Nihon, Kudasai!” Hang in there, Japan, because we know that our good wishes to you will ultimately bring you to inspire us all even more, in many, many ways.