Report from Amakusa: as yet, there are no reported cases of the virus in Amakusa. Here, the mostly elderly population are doing their best to cope with the current situation, but to me, I feel that many people are just living in a fantasy world where they imagine that everything will be okay. As a foreigner living here with my husband, with most of our support network overseas, it has been terrifying. I imagine that we are often seen as somewhat curious but quite paranoid freaks annoyingly interfeering with the otherwise peaceful and mostly harmonious society. I sure hope for all of our sakes, that we are wrong, and that Japan, Kumamoto and the small rural areas with their largely elderly populations and woefully under-equipped hospitals are indeed cloaked in some kind of mysterious protective shell akin to an anime movie. Time will tell.
This article is the first article that I have read that I think reflects what I imagine is going on in the cities. Worth the read if you have the time.
Wasn’t yesterday a fantastically beautiful day? This is my favorite season in Amakusa with the new green leaves coming out, making the landscape look like a magic carpet. I love this amazing island!
Stay safe, try to make conscious efforts to live a healthy lifestyle and please everyone, try to be kind to others. -Leanne- Canadian living in Amakusa https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/world/asia/tokyo-japan-coronavirus.html?
