Taro Kanko Hotel, Earthquake disaster remains in Miyako, Japan.
The Taro Kanko Hotel is a building in Miyako that clearly shows the marks of a major tsunami. The lower four floors bear significant damage, while the upper levels kept their structure, making the division between flooded and dry areas visible to anyone who looks up.
The hotel opened in 1986 and stood like other buildings in the city for 25 years. In March 2011, a major earthquake and the wave that followed changed everything in that region in just a few minutes.
The building serves as a place where visitors can see how the disaster unfolded through preserved rooms and leftover traces. The physical evidence inside tells the story of that moment when the water rushed in and changed everything.
This place can only be visited with a guide, so visitors need to arrange a visit ahead of time. A guide walks you through the damaged lower floors and explains how the water entered the building.
In a nearby parking lot sit markers showing how much the earth shifted during those seconds. This small detail, often overlooked by visitors, reveals the enormous force at work during such an event.
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