Fukushima Farmer Rebuilds Life After Two Earthquakes

Toshimasa Murata starts most mornings at 6 a.m., harvesting fresh greens as roosters crow across the fields of Minamiaso village in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It's a peaceful scene that took two disasters and one determined heart to create.

Murata grew up farming in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, where the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami upended his entire world. Thousands lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their sense of safety in what became one of Japan's worst natural disasters.

In 2015, Murata made a bold choice to start over. He moved nearly 900 miles southwest to Minamiaso, a rural village known for its volcanic landscape and agricultural potential, and founded Kotobuki Farm.

Then history repeated itself. Just one year after Murata settled in, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto in April 2016, killing dozens and causing widespread destruction across the region.

Most people would have given up. Murata stayed.

Why This Inspires

Murata's decision to remain in Minamiaso after experiencing two major earthquakes in five years speaks to something deeper than stubbornness. It reflects a quiet understanding that home isn't just where tragedy hasn't found you—it's where you choose to build despite it.

Today, Kotobuki Farm thrives in the shadow of Mount Aso, one of the world's largest active volcanoes. The same geological forces that bring earthquakes also enrich the soil, creating ideal conditions for the leafy greens Murata tends each morning.

His work now helps promote Kumamoto's agricultural revival. By choosing to stay and farm successfully, Murata has become a living example that the region can recover and prosper.

Every harvest at Kotobuki Farm tells a story about the strength it takes to start over, not once but twice. Murata proves that resilience isn't about avoiding hardship—it's about planting roots anyway.