A moving drama of reconstruction
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 10:47 am
This was a number arrived at through "empirical rule."
(Left) Chizuko Kobayashi. She started working part-time at Daiei in 1996 because she "loved Daiei so much." (Right) Toshimitsu Noguchi, Deputy General Manager of the General Affairs and Human Resources Division. He supported the Sendai store from the emergency headquarters in Tokyo.
Enlarge photo
(Left) Chizuko Kobayashi. She started working part-time remove background image at Daiei in 1996 because she "loved Daiei so much." (Right) Toshimitsu Noguchi, Deputy General Manager of the General Affairs and Human Resources Division. He supported the Sendai store from the emergency headquarters in Tokyo.
The next day, the line grew even longer. By 11:00 a.m., 4,500 people were in line. The lowest temperature in Sendai that day was 2.3 degrees. The wait time was three to four hours. Not a single complaint was made. On the contrary, the Daiei Sendai store received many voices of gratitude. "They opened the store with everything we needed earlier than any other store in Sendai, and the customer service was wonderful," "Despite the emergency situation, it was the first time in a while that I felt at ease while shopping."...
"Thank you to the customers" is something that part-time employee Chizuko Kobayashi felt deeply. As she worked the cash register, many customers called out to her. "Many people were saved thanks to Daiei," "Is your place okay? Take care of yourself."
"We are being encouraged," Kobayashi felt. Tears flowed. Kobayashi's family home was washed away by the tsunami. Some of his colleagues had lost their parents. The employees were also affected by the disaster.
The Sendai store resumed normal business hours on April 6. In the month since it resumed business, the total number of customers who used Daiei reached about one million.
"Honestly, when I heard that retail is a lifeline, it didn't really resonate with me," Kobayashi said, but now it's different. He wants to continue to fulfill his role as a retailer and give back to his customers.
The feelings that had begun to grow within Kobayashi did not fade, but rather grew stronger with each passing day.
*All information was provided at the time of magazine publication.
(Left) Chizuko Kobayashi. She started working part-time at Daiei in 1996 because she "loved Daiei so much." (Right) Toshimitsu Noguchi, Deputy General Manager of the General Affairs and Human Resources Division. He supported the Sendai store from the emergency headquarters in Tokyo.
Enlarge photo
(Left) Chizuko Kobayashi. She started working part-time remove background image at Daiei in 1996 because she "loved Daiei so much." (Right) Toshimitsu Noguchi, Deputy General Manager of the General Affairs and Human Resources Division. He supported the Sendai store from the emergency headquarters in Tokyo.
The next day, the line grew even longer. By 11:00 a.m., 4,500 people were in line. The lowest temperature in Sendai that day was 2.3 degrees. The wait time was three to four hours. Not a single complaint was made. On the contrary, the Daiei Sendai store received many voices of gratitude. "They opened the store with everything we needed earlier than any other store in Sendai, and the customer service was wonderful," "Despite the emergency situation, it was the first time in a while that I felt at ease while shopping."...
"Thank you to the customers" is something that part-time employee Chizuko Kobayashi felt deeply. As she worked the cash register, many customers called out to her. "Many people were saved thanks to Daiei," "Is your place okay? Take care of yourself."
"We are being encouraged," Kobayashi felt. Tears flowed. Kobayashi's family home was washed away by the tsunami. Some of his colleagues had lost their parents. The employees were also affected by the disaster.
The Sendai store resumed normal business hours on April 6. In the month since it resumed business, the total number of customers who used Daiei reached about one million.
"Honestly, when I heard that retail is a lifeline, it didn't really resonate with me," Kobayashi said, but now it's different. He wants to continue to fulfill his role as a retailer and give back to his customers.
The feelings that had begun to grow within Kobayashi did not fade, but rather grew stronger with each passing day.
*All information was provided at the time of magazine publication.