Earthquake at Tokyo Disneyland: Mother Earth Spoiled Their Parade

I've been reluctant to post anything of the horrors in earthquake-ravaged Japan for the same reason I'm reluctant to even mention Charlie Sheen's name right now: I don't want to encourage that rubbernecking mentality, that morbid fascination with perhaps more than a touch of vicarious cruelty. I guess at least maybe the public demand for pedophile news stories will die out for a little while. I know that many people watch the videos with compassion, perhaps the majority even, but still I hesitate to participate.

I like to think that my readers are made of higher-quality stuff though, and this fits with a subject, artificial space vs. nature, from a few posts ago, so I though it would be good to put it up here. Disney theme parks seem like quintessential examples of artificial, controlled space.

First the video, then the text from its page...

2011年03月11日（金）、三陸沖を震源とする震度7の大地震が発生しました。　

この大地震は関東地方・千葉県にある『ディズニーシー』にも多大な影響を及ぼしました。　
アトラクションが全て停止になり、建物への立入が禁止されました。　
また、大地震が発生した時、水上ショーをやっており、大地震でショーが中止になった他、スピーカーが根元から折れた（？）被害も発生しました。　

当時、外にいたにも関わらず立っていられない程の揺れでした。

This, such as it is, comes directly from Google Translate:

March 11, 2011 (Friday), a large earthquake occurred off the coast of Sanriku earthquake with seismic intensity of 7.

This large earthquake in the Kanto area in Chiba Prefecture] [Disney also affected greatly.

And stop all the attractions, Entrance to the building has been banned.
Also, when the earthquake occurred, water has to do a show, the show was canceled by another earthquake, broke from the base of the speaker (?) and damage occurred.

At the time, did not sway enough had to stand outside in spite of.

Now here's a more complete picture of the event...

Mix of iPhone & handycam video shot during March 11 earthquake at Tokyo Disneyland. Shots span from time of quake to 4-5 hours later.

We travelled from Osaka, where I teach English, to Tokyo to take my daughter there for her 5th birthday on March 11th.

And one from Mr. Pottymouth, though I don't know if I'd do any better if it happened to me...

On March 11th, 2011 at 2:50pm, a strong earthquake struck the northeastern part of Japan. It was so strong that it also affected the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

I was at Tokyo DisneySea that afternoon taking photos of the Duffy Cafe in Cape Cod. I managed to get my video camera out when the shaking began. Here are a few clips from that day.

And here's one person's walk home after being let out.

Had to walk home after the earthquake. All the buses and trains were down, so we had to hoof it after being released from Tokyodisneyland. The first clip the sidewalk was actually at 45 degree angle. The second shows a car trapped by a hole in the ground in a parking lot. The third shows what most of the 7-11's and convenience stores looked like yesterday.

So there we are.