Yoshi Nakauchi from Japan is on P.E.I. today as part of a cross-Canada bicycle trip to raise funds for a tsunami memorial.
He will be at the Charlottetown Farmers Market on behalf of Sakura Line 311. It aims to plant 17,000 cherry blossom trees to mark the edge of the March 2011 tsunami water in Japan, both as a memorial and warning at how far the destruction came inland. It will also show where people can flee to safety if anything like it happens again.
Yoshi began his trip June 20 from Cape Spear, Newfoundland and will end in Vancouver.
He arrived on P.E.I. last week by ferry from Nova Scotia. The heat has been a real challenge.
"Every day I drink six Litres of water," he said during an interview with The Guardian. "It is very hot now."
Yoshi, who will turn 30 years old this year, was born in Sendai, Japan, just 80 miles from the earthquake centre. Family and friends had their homes destroyed in the epic event.
He is a chef and had a chance to work for a year in Vancouver, where he was living when the earthquake struck.
He wanted to see more of this country so decided to tackle the bicycle trip to help him learn about Canada and spread word of ongoing tsunami relief work. His visitor visa expires in October this year.
He will return to Japan to resume work as a chef in Nagano.
You can follow his project at Yoshirolls.org.
