NARIAKI Kimura dashed home from work on Friday, March 11, to find his 13-year-old son sat shaking underneath a coffee table.
A 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami had hit the north east coast of Japan less than an hour earlier.
It had left the Kimuras' home, 120 miles to the south, in Ibaraki prefecture, shuddering on its foundations.
"His son had been home from school with a cold. He had learned there what to do in an earthquake. It's something he will never forget," said Nariaki's cousin Hiroko Clark, from Toton, who has been in regular e-mail contact with her Japan-based family since the dual natural disasters.
"My auntie's sixth floor flat in the same area was shaking [during the earthquake]. The cups and saucers in the kitchen were breaking everywhere.
"Nariaki said life was back to Victorian times by Japanese standards. There was no running water and electricity. He was queuing up for petrol for more than two hours just for 20 litres."
Without petrol for his car and with public transport cancelled, Hiroko said Nariaki had moved into a flat near his workplace.
"He says it's nothing compared to people who have lost their houses. Some of his colleagues have lost theirs."
As Hiroko talks, her fellow members of Hitomikai – the Anglo Japanese Society in the East Midlands – continue planning a fundraiser for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in their home country.
Martial arts demonstrations, a flea market, Manga and Calligraphy workshops, Japanese cooking, and Origami classes will be among the highlights of Ganbare Japan – which translates as Go Japan – at Oban House in Chilwell Road, Beeston, between 10am and 3pm on Saturday, April 9.
Hiroko, who runs private classes in Japanese cooking, plans to host sushi-making demonstrations at the event.
Around 9,700 people have been killed by the earthquake and tsunami – with 16,500 more missing. The earthquake also triggered a series of explosions and fires at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northern Japan, causing radioactive iodine to leak into Tokyo's water supply.
Yuka Mayall, 40, from Stapleford, who came up with the idea for Ganbare Japan and is hosting the brainstorming session, is heartened by her home country's response to the crisis.
"My friend in Japan said the news had a story about people in a restaurant eating when the earthquake happened. They left but came back afterwards and paid. It was so honest. That's Japanese people.
"I think the TV news here has been good as we now know more about the nuclear situation in Japan."
Yuka, who works part-time at Higoi, a Japanese restaurant in Lenton, has friends in Tokyo and family in neighbouring Chiba prefecture.
"In Chiba they can't buy things like unleaded petrol and people in Tokyo are starting to use bicycles rather than cars to get around. Bikes are sold out. My friend, who runs a small noodle restaurant in Tokyo, says he should have opened a bike shop!"
The Japanese Government has estimated damages from the events of the last two weeks to be worth $309bn.
"If the Tokyo economy crashes, it will affect everyone. People are talking about having a G7 rather than a G8, by not including Japan. It's terrible," adds Yuka.
"There's always been confidence in Japan."
Despite fears over Japan's future, Yuka is optimistic about her native country's ability to recover from the events of the past two weeks.
"I think Japanese people are knowledgeable and the country will manage to rebuild. They have already started building new houses. The people are strong."
Tomoko Smith, 44, from Mapperley, a theatre recovery nurse at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, is also going over the plans for Ganbare Japan.
"I was in Kobe in 1995 when the last big earthquake hit. My house and my father's hotel were affected and we got a lot of support," he said.
On following the British media coverage of the earthquake and tsunami, she added: "What inspires me is that people are standing up and helping each other.
"I saw an old man sweeping the debris up the day after the earthquake. Some other countries just wait for the aid, but I was so proud of my country.
"The instinct is to help others. There's a big community spirit.
"It's easy to criticise the Japanese Government. There's so much to deal with and I'm sure they are doing their best. For the victim is may appear that there is not enough being done.
"There is difficulty with food [supply] and transport."
Toshimi Sato's parents and sister live in Chiba, about an hour south of Tokyo.
"The day of the earthquake I could not speak to my parents on the phone and they could not respond to my e-mails. All my information was coming from the TV news. It was really worrying," said the 45-year-old nursery nurse from Toton.
"My parents' house has been shaking quite often.
"My husband is English but we lived in Japan for 11 years and go back every year. He is very sad about what has happened.
"I feel strongly that Japan will survive. I think that out of this, people will build better relationships with each other."
Kiyoko Naish, 51, from Wollaton, has visited Nottingham High School to talk about the impact of the earthquake and tsunami, while other Hitomikai members have visited Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School and Heymann Primary School, in West Bridgford.
Kiyoko also intends to visit The Minster School, in Southwell and Crossdale Primary School, in Keyworth.
"The boys at the High School responded so well and are empathetic with Japanese people.
"The Year 5 pupils are doing a science project about tectonic plates and why the earthquake happened.
"It's a great opportunity to tell people about Japan.
"Japanese people usually want to keep a low profile. It's a national characteristic, but we are here in Britain and want to speak up and raise awareness."
Kiyoko said the impact of the earthquake and tsunami had become more personal after speaking to a number of her friends in recent days.
"My best friend, who is living in Italy, said her cousin died in Miyagi in north east Japan near the epicentre of the earthquake.
Another friend said their cousin died. It's no longer someone out there suffering. It's my close friends and their relatives."
Mikiko Inoue, 46, from Long Eaton, who teaches numeracy at South Notts College's West Bridgford campus, said her sister living in Osaka felt the earthquake – despite being more than 350 miles away from its epicentre.
"She lives on the 14th floor of a high rise building and all the children and the cats ran under the table. I think it was terrifying.
"A huge earthquake is long overdue in Osaka. I think a lot of people there and in Tokyo feel guilty because it happened up north [of Japan].
"I was talking to my mum in Japan on the phone and she said the younger generation want to do something to help."
Mikiko added: "I very rarely came to Hitomikai meetings. Now, I think I've found a purpose."
Anyone wishing to get involved in Ganbare Japan can call Kiyoko Naish on 07905 895 018.
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