Canon participated in the reconstruction assistance project, Roadside Cafe, on October 1 (Sat.) in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, and on the following day, Oct. 2 (Sun.) in Rikuzen-takata City, Iwate Prefecture.

Roadside Cafe is a project to provide assistance for the recovery of areas devastated by the Great Northeast Japan Earthquake. It is carried out jointly by Starbucks, the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, Canon and others. This project creates a place where earthquake victims living in northeastern Japan can be refreshed by enjoying a cup of coffee at an outdoor cafe. It also has photo-journalists photograph the smiles and expressions of relief of the people gathered there and presents them with photos printed out right there using an inkjet printer.

This was the second time the Roadside Cafe project was held, following its debut on July 23 (Sat.) - 24 (Sun.) in Rikuzen-takata City.

The outdoor cafe and photo printing service corner were set up in the garden of the wedding hall Guesthouse Urban, in Kesennuma City, on the first day. On the second day, the Roadside Cafe project used space in a lane between temporary housing units on the grounds of the Yonezaki Municipal Middle School.

Over the two days, a total of a thousand and several hundred local people visited the cafe and spent some time relaxing while enjoying coffee and the photos printed out for them there.
Of the photos taken by the three participating photo-journalists, about 500 photos were printed and presented to the people who visited the cafe on the two days it was held.

Among the people living in the temporary housing units, some had lost all their photo albums and photographs in the ensuing tsunami. Those receiving the photographs taken through the project told us that "I am so happy to receive a photo taken by a professional photographer that has been printed out so beautifully right here," "looking at this photo fills me with great cheer," "the building of new memories begins here," etc.

The activities of the Roadside Cafe project can be viewed on the Website below.
http://www.michinocafe.com

The Roadside Cafe project plans to continue its activities hereafter as well, upon taking into consideration the circumstances in the disaster-affected areas.