Games plant seeds of recovery

But out of 18,000 people evacuated after the disaster, only 1,000 have returned home and the majority of those are elderly. Even Kawamura's children do not want to come back.

Abandoned houses ruined by the tsunami are everywhere, and although the government is trying to bulldoze them to make way for new ones, the rebuilding of the community is hindered by the lack of people. Wataru Izumi, a representative of Namie Farm, said: "There are so many ghost houses. You can't imagine what Namie will look like in another 10 years."

Concrete sea walls along the Pacific coast have been built to prevent another tsunami from wreaking havoc.

Two hundred meters off the newly built walls stands the wreckage of a school building. All 93 students from Ukedo Elementary School miraculously escaped the tsunami and the wreckage is an eerie reminder of the disaster.

Some of them went on to enroll at Futaba Future School, which was founded in 2015 for students from destroyed schools. World No 1 badminton player Kento Momota was among them. The world champion, then a student at nearby Tomioka Junior High School, was competing in Indonesia when the disaster struck. Now he is the pride of the school and an inspiration for its current students.

"I hope Japanese athletes can play an active part in the Olympics," said 15-year-old Hayao Matsuo, who plays badminton for the school team.

Vice-principal Nango Ippei said the terrifying memory of the disaster is still fresh in the hearts and minds of some students. He hopes the Olympic Games can "inspire them" for their studies and for life.