Tohoku's Sanriku Coast facing the Pacific Ocean is a ruggedly, dynamic landscape as well as home to world-renown offshore fishing grounds. With bitter cold winters and periodic tsunamis, life in Tohoku can be harsh and is said to have contributed to the culture and survival skills of Iwate's inhabitants. After the March 11 earthquake/tsunami disaster, establishing community become a priority and was prime in inaugurating the road to recovery. The powerful northern Fujiwara samurai clan ruled the Tohoku region from 1087 until 1189. During the 12th century they created the capital city of Hiraizumi, which served as an important political, military, commercial and cultural center. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, radio personality and diving blogger, Bonnie Waycott rides the newly reopened Minami Riasu Line to join the Sanriku Volunteer Diving Club for a marine conservation holiday. And then she heads off to Hiraizumi where she experiences a bygone era and talks with community volunteers who are traveling Iwate's Road to Recovery.