Twelve months after tragedy struck, on 11 March 2011, we catch up with seven survivors trying to rebuild their lives For the past year, the Guardian has followed seven survivors of the Japanese tsunami as they attempt to put the 11 March tragedy behind them and rebuild their lives and communities. After the first anniversary of the disaster, they explain how their lives have changed, and why they draw strength from the memory of the tens of thousands of people who died that day. Miyoko Sasaki and Hiroko Niinuma, sisters from Kamaishi The sisters, who set up a makeshift kitchen for survivors in their temple refuge after the tsunami, are cooking again – this time, at their family-run restaurant, Morinoya, which reopened in a temporary mall earlier this year. For Sasaki, 61, being able to serve their signature dishes of soba noodles and tempura on rice to her old regulars is a big step for her family, if not for their city.

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