2011 Japan Tsunami - Kesennuma City, Fish Market. (Full Footage)

Video footage recorded by Makoto Onodera at the Kesennuma Fish Market. Upscaled video quality.

0:00 The video shows the Oura and Asahicho area minutes before the tsunami. The water recedes, some boats move away from the coast escaping from the tsunami.

3:01 The tide begins to return and the sea level rises rapidly.

6:20 The water becomes a violent torrent, begins to drag boats and overflows towards the city.

10:27 The tsunami arrives in full force, destroying everything in its path. The Asahicho area is completely submerged.

11:48 State of the Kesennuma Fishing Port during the tsunami.

12:57 State of the Uoichibamae area and the Kesennuma Shark Museum.

14:05 The water begins to recede.

14:53 A fire starts in the Kesennuma City caused by debris.

17:07 Aftermath of the tsunami in the Kesennuma City and surroundings.

Duration: 41:11
Format: SD Video
Location: 7 Uoichibamae, Kesennuma City.

[jero]

Videos like this one should be preserved for future generations, thank you for archiving them

[omarkhalil]

I have visited some of these impacted areas twice over the past few years. The Japanese people worked so hard to rebuild and bring life back to these areas. Very resilient and absolutely impressive!

[PaulAllen]

The emergency siren noise, eerily calm weather, and a gradual and steady fast intensity.
Life is the Movie we all are apart of

[mlitzinger]

The person who filmed this has done an amazing job getting the tragedy across. Thank you.

[stephenrothwell]

I watch these videos regularly to keep myself grounded. To remind me that whatever problem I have, there are people who are worse off and have bigger problems to deal with. I know the Japanese people are still recovering from this catastrophe and have achieved so much since. My heart, thoughts and respect I send to you all.

[lvmnoneofyourbusiness]

After all these years and all the times I've watched these videos, my heart still races, I still cry, and I just can't wrap my brain around what I am seeing.
My mother - who was Japanese - always told me, "When you see the ocean retreat, run for the hills or the highest place you can find. A tsunami is coming."
She lived through so much; as a child running through the streets of Tokyo to get to a bomb shelter, being sent to the countryside to her Uncle's farm to keep from starvation, losing her mother during the war, coming to the
Despite all the tribulations the Japanese people have gone through, they are resilient, maintaining their grace and move forward.

[antoinettematheney]

I CANT BELIEVE AFTER 11 year these videos are still so crazy too watch i must say they are the calmest people and so brave and strong

[Electro_Sabotage]

The slow crescendo is terrifying. It's just keeps getting more intense until everything is under water.

[adamfowler]

I used to think as a kid that a tsunami was just one massive wave hitting once, then done. But this is actually far more terrifying and mind-blowing. I can't imagine what these people experienced.

[Rocket_scientist_]

I was here in 2011 several months after the tsunami, and I was just floored at the scale of the destruction. Much of what is seen in here was cleared out, but I have photos I took of several buildings (the Shell station near the giant boat in Shiriori, for example, as well as the Coast Guard building) and saw them in the video.

I’ve never seen any of the footage in here before, and I watched everything I could find - in English AND Japanese. Thanks for putting this together, it’s very impressive.

[Barflax]

Finally a new video about the disaster in Japan 2011, haven't seen this before. The worst thing is that nothing to do about the big fire.

[RendijaAndreiko]

Thank you for the footage, especially because you risked your own life capturing it. Also I am so sorry for the victims involved.

[felixcat]

One's mind has difficulties processing what the eyes are seeing!

The sheer magnitude of the event is almost beyond comprehension, the once familiar landscape now unrecognisable.

This video serves a very important historical document, recording the unimaginable events of that day, which forever changed the country and its people...

[MS-sqms]

I came here to watch these videos after visiting Japan recently, I have nothing but respect for Japanese people and their resilience and hard work to rebuild their country. May this never happen again to any nation.

[majorwedgie]

The best video about the tsunami I have seen yet... and I have watched most of them! My thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people 🙏

[kamijouaeion]

As someone who is native to a coastal area this is a reminder to always be alert of things, my condolences to all victims of this force of nature.
I'm again reminded of my priviledge and fortune living in Germany.
May all who lost their way rest in peace, their souls will not be forgotten.

[Trouble-Clef]

So much complete destruction. Survival from the earthquake, then survival from the tsunami. Then surviving the loss of everything and everyone you knew and loved. It was so tragic.

[dianamccutcheon]

Even though this happened 12 years ago it's still terrifying and devastating to watch, there's really no words that can express the horror these people must've been dealing with! My heart goes out to every single one of them that was impacted, survived and died in this horrible thing!

[quentinstratton]

I cannot seem to wrap my head around the sight of such a massive deluge of water swallowing everything in a real life footage! Each time I watch this I get a better sense of how massive this tsunami was!

[debbieellett]

I can not imagine the amount of clean up that had to happen. And then to rebuild! Much respect for the Japanese people.