Pika chu chu

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Over six years after the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku region in 2011, the “Pokémon With You” initiative continues to bring smiles and hope to affected children, many of whom are still living in temporary housing. Pokémon With You has carried out various activities, such as school and home visits, to cheer up the kids.
One of their efforts to spread happiness was the Pokémon With You Train, which was adorned with different Pokémon and started running in 2012. Now, the two cars have been renovated and are plastered with Pikachu. The communication car is for sitting, while the playroom car is filled with various Pikachu dolls and a fake driver’s cab and engine room. Additionally, each station has stamps for a “memory note” and a unique tin badge. In Kesennuma City, there’s an event where collecting stamps from six locations leads to winning a papercraft version of the train.
The Pikachu-themed train runs between Ichinoseki Station in Iwate Prefecture and Kesennuma Station in Miyagi Prefecture. It’s running from August 1, 2017 to at least March 31, 2018. You can check the specific dates and times on the Japan Rail website. The JR rail pass can be used, and all seats are reserved. I was ready to go on it until Niero showed me how far it is from here. I’ll just pretend to protest the separated-head Pikachu design. It’s really touching that they put so much effort into bringing happiness to these children. However, there’s a thought in the back of my mind that, considering this isn’t cheap and is funded by charity, it’s worth questioning if this is the best use of that money instead of providing resources directly to the children.