On Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 5:46 a.m. (Japan Standard Time), a 20-second earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck the region of Kobe and Osaka in south-central Japan. This region is Japan's second-most populated and industrialized area, after Tokyo, with a total population of about 10 million.
The quake, which was an order of magnitude larger than the Northridge Earthquake in January 1994, killed more than 6,000 people, injured at least 30,000, and left more than 300,000 people homeless. More than 100,000 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed by the quake and the fires it caused. 148 separate fires destroyed 6,513 buildings and an area of 624,671 m2 (0.24 sq mi). The total dollar loss, including damage to buildings, transportation systems, and other portions of the infrastructure, has been estimated between U.S. $147 billion and $200 billion.
The photo is one of the disastrous scene of the Kobe earthquake.
Can you see a 1967 Datsun Roadster SR311 lonely in a heap of rubble? Looking closely when I took this picture, I found the roadster almost intact except the somewhat melted hard top. The owner seemed to love the Nissan cars. Nearby, there was another car of his, Datsun 510 (Bluebird, we call), burned out.
I have never met the owner of this roadster. I heard that this roadster had been owned by a single owner who used to zip the air of the Rokko mountain by hill climbing in his younger days. The car had been sitting in the garage for more than ten years before the earthquake.
I had been interested in this roadster for several years. Sometimes I went to the garage to see this beauty. I loved this roadster as I did to mine.
After the earthquake, first I confirmed the safety of my relatives and friends, then I became worried about this roadster. There were many fires in that area. I saw many cars were damaged also by falling debris.
Although I had been extremely busy for recovery, I could manage to take a day off ten days after the earthquake. I was not sure I could arrive there, but I drove my roadster to that direction to find out the situation of that roadster.
As I approached the area, I could not proceed by car because the road was blocked. The scenery had been changed by fire and I could not find the place I was looking for. Suddenly I found the Datsun Roadster. You may think it is exaggerated, but I had the same feeling as I confirmed safety of my friends.
Now three year since the earthquake, I hear this '67 SR is well and sitting quietly in a garage somewhere around. The roadster has not run for many years, however, thanks to the sense of owner, the Fairlady keeps shine of her younger days with a roll bar, teardrop mirrors and a Lucas driving lump.
English text by Masao Hori, mhori@mxb.mesh.ne.jp