I live in downtown Fukushima City, and every year there is a memorial in the town square.  At 2:46–the exact moment of the quake itself–there is a minute of silent prayer.  These photos show the town square last year during the afternoon.

They set up many, many candles.  That red creature is an “Akabeko,” one of the symbols of Fukushima Prefecture.

It is impossible for me to get this entirely in the photo but the last photo says, “Fukushima” in Japanese.

ふくしま

ふ FU

く KU

し SHI

ま MA

We love Fukushima!