Son reopens sake shop that missing father protected from tsunami

[AsahinaKimi]

Toyoki Sugawara stands in front of a temporary building for his family's reopened sake business in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, on April 25, 2011.(Mainichi)

KESENNUMA, Miyagi -- A man here whose father disappeared in the March 11 tsunami while protecting the supplies of sake in the family's shop has reopened business at a new temporary location.

Toyoki Sugawara, 37, is the fourth generation to run the shop, which has been in business for over 90 years.

"My father protected this sake. My family and I are going to do our best to continue this business, working toward the day we can return it to the land it began on," says Toyoki.

On the day of the earthquake, Toyoki was inside the shop, which doubled as a house, when he heard an emergency radio network broadcast: "A large tsunami warning is in effect. Please evacuate to high ground."

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110427p2a00m0na012000c.html