A "Black Telephone" on the Beach: "I Miss You" to Deceased Family Members

▲ The sightseeing boat that sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula 4 years ago

A rotary landline telephone with no phone line connected has been installed on a beach in Rausu, facing the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of Hokkaido, Japan, drawing attention.

According to the Asahi Shimbun and Kushiro Shimbun, the black telephone, named the "Telephone of the Sea," was installed so that the bereaved families of the victims of the Shiretoko sightseeing boat sinking disaster 4 years ago can convey their feelings to the victims.

The telephone booth, named the "Station of Thoughts," features an inscription explaining the purpose of the telephone, which is to carry thoughts across the waves.

The Shiretoko sightseeing boat sinking disaster occurred on April 23, 2022.

The sightseeing boat Kazu I, carrying 26 people, sank in rough weather while touring the Shiretoko Peninsula, a designated UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

The accident resulted in the deaths of 20 passengers and crew members, while 6 remain missing.

The sunken hull was discovered on the seabed at a depth of 120 meters.

The telephone and booth were built together by local residents of Rausu, including Kenji Sakurai, who has continued searching for the missing through volunteer work, and a bereaved family member identified as Mr. A.

Mr. A, whose ex-wife and second-grade elementary school son remain missing, picked up the receiver on the 1st and carried his words across the waves, saying, "I want to see you. You haven't been found so that you wouldn't make me sad, right?"

The Telephone of the Sea was inspired by the "Telephone of the Wind," which was installed in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Created by a bereaved family to honor family members sacrificed by the tsunami, it gained significant attention to the point of being made into a movie.

Mr. A stated, "I hope not only the families of victims who lost loved ones in the accident, but also friends and acquaintances, can freely stop by and speak the words they were unable to convey over the phone."

Sakurai expressed, "Those left behind are living desperately, and I hope this becomes a safe place where the bereaved families can express the thoughts in their hearts."

(Photo: Captured from NHK website, Yonhap News)

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