In Otsuchi, Japan, you'll find a special phone booth known as the Wind Telephone, created by Itaru Saski as a way to cope with grief and feel closer to loved ones who have passed away. The phone booth contains a disconnected rotary phone. A year later, Japan was struck by an earthquake, tsunami, and a resulting nuclear meltdown. Sasaki's coastal hometown of Otsuchi lost ten percent of its population.
Sasaki invited mourning members of his community to come and use the kaze no denwa. The phone gained popularity quickly, and people coping with grief began visiting from all over Japan to use the wind phone.
My heart is touched by the story of this one way phone booth, and I hope to visit it someday in person. I'm so glad that something like this exists and can bring a bit of comfort to those who need it the most.
