She survived fire bombings by the United States during World War 2, she survived three smaller tsunamis, and she survived the March 11 tsunami.

“But this tsunami was the worst of all.”-84-year-old, TSUYAKO Ito

The recent tsunami destroyed most of her belongings.

“I found a car and a dead body in my house.”

Ito says her first memory, from when she was a child, is of her mother carrying her, and running from a tsunami. She became a Geisha at the age of 12, after her father became to sick to work. Ito lives in the steel town of Kamaishi. She says she is the last Geisha in Kamaishi.

Even at 84 she still has, or had, clients: “The hardest thing was that a lot of my fans passed away.” (due to the tsunami)

Ito wants to work until she is 88: “…I still have my performing skills and spirit. This is my pride. Even a tsunami cannot take them from me.”