During the four-day-long Somanomaoi Festival in Minami-soma, Fukushima, members of old samurai families ride horseback through the town in traditional armour. There are ceremonies at local shrines, while riders take part in horse races, and compete on horseback to catch a flag launched into the air by fireworks. Many of the participants were forced to moved away from their homes after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident.

The Ishinomaki Kawabiraki Festival has been held annually since 1916 to honor Magobe Kawara an engineer who was instrumental in building the city's port and sea defences, as well as mourn those lost at sea. In recent years, the festival has commemorated the victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The city was devastated by the tsunami with over 5,000 citizens dead or missing. During the festival lanterns are floated down the river to the sea - each one representing a human soul.

The town of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture, northern Japan, was evacuated soon after the nuclear accident of March 2011. Former residents may only return for short periods to tend to their homes and pick up belongings, and are not permitted to stay overnight. The residential area near the coast was completely destroyed by the earthquake and an elementary school badly damaged. Visitors to the town must register with the local authorities who issue a radiation dosimeter.

Rakugo-ka (comic story-teller) and balloon artist Diane Kichijitsu travelled with other performers to Ishinomaki to perform of victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Almost two months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11 2011, the reconstruction in Ishinomaki, Japan, has barely begun.

The Tokyo Sinfonia travelled to North Japan to play in evacuation centers for victims of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Cherry blossom after the tsunami.

A concert by the Tokyo Sinfonia, one week after the Tohoku earthquake. The concert went ahead despite transport disruption, power cuts and aftershocks.

The normally bright lights of Ginza were dark six days after the huge Sendai earthquake.Many people were worried about the situation at damaged nuclear plants in Fukushima.

Four days after the disasters of 11 March 2011 and the damage to the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, many Tokyo residents were worried about radiation reaching the city. Some decided to leave the city with their children. On 15th March 2011 the bullet train platforms at Tokyo station were crowded with families. Many of the children were wearing masks, common in the Japanese winter to guard again cold, but perhaps also due to worries over radiation.

Photos in and around Tokyo's Shinagawa district on the 11 March 2011. The Tohoku earthquake struck at 14:46 in the afternoon causing catastrophic damage in north-east Japan. In Tokyo it paralyzed the transport system leaving hundreds of thousands of people unable to return home. Many crowded the pavements as they attempted to walk home. Others, unable to use cellphones, queued at phone boxes. Convenience stores sold out of food Tokyoites stocked up not knowing how long they would be stranded.