The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota`s Garden, Smith Heather

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirotas Garden is inspired by the true story of the wind phone in Otsuchi, Japan, which was created by artist Itaru Sasaki. He built the phone booth so he could speak to his cousin who had passed, saying, My thoughts couldnt be relayed over a regular phone line, I wanted them to be carried on the wind. The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed the town of Otsuchi, claiming 10 percent of the population. Residents of Otsuchi and pilgrims from other affected communities have been traveling to the wind phone since the tsunami.