Volunteer Dry Cleaner Team Helps Kumamoto Pref. Disaster Victims with Laundry

HIKAWA, Kumamoto — A group of volunteer dry cleaning professionals from across Japan has started offering laundry assistance to victims of the Kumamoto earthquake. With access to water scarce, cleaning clothes has been challenging, and the help has been gratefully received by those affected. Originally established following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, the service is being provided by the Disaster Sentaku Assistance Team, whose name translates to "laundry" in Japanese.

In Hikawa, a city within Kumamoto Prefecture where over 2,900 households lack water, the team gathers garments at sites such as a community center used as an evacuation shelter and collaborates with nearby dry cleaners to launder them. On Saturday, around 80 pieces of clothing were delivered to Yoshida Cleaning in Uki, a town in the prefecture.

Although the shop is temporarily closed due to earthquake-caused damage, it agreed to undertake the task as it can utilize groundwater for washing. "I hope this will be of assistance to those in need of help," remarked the 64-year-old shop manager.

A 78-year-old woman, who has been staying at a community center in Hikawa, took advantage of the service on the same day and expressed her appreciation, stating, "I hadn't been able to wash my clothes, so this was a tremendous help." "I want the victims not to worry about bringing their clothes and instead focus their time on recovery efforts or rest," said Yuichi Nakamura, a 42-year-old team leader who operates a dry cleaner in Ina, Nagano Prefecture.