There are some phenomena that make you realize how much Japanese people were shocked by the 3/11 earthquake. I'll talk about some of them.
The disaster seems to have inspired people to marry. Since the earthquake, the number of people who have signed up with marriage agencies has been sharply increasing. Both engagement and wedding rings have been enjoying good sales. On Mother's Day (the second Sunday of May), carnations, which are the most popular gifts in Japan, sold much better than last year. It's reported that before Mother's day, department stores and electronics stores were more crowded than last year with people who wanted to buy gifts. Goods which are useful in cutting electricity consumption or helping mothers beat the heat during summer had good sales. Expensive pressure cookers were one of them.
In downtown Tokyo, where the restaurant industry has been suffering from poor sales especially since the earthquake happened, places where many traditional style, casual restaurants gather have been attracting people, regardless of gender and age. These casual restaurants offer good food at low prices, but the tables and chairs are cheap and shabby. They don't provide enough elbow room for their customers, so frequent physical contact with others is inevitable. On top of that, they are noisy. However, the cramped space and loud noise seem to make the customers feel easy, and it even cheers them up when they feel uneasy.
As you can see, the 3/11 earthquake has reminded a lot of people of things that they are apt to forget. Some have realized how much their families are concerned about them. Those who live alone have realized how uneasy they feel when things like the earthquake happen. Some have realized that other's concerns for them encourage them.
A place where many traditional style, casual restaurants gather
