In the lap of the towering Abukuma mountains and 30 kilometres from the nuclear reactor Fukushima Dai-ichi, it was a collection of homes, offices, two gas stations and three grocery stores; a place where people rode bicycles to work, children played in parks and seniors read newspapers on porches.

The village of Iitate is no more.

The homes, offices, gas stations and grocery stores are boarded up. Snow is unshovelled on driveways and walkways. Weeds have invaded rice fields. Cattle pens are empty, cows have been slaughtered.