Transpacific

A tale of a chain of miracles and the sea goddess of Okuki in the wake of Japan's 2011 triple disaster:

When a pair of Oregonians stumbled upon what looked like debris on a beach, it precipitated a chain of events that culminated in an emotional reunion some 7,000 kilometers away.

Fascinating that the specific shrine the debris originated from was identified by a plank bearing the name of a benefactor from when the Torii gates were originally built. Presumably if that plank hadn't stayed attached, at best the identifiably Japanese but not otherwise distinctive debris might well have ended up an anonymous part of an exhibit illustrating how many different cultures border on the Pacific Ocean. Much better this way, for sure.

[Via MeFi user MartinWisse posting to MetaFilter]