Were the areas affected in the recent Japan tsunami rural or built up?

Question:

Does anyone know what businesses were destroyed as well?

Answer:

Both. The tsunami didn't just damage a small area, and it hit the biggest city in the entire northern region (Sendai). In Sendai alone the tsunami reached 5 miles inward, so it did a lot of damage. It temporarily ruined the airport and the sea port, wiped out many local businesses and those dependent upon fishing or agriculture (which supplies food to much of the country), and you can't ignore the issue with the nuclear power plants.