Earthquake & Tsunami Recovery
On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake shook Tohoku, triggering a thirty-nine-meter-high tsunami that devastated coastal communities across Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate Prefectures. These communities have had to rebuild from the ground up. Although the tragedy of that day must never be forgotten, let us also celebrate that there has also been remarkable progress toward recovery. Visitors have a positive role to play in these communities, as tourism is a source of revenue that can be used to fund further recovery efforts.
SENDAI 3.11 MEMORIAL COMMUNITY CENTER
The 3.11 Memorial Community Center is located inside Arai Station. It’s a great place to learn about how the March 2011 disaster impacted life in Sendai’s coastal suburbs. On the first floor is a community space housing a wooden topographic map, books, and slideshows that give a clear overview of the damage. The second floor houses a permanent exhibition of photos and a timeline chronicling the March 2011 disasters and the progress of the recovery.
ONAGAWA TOWN
In 2011, 70% of Onagawa was decimated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. With most of the town’s buildings washed away, the community was left no choice but to rebuild from the ground up. The story of Onagawa’s reconstruction is truly remarkable. Spearheaded by a spirited mayor working hand-in-hand with local residents, the town has been reborn as a place of collective vision and intent.
MILLENNIUM HOPE HILLS
The Millennium Hope Hills are a set of parks built around thirty-six-foot-tall grass-covered hills formed out of tsunami rubble. They are simultaneously a memorial to the many lives lost, an evacuation shelter, and part of a system of barriers designed to mitigate the impact of any future tsunami. The view of the ocean and floodplain from the hilltops makes it easy to understand the scale of the 2011 tsunami and state of the recovery.
HIYORIYAMA PARK
Hiyoriyama Park sits at the peak of little Mount Hiyoriyama. The park overlooks the Kadonowaki and Minamihama residential districts of Ishinomaki City, where sadly, more than five hundred people lost their lives during the 2011 tsunami. Viewpoints around the park display photos of the views pre-disaster. The contrast between the current views and those depicted in the photographs gives visitors a sense of the magnitude of the destruction. It is a must-see for visitors wanting to learn about the 2011 tsunami and Ishinomaki’s reconstruction.