In the reconstruction efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Typhoon Lionrock, we believe in the importance of creating local culture as we rebuild our community, while also continuing efforts to "accurately convey" the history of the disasters. Our community's history and culture have deep roots in the region, having been shaped by interactions with its inhabitants' ways of life. Here, I would like to focus on the importance of history within the context of social change and reconstruction efforts from disasters, and connect it to further cultural growth.
Selected Papers No.22

The Rias Ark Museum of Art exhibit, "Records of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the history of tsunami disasters," advocates for the importance of recognizing the man-made aspects of tsunami disasters which stem from the historical, cultural, and social factors that existed in the devastated communities, and how the disasters may have been affected in scale due to such factors. Instead of focusing on the "fight against natural disasters," we strive to communicate the possibility of a lifestyle centered on "sharing the global environment," and help visitors to learn about a lifestyle that is not necessarily centered around disaster prevention structures. Through such efforts, we hope such new values will be instilled in the visitors as well as spur thought towards future exhibits that place importance on cultural advancement.

The Tohoku region's fisheries industry experienced catastrophic damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. To support the reconstruction of the Sanriku region, fisheries industry workers in the three prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima have been collaborating through the "Fisherman's League," an effort going beyond community borders. Through this effort, the workers are striving to create change in the fisheries industry as a whole, including training the next generation of leaders and establishing the "Sanriku Brand."