It’s been ten years since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit Fukushima and surrounding prefectures, the northeastern region of Japan collectively known as Tohoku, on March 11 2011. Japan’s most powerful earthquake took more than 20,000 lives and forced many to evacuate their homes after dangerous levels of radiation were emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Running from March to April this year, these four exhibitions in Tokyo will take you back to the day of the disaster through images, videos, firsthand accounts and artefacts. You’ll be able to take a look at recovery projects and the efforts to rebuild Tohoku that have taken place the past decade, as well as find out what we’ve learned from the event and how Japan is applying those lessons in preparing for natural disasters in the future.
10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: recent earthquake research
Much research on earthquakes has been conducted over the past decade, a lot of it informed by the unprecedented scale of the Tohoku quake. There’s now more and more information available regarding trends, disaster prevention and mitigation against large earthquakes.
At this exhibition at the National Museum of Nature and Science, you’ll be able to look back at the events leading up to the disaster through images, videos and even artefacts dug up from the debris. Plus, you can see recent research findings on large-scale natural disasters.
Letters and voices from March 11 – 10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Maki Ishii photo exhibition
Browse through images taken by photographer Maki Ishii, who has visited Fukushima every month since the disaster, documenting the situation of local people. She continued to return for years after being inspired by a person she met at an evacuation shelter, who asked her to tell their story through her photos.
Ishii has also captured images of bands like Dragon Ash, Ellegarden and Man with a Mission, who performed at a disaster relief in the Tohoku region. The images are filled with positive, uplifting handwritten messages for the survivors written by the musicians and even the photographer herself.
Disaster and Future – 10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Hosted by public broadcaster NHK at the Miraikan, this commemorative exhibition is separated into three parts. In Zone 1, you’ll be able to relive the day of the disaster through news media footage and information that was released within 72 hours of the earthquake. Zone 2 includes a collection of footage from Japanese and overseas media that tell the story of Tohoku’s road to recovery. In Zone 3, you can take a look at subsequent research and findings on the earthquake and tsunami, which just might help you prepare for any future natural disasters.
Icons of time 2021: Tomohiro Muda Photography Exhibition
Come face to face with stark scenes from the Tohoku region and around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant at this exhibition featuring photographer Tomohiro Muda. He has captured images of devastated landscapes and lost items like shoes, books and clothing, which were swept away by the tsunami. These impactful images will be accompanied by an installation using sand, pebbles and aquariums to create an environment reminiscent of the region after the disaster.
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