Long-Term Recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster - Post-Tsunami Hazard: Reconstruction and Restoration - page 10

1.3.4 Major Damage in Expanded Low Land Settlements

Large-scale Showa resettlement sites correspond this type of damage. Although
resettlement sites on higher ground did not sustain damage, expansion of residential
areas to low land resulted in devastating damage due to the EJED. Figure 1.4 shows
the site plan of these Showa resettlements and the impact of the EJED.
Yaichiro Yamaguchi, an anthropologist monitoring the resettlement sites in this
area, points out reasons why people live in the lower land near the sea (Yamaguchi
1943 ). One is shortage of land after the World War II. People returning to Japan
settled in low land areas because they did not have housing in a resettlement site.
The other reason is economic. Those, who were successful fi shing and earned a lot
of money, had the means to construct their new houses on their original lots near
the sea.
The resettlement sites from the Showa Tsunami Disaster have about an 80-year
history. The environmental condition of the resettlement sites looks nice. For exam-
ple, the lower part of the Tanohata community (Fig. 1.4 upper left) sustained severe
damage, but the main part was unaffected. The basic layout has been maintained
and several shops exist in the resettlement site. The situation in Hosoura (Fig. 1.4
upper right) is similar to Tanohata.
Moreover, the Hongo community has an excellent layout. Cherry trees were
planted at the boundary of the resettlement site and the lowland. However, several

Fig. 1.4 Showa resettlement; ( a ) Tanohama, Yamada, Iwate; ( b ): Hosoura, Oofunato, Iwate;
( c ) Hongo, Karani, Kamaishi, Iwate; ( d ) Aikawa, Kitakami, Ishinomaki, Miyagi (Maps Source:
Department of Urban Planning 1934 )