Disaster Area Guide Program to Convey Memories of the Eastern Iburi Earthquake|Huge Erosion Control Dam to be Completed by the End of This Fiscal Year

The Atsuma Town Tourism Association in Hokkaido provides a guide to the disaster-stricken areas to pass on the memories of the Eastern Iburi Earthquake that occurred on September 6, 2018. Currently, there are 11 guides, including 3 local high school students.

In the disaster area guide, we will guide you to the situation at the time of the Eastern Iburi Earthquake, which caused an unprecedented landslide, the story of evacuation life, and the status of reconstruction in the three districts of the town. The guide time is about 60 minutes, and one guide will accompany the participants in their own car or bus.

The fee is 11,000 yen per guide per means of transportation. The service is held from 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m., and the last departure time is 4 p.m. (3 p.m. in November ~ March). The optional tour of the Hidaka Horonai River erosion control dam is 5500 yen for +60 minutes. Applications are accepted one week in advance for groups and three days in advance for individuals, and are accepted on the dedicated page of the Tourism Association. It is held all year round, but from mid-December to February, there may still be snow in the areas visited.

The Disaster Area Guide was started the year after the earthquake with the aim of "not ending in the town of the earthquake". So far, about 8,500 people have participated, about half of whom are tourists from Honshu. The guides are 8 adults and 3 students from the local Atsuma High School from this year.

According to the Atsuma Tourism Association, "When you look at the huge erosion control dam under construction on the Hidaka Horonai River, where the massif has moved 350 meters, you will be overwhelmed by the impact of the earthquake." In addition, the erosion control dam is Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Hokkaido Development It is scheduled to be completed by the end of FY2023.