[3.11 to 12 years] Two former elementary schools in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture are opened to the public as remnants of the earthquake
Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture has opened the former Kadowaki Elementary School and the former Okawa Elementary School, which were severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, to the public as the remains of the Ishinomaki City Earthquake to convey the disaster to future generations and to engage in disaster prevention education. The facility is operated by the Ishinomaki City Earthquake Remnants Designated Management Group.
When the earthquake struck, the children and teachers of Kadowaki Elementary School evacuated to the nearby Mt. Hiwa, a small hill, and escaped the tsunami one hour later. The main school building was engulfed in flames from the tsunami fire. More than 500 people in the school district were killed by the tsunami.
The former Kadowaki Elementary School opened in April 2022 as a remnant of the earthquake. You can see the damage caused by the tsunami fire inside the main school building from the exterior passage. In the gymnasium, there is an exhibition of damaged vehicles that have not been retained in their original form due to the power of the tsunami and emergency temporary housing that was actually used. In the special classroom, there is an exhibition of leftover boxes and blackboards, as well as an explanation of the specimens of the strata and the damage. We offer disaster prevention learning programs such as guides, storytellers, and study trips.
Admission is 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for high school students, and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students. * Groups of 20 or more people receive a 100 yen discount. The museum is open from 9:00~17:00 (last admission at 16:00, closed on Mondays).
It is about 40 minutes by car from Kadowaki Elementary School to the northeast. Okawa Elementary School, located 5 km from the mouth of the Kitakami River, which flows into Oiba Bay, was hit by an 8-meter-high tsunami that came up the river, killing 74 children and 10 teachers. The number of victims in the district was 418 people. After the earthquake, the families of 23 children filed a lawsuit against the city and the prefecture. In 2019, eight years after the disaster, the Supreme Court pointed out the inadequacy of the school's disaster prevention system, and the bereaved families won the case.
The former Okawa Elementary School opened in July 2021 as a remnant of the earthquake. From the outside, you can see the floor of the main school building, which was raised by the power of the tsunami, and the twisted corridor. The Earthquake Disaster Heritage Museum in front of the school is an explanatory exhibition of the events of the day of the earthquake and the trial. Local organizations take on the role of guides and storytellers. Every year on March 11, the Okawa Bamboo Light is held to commemorate the victims by lighting bamboo lanterns.
Admission is free. The museum is open from 9:00~17:00 (open all year round).
Local access is 10 minutes by taxi from JR Ishinomaki Station. The former Okawa Elementary School is a 45-minute taxi ride from JR Ishinomaki Station and a 25-minute taxi ride from JR Shikamata Station.
