論文『人類学研究所 研究論集』第号（２０２１）

Research Papers of the Anthropological Institute Vol.10 (2021)

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ArticleCatastrophic Disaster Causing Separation ofCulture and Loss of History:
Museum Activities by University
Students for “Build Back Better” of Local Culture

Koji

KATO *In the Great East Japan Earthquake, the tsunami triggered by the earthquake caused
serious damage in the coastal area of Tohoku. The disaster caused damage not only tohumans, but also to many collections of historical, cultural and natural value stored bymuseums. Under the Cultural Assets Rescue Program, restoration efforts were madeat more than 50 sites in Miyagi Prefecture alone. As a curator of the Tohoku Gakuin
University Museum, I have been engaged in rescue, treatment, and classification ofarchaeological, ethnographical and geographical artifacts, old documents, and historicresearch data together with our university students.
Today, residents of the tsunami-hit region are clearly expressing their longing forthe image of their past daily lives. This is because these residents cannot feel thesense of time of the past, present and future about their hometown in the processof restoration through which their community landscape is changing drastically. In
addition, construction works to raise the ground level are underway to establish a safer
community, but there is a delay in construction. In such situation, the residents are
beginning to lose even their memories of the past scenery of their hometown.
For people who have decided to continue living in the tsunami-hit area, the separationof their culture and the loss of their history as a result of the catastrophic disaster areserious problems. It is of course the issue of local residents, and it is also the issue of
ethnographer. People are trying to find meaning in the past, find connection to thepresent, and draw a near-future vision of their community. I believe that it is importantfor cultural property rescue and museum activities efforts to contribute to ensuringthat many more local cultural resources are utilized than had been before the disaster,and to serve as opportunities to identify and discover new cultural resources. I call thisapproach “Build Back Better” of culture.

Keywords
Great East Japan Earthquake
Museum Activities
Folklore Research
Local History and Culture

目次 Contents

Ⅰ

Introduction

Ⅱ

Museum Activities and Folklore Research
for the Reconstruction of the Affected
Areas

Ⅲ

Exhibition with Local Residents toRediscover Local History and Culture

Ⅳ Conclusion

Build Back Better50

Ⅰ

Introduction

were deteriorated and damaged so severely thatmany of them no longer retained in their complete
form. To improve this condition, I conductedfrom representing the history and culture in adesalinization and pest control using carbon dioxide,

traditional academic context to creating public space

under the guidance of the National Museum offor social practice by diverse actors. Conceptualizing

Ethnology. The aim of the primary cleaning, is tothe exhibition of culture is closely connected by ourremove the dirt. I took the lead role in providing

understanding of how our society sees itself. It is not

information on the condition of each material and to

our job to represent them. We should rather give

instructing others how to clean those arifacts. Therethem the space to represent themselves. Today, thewere forty students, engaged in the cleaning process

museum is no longer a place to present curatorialat a time.

research results, because more active involvement

During the period of disaster reconstruction, I

in social practice by curators, is one of the social

carefully thought what meaning could be founddemands of museums.

in these objects that would be valuable forIn the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011), thecommunicating local history and culture. Besides

tsunami was triggered by the earthquake that

that, I also thought about the things that disaster

caused serious damage in the coastal area of Tohoku

survivors most want to cherish, and how curators can

Region. At that time, I engaged myself in the rescue

make these things, while encouraging an interactive

activities of cultural property. Talking about these

dialogue.

activities in brief, such as protecting the collections

I thought that rescued artifacts should not beof history, culture and natural sciences documents

returned directly to storage room, but rather should

owned by museums. Many cultural assets andbe shown and displayed to local residents, in ordervaluable museum collections were damaged by theto understand and discuss social practices through a

Great East Japan Earthquake. The Committee for

dialogue involving both citizens and the researchers.

Cultural Assets Rescue program had worked toAlong with university students, I designed exhibition

rescue a wide variety of cultural properties owned

for people to make a conversation on these displayedby the disaster affected museums. More than 50

arifacts and express their true feelings about “whatmuseums and repositories were damaged at athey want to tell” about these rescued artifacts.

time. Immediately, after the earthquake took place,

Then, by using the qualitative data gathered fromTohoku Gakuin University came forward to involvethe interviews, we held discussion with the local

themselves in the project to rescue all the collections

residents and finally we found the theme of ourof disaster affected museums. Then the University

next exhibition. It was an attempt to seek “What do

had accepted an archaeological and folklore collection

they want to talk about next”. We conducted moreof the Ayukawa Repository in Ishinomaki City,

interviews. The exhibition held in the autumn oflocated on the Oshika Peninsula. From the repository

2020, it is the 24th exhibition since the disaster took

center, eight truckloads of artifacts were carried into

place and our rescue activities are still ongoing.

the University campus.

I think that sharing one’s disaster experience inA large amount of severely damaged artifacts hadwords was not an easy task for many survivors. I

cleaned by the university students for two years.

was invited to visit Houston and New Orleans as

Since tsunami-affected cultural assets had been

the hurricane Katrina affected areas to wintness

exposed to the weather for three months until theyvarious survivor’s practices. I think people in thewere rescued by the University, These properties

United States, spoken expression seems to be more

*Musashino Art University

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Catastrophic Disaster Causing Separation of Culture and Loss of History:
Museum activities by University Students for “Build Back Better” of Local Culture

The role of contemporary museums have changed

the tsunami-hit region are clearly expressing their

However, comparatively in Japan, positive power of

longing for the image of their past daily lives. This

substance and sound seems to be reversed more. I

is because these local residents cannot feel the sense

think we can potentially understand the local cultureof time of the past, present and future about theirof disaster affected areas from material cultural

hometown in the process of recovery through, which

resources in a more effective way.

their community landscape is changing drastically.

Ⅱ Museum Activities
and Folklore
Research for the
Reconstruction of
the Affected Areas
Ayukawa, in Ishinomaki City, is located near theand art works rerated to local culture and Mingu.

tip of the Oshika Peninsula on the Sanriku Coast of

In Japanese folklore study, the tools of folkways are10

the Tohoku Region in Japan It is to be noted thatcalled Mingu, which means materials of common

Ayukawa was the nearest land area to the epicenter

people’s day to day life. At an exhibition, our studentsof the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011). This place

conducted interview to the visitors about their life/

was suffered a devastating damage from the tsunami.

For an example, food, clothing, shelter situations,

Today, ten years since the Earthquake, residents offishing and farming skills, social relationships, families,号（２０２１）

Research Papers of the Anthropological Institute Vol.10 (2021)『人類学研究所 研究論集』第powerful healing tool rather than material expression.

For people who have decided to continue livingin the tsunami-hit area, as a result of catastrophic
disaster, the separation of their culture and the lossof their history are the serious problems for thesepeople. People are trying to find meaning in the past,find connection to the present, and draw a nearfuture vision of their community.
We exhibited old pictures, old documents, maps

Figure 1. Ayukawa Port (2019)52

kinship and the local community, local folkloristics

mobility. But, in the process of restoration from thebeliefs, annual events as well as many other issues.

Great East Japan Earthquake, life spaces are being

The accumulation of narrative records from local

separated from the seashore, due to the relocation

residents, helped a lot to reveal how they used to liveof their settlements to higher ground areas andin their local community before the tsunami disasteraquaculture is being recommended.

affected their lives.
one of the world’s three best fishing fields. It is tobe noted that this area attracts many whales. Since
it is being used to hunt a wide variety of whales, alarge number of whaling companies were allowed toestablish their offices about 100 years ago. In addition,

Ⅲ Exhibition with
Local Residents toRediscover Local
History and Culture

local land owners also jointly started to invest in

I have introduced some of the exhibitions

coastal whaling and began to hunt minke whales.

organized by University students and local residents.

On the Oshika Peninsula, a rich fishery culture was

Our partner includes temporary shopping street,

formed, whaling, deep-sea fishing (ocean fishing),fishing and whaling companies, community councils

large-scale set-net fishing, aquaculture of oysters,

for revitalizing the town, women’s associations,wakame seaweeds, ascidians etc.

folk performing art groups, local hotel owners,

According to the collective memory of the local
residents, the “golden age” of Ayukawa was fromaround 1955 to 1960, which was the heyday ofschools, welfare facilities for elderly and a working
environment for people with disabilities.

at the tip of the peninsula, the town attracted many

3-1 Topic: People Connected  through Labor

young aspiring people to find jobs there. TheyOne of the world’s top three fishing fields, thedreamed that they could gain an opportunity to

Ishinomaki/Sanriku-Kinkasan is rich in abundant

make big profit, but in reality it was not so easy. In

resources. At this forefront location of modern

those days, people were competing with each otherfishery, residents were brimming with enterprise

to make a fortune through the network, they had

and eager to accept advanced techniques. Many

established while working.

people came to the peninsula to make a good fortune.

commercial whaling and deep-sea fishing. Located

The end of the “golden age” was brought by the
adoption of a commercial whaling moratorium by the

Priority was placed on the co-worker relationships
even over their family relationships.

International Whaling Commission (IWC) from the

Fishery managers and ship owners accept young

perspective of international resource management

men who came to work from outside through a fiction(1982) and the establishment of a 200-mile fishing zone

parenthood. It’s called EBISU-OYA. When accepting(1977). As a result, the main fishery industry of thefamily migrants, wealthy families sometime become

Oshika Peninsula was replaced by the tourism andrelatives. It’s called WARAJI-NUGI. People called theaquaculture. Later on, the industrial structure of therelationship SHINSEKI (relatives) even though there

Oshika Peninsula was characterized by settlement

was no blood connection.

and stability. Like many other areas of Japan, theToday, fishery trainees invited from Indonesia

peninsula began to face such social problems. Such as

are in charge of fishery labor. Fishery companies

population outflow, a declining birthrate and an aging

treat Indonesian people, like their children and now

population, the sluggish performance of primarytrainees became an important actor for local shrine

industries. Their culture was enriched throughfestivals.
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Catastrophic Disaster Causing Separation of Culture and Loss of History:
Museum activities by University Students for “Build Back Better” of Local Culture

Ishinomaki/Sanriku-Kinkasan is considered to beaccording to whaling companies and public offices.
The baseball competition was so common at thattime. We exhibited about the connection between thewhaling industry and baseball culture.

『人類学研究所 研究論集』第号（２０２１）

Research Papers of the Anthropological Institute Vol.10 (2021)

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Figure 2. Students interviewing local residents

3-2 Topic: Kinkasan,
  Holy Place for Fishermen
As an isolated island located in the Oshika
Peninsula, Kinkasan is a sacred place of faith forthe fishermen. In the Edo Period, this island wasa training place for followers of mountaineering
asceticism. Therefore, women were not allowed tothis place. In modern times, tourism has developed,with the number of visitors to the shrine. Many
people come to visit this shrine, to pray for long-lifeand the happiness of their family members.

Figure 4. Booklet on sports and whaling

3-4 Topic: Entertainment
  Provided by Companies
In the middle of the 20th century, the heyday
of commercial whaling, large-scale set-net fishing,and deep-sea fishing, fishing companies served as aprovider of entertainment for the local community.
These companies served as an important sponsor
for the Oshika Whale Festival, an annual grandfestival featuring the passage of a portable shrine tocelebrate the local deity of the Kumano Shrine. Not
ony this, many other local festivals and events were
often sponsored by these companies. Many shops
lined the streets, including general stores, hardware

Figure 3. Kinkasan Island

shops, bicycle shops, movie theaters, cabarets, and

3-3 Topic: Whaling
  Companies  and Sports Culture

many restaurants serving Japanese dishes, Western
dishes and Chinese dishes.

During the period of the Japanese restoration fromthe Second World War, Japanese people depended onwhales for their intake of animal protein. This was
the background to the prosperity of Ayukawa, which
attracted many young aspiring people to find jobs
through their connections with whaling companies
from across the country. In those days, baseballplayers were hero. Baseball teams were organized
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Figure 5. Oshika Whale Festival in 2019

3-5 Material Culture  and Narrative
University students interviewed local residents
about their memories and stories of their daily lives,
which is reminded through the exhibited materials.
works. The exhibits made visitors feel at home,encouraging them to share their own narratives.
Resonating with such narratives, other visitors
remembered their own daily lives and discussed witheach other.

Figure 7. Flyer for an exhibition of souvenirs broughtback by whalers

3-7 Workshop with  elementary
  school students
Activities with elementary school students are also
one of our important projects. such as elementary
school students and University students engage
Figure 6. Exhibition of illustrations
based on interviews

themselves in conducting several interviews withthe elderly people and to conduct workshops andexhibitions. For those children were raised in the

3-6 Souvenirs for whalers

affected areas, this is a valuable opportunity for them,to relink their past memories of the region with the

In Ayukawa, many men have experience forcurrent life. We created a Ming battle card game. We

working in the Antarctic Ocean. They brought backalso wrote a drama based on a folktale of a fishingsome interesting souvenirs from the Antarctic Ocean

village and performed this drama.

and many people cherish them as family treasures.
Sush souvenirs are Antarctic ice, creatures, exotic
shells, animal specimens and whale bone art etc.
In addition, whalers worships and dedications for
hunting big size whales at Ayukawa/s several
shrines and temples are also valuable materials that
help us to understand and represent the life of pastcommunities.

Figure 8. Workshop with elementary school students

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Catastrophic Disaster Causing Separation of Culture and Loss of History:
Museum activities by University Students for “Build Back Better” of Local Culture

Some stories were selected for developing illustration

Ⅳ Conclusion

important, to think about survivor’s wisdom for livingwith natural disaster. Recovery and reconstruction
policy from natural disaster and development policy
of affected areas are going side by side. We have torescue and museum activities, to contribute andpay attention both human-size and community-size
issue as well as economic and politic-size issues.

to ensure that many more local cultural resources10

addressed only by specialized researchers. To draw a

Finally, I would like to conclude that local museums

future vision of local culture and history, collaboration

can play an important role. We will organize anis essential among the public sector involved in

exhibition with a theme selected based on local

cultural administration, social education, NPOs, NGOs,

residents’ interest and discuss a theme for the nextcompanies, citizens, and others.

exhibition at the venue.

号（２０２１）

Research Papers of the Anthropological Institute Vol.10 (2021)『人類学研究所 研究論集』第I believe that it is important for cultural property

are utilized than had been before the disaster and

The purpose of my research is to bridge people’s.to provide several opportunities to identify andseparated history by using ethnographical anddiscover new cultural resources. I call this approach

museum skills. I believe that it is important for“Build Back Better” in the field of culture. To thiscultural property rescue and museum activities

end, local museums can play an important role byefforts to contribute and to ensure that many moredemonstrating their ideas and techniques developed

local cultural resources are utilized than had been

after the end of the war in the fields of collection,

before the disaster and to provide an opportunity

classification, preservation, and use of historicalto identify and discover new cultural resources. I

materials, which serve as local cultural resources.

call this approach “Build Back Better” in the field of

History and culture are not fields that should be

culture.

Even after the completion of the restoration work,

In the year of 2019, October a new town was

we should continue to collaborate with a wide variety

opened in Ayukawa, named Whale Town Oshika.

of local people. We will organize an exhibition on aThis town includes a new permanent shopping street,theme based on local residents interest and we willa memorial museum, a national park visitor center

continue to discuss a theme for the next exhibition at

and a whale museum. In these museums, I would likethe venue. The main purpose of these exhibitions is

to show the process of rediscovery of history andto create an active environment, where we can easiyculture in which students and local residents haveidentify what people would like to cherish, discusscontinued after the disaster.

and share their viewpoints through something
specific topic.

I will continue my research to write ethnography
as a folklorist and continue to share cultural

Human-size and community-size issue are also the

Figure 9. Sanriku National Park visitor center
56

resources with local residents as a curator. I want

Figure 10. Oshika Whale Museum

to make a bridge between the past and present,
separated by the tsunami disaster of local residents
who have decided to remain in the affected areas.

Catastrophic Disaster Causing Separation of Culture and Loss of History:
Museum activities by University Students for “Build Back Better” of Local Culture

References
Koji, Kato.
2017“The Story of Cultural Assets and their
Rescue: A First-Hand Report fromTohoku”, Fabula 58(1-2), pp.51-75.

2019“Sarachi To Kojigenba Kara No Bunka
Souzou To Rekishi Jissen” Yutaka Suga
and Katsutaka Hojo (ed), Public History

Nyumon: Hirakareta Rekishi Gaku He No
Chosen , Bensei Shuppan.

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