TOWN WATCHINGHANDBOOKFORDISASTER EDUCATIONENHANCING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNINGTOWN WATCHINGHANDBOOKFORDISASTER EDUCATIONENHANCING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNINGTeam Members
Rajib Shaw, Kyoto University
Yukiko Takeuchi, Kyoto University
Production of this publication is funded by
the European Union“The European Union is made up of 27 Member States who havedecided to gradually link together their know-how, resources anddestinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years,
they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable
development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance andindividual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing
its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond
its borders.”
Disclaimer“This publication has been produced with the assistance of theEuropean Union. The contents of this publication are the sole
responsibility of UN/ISDR Secretariat and can in no way be taken
to reflect the views of the European Union.”
Acknowledgement
This handbook is adapted from the original Japanese version ofTown Watching Handbook which was prepared using the town
watching experiences in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture in Japan. The
support of the Drafting Committee on Town Watching Guidelines
in Saijo, the city government, schools, and teachers is highly
acknowledged. The support of UN/ISDR and SEEDS Technical
Services is highly appreciated.
Contact Details

Rajib Shaw
International Environment and Disaster Management Laboratory
Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies
KYOTO UNIVERSITY
Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, JAPANTel/ Fax: 81-75-753-5708
E-mail: shaw@global.mbox.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Web: http://www.iedm.ges.kyoto-u.ac.jp/
Design and Layout
Takayuki Moriyama

Preface
Experiential learning is getting
increasingly recognized in thefield of disaster and environmental
education. Disaster education should
go beyond the text books, since
the text books provide knowledge,
however to transform the knowledge
into practice, it needs practicaltraining, capacity building, andexperiential learning. Town watching/regional or community watchingis a key tool for that purpose. The
concept of disaster risk reduction
education is to obtain the following
four abilities (mid-term report of
MEXT, Government of Japan August2007):
1.The ability to take action in disaster
preparedness and mitigation
by knowing local disasters andcommunity characteristics of eachresidential area and acquiring
disaster prevention technologies.
2.The ability to protect oneself fromnatural disasters and to cope with
post-disaster life if one suffers fromdisasters.
3.The ability to rehabilitate disasteraffected areas and to reconstruct
secure and safe society, and4.The ability to voluntarily help otherpeople and areas to be safe.
Town watching should not be donein isolation, it needs to be linked
to lectures, experiential learning,and seminar/workshops. The town
watching process enhances student’svisual and analytical skills, which
help in generating innovative actions
along with family, community, andneighbors. The key to town watchingis collective watching, with different
groups of people. The adults, likeparents, teachers, local residents,and local city officers watch thesame thing with the students, andencourage students to find problems
and solutions in the field. In town
watching the participants need
to appreciate both positive andnegative aspects of the communityand neighborhood.
A handbook for town watchingis long felt. In urban planning,
there are different guiding notes forregional watching, but it was lacking
in the field of disaster education.
The International Environment andDisaster Management Laboratory(IEDM) of Kyoto University Graduate
School of Global Environmental
Studies had the opportunity to
conduct town watching exercise inJapan, India, Malaysia and Vietnam.
All these town watching exercises
had different context. This handbook
is the collective fruit of all theseexperiences.
The success of a handbook lies
on its use. This handbook is to
be used by teachers and/or local
government education officers to
conduct town watching in theirrespective neighborhood and/or city.
We hope that the handbook will be
useful to perform innovative andexperiential education, and set a
new trend of disaster risk reduction
education.
Rajib Shaw and Yukiko Takeuchi

Contents
1. Concept of Community and/or Regional Watching...5
1.1 Stakeholders of Community Based Disaster Education.....6
1.2 Risk Communication.....7
1.3 Situating Regional / Community Watching in the Learning System.....9
1.4 Regional / Community Watching.....10
1.5 Regional Watching Linked to Experiential Learning.....11
1.6 Purpose of Town Watching in Disaster Prevention.....12

2. Preparation for Town Watching...14
2.1 Setting Objectives and Schedule.....16
2.1.1 Setting Objectives.....16
2.1.2 Setting the Schedule.....192.1.3 Positioning in School and in the Curriculum...20
2.1.4 Positioning in the Region.....21
2.2 Preparation for Town Watching.....222.2.1 Schedule before Implementation.....222.2.2 Participants and Their Roles.....24
2.2.3 Information Provided by City Halls and Education Boards.....26
2.2.4 Organizing the Information to Clarify Checking Spots in Town Watching.....27
2.2.5 Informing Local Residents.....30
2.2.6 Preparing Necessary Items.....31
2.2.7 Explaining to Children and Students.....32
2.2.8 Preparation of Handouts for Students...33
2.2.9 Preparation Checklists...36

3. Implementation of Town Watching...37
3.1 Schedule of Town Watching Day (example).....38
3.2 Making a Map and Presentation.....40
3.3 Interview Methods.....44
3.4 Preparation for Troubles.....45

4. Activities After Town Watching...46
4.1 Comparing Questionnaire Responses of Before and After Town Watching.....47
4.1.1 Questionnaire Responses Before and After Town Watching.....47
4.1.2 Analysis of Questionnaires...48
4.2 Comparing the Map with the Local Hazard Map, etc.
(Ensuring Accuracy and Relevance).....50
4.3 Updating the Map.....51
4.4 Thinking of Countermeasures Against Disasters.....52
4.4.1 Thinking of What We Can Do in Our Region.....52
4.4.2 Examples of Activities After Town Watching in Saijo City...52
Annex1: History of Town Watching.....54
Annex2: Town Watching in Asia – Activities of Kyoto University.....55

Concept ofCommunityand / or Regional
Watching

1 Concept of Communityand / or Regional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

1.1 Stakeholders of Community Based
Disaster Education
The stakeholders of community based disaster education are divided into
two groups: those coming from inside the community and those comingfrom outside the community. In addition, the stakeholders are also classified
either as expert in local issues or as expert in disaster prevention andenvironmental management. The four stakeholders identified are the local
residents (A) who are the community end users; the community leaders(B) who are the decision makers in the community; the government (C)who is the implementer, manager, and resource support provider; andthe researchers/NGOs who are the researchers, implementers, education
support providers, and plan support providers (Figure1-1).
Usually stakeholder C does not have direct communication withstakeholders A, B, and D. In some cases, extension workers (like agriculture
extension, forest extension, health extension and education extension
services) communicate directly to the local communities. In general, thegovernment or stakeholder C communicates through the mass media orthese extension workers. However, the government is an important decision
maker so the other stakeholders have to pay attention and understandinformation coming from the government.
Inside Community

A: Local Residents

B: Community Leaders
Expert in
Disaster andEnvironment

Expert in
Local Issues
C: Government

D: Researcher/NGOs

Outside Community

Figure 1-1. Types of Stakeholder for Risk Management

To enhance the understanding of and interaction in community based
education, risk communication is of prime importance.

6

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

1.2 Risk Communication

Risk communication is one of the support systems of risk management.
Figure 1-2 shows the basic risk communication framework developed by
Kikkawa (1999). On one side is the information sender and on the other sideis the information receiver. Usually, the information sender is the government,
university, or research institution. They possess much specialized information
about disaster prevention. The information receivers are the communities
and individuals. They have a lot of local information. Risk communicationconsists of understanding and making action plans. For risk communication
to be successful, three items are needed: holistic learning, facilitation, andtrust. Holistic learning is the most important item of risk communication.
Therefore, the communication does not make ends meet when there isa gap between the information sender and receiver; each stakeholder
cannot share purpose, understanding, and information (Figure 1-3). Thus,
disaster education tools and some risk communication support tools arenecessary for risk communication. Figure 1-4 illustrates the processes in risk
communication (Takeuchi and Shaw, 2008). There are three stages toward
effective risk communication. In the first stage, activities for knowing andunderstanding disasters are introduced. In the second stage, activities forstimulating interest in disasters are brought in. Lastly, in the third stage,
activities for engaging in disaster prevention are set up. Before starting risk
communication, we have to check following things:
What is the target disaster type?
How much damage is being predicted?
What is the disaster history of the area?
Which stakeholders will be involved?
What are relevant community issues and concerns?
What are the disaster prevention systems and plans?
The answer to the questions above will form the fundamental basis forstrategic risk communication. This chapter will use the experience in South
India as an example of risk communication strategy.

1 Concept of Community and / or Regional Watching7

1 Concept of Communityand / or Regional Watching

Information sender

2 Preparation for Town Watching

Information receiver

Needs andconcerns

Specialists

Two-wayInteractionOﬃcersINGOs
Researchers

Local People
NGOs

Needs related risk
information

Figure 1-2. Framework of Risk Communication (Modified from Kikkawa, 1999)

Knowledge level

Holistic learning
Local people

Specialist

Local people

Professional
Knowledge

Specialist

Local Knowledge

Figure 1-3. Illustration of Holistic Learning

People interested indisasters

People not interested
in disasters
Large Gray zone
Activities to know andunderstand disasters

Activities in having
interest about disaster

Activities in disasterprevention

Figure 1-4. Processes in Risk Communication

8

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

1.3 Situating Regional/ Community Watchingin the Learning System

Study throughLearn throughLearn throughLectureExperience

Presentation

Purpose:

Purpose:

Purpose:Understanding general

Understanding local issues,

Understanding own issues.

knowledge (Mechanism ofhistory, and the environment

Making action plans

Tool:

Tool:

Town Watching Interview

Some workshop tools

disaster, disaster history,
past disasters etc.)

Visit to Museum

Tool:
Text books, videos, somedocuments
Implementer:
School teacher,

Disaster drill

Implementer:
Students

Implementer:Individuals

Specialist
Highly experienced person

Instructor, etc...

Figure 1-5. Comprehensive Learning System

In the scheme of learning system as presented in the above diagram(Figure 1-5), town watching and/or regional/community watching falls
in the experiential learning category, which needs to be complimented
by lectures (using text books, videos and other related documents), andpresentations (using different workshop tools).

1 Concept of Community and / or Regional Watching9

1 Concept of Communityand / or Regional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

1.4 Regional / Community Watching
Based on the above context, the regional and/or community watchingis linked to understanding the surroundings and environment, and linked
to different location contexts. Figure 1-6 shows the regional watching
concept in the understanding of river basin. Three different concepts ofcommunity watching are introduced:••••

Mountain Watching: To understand different elements in mountains
which are linked to disasters and environmental issues
Town Watching: To understand different elements of the plain
land and town and/or villages, which are linked to disasters andenvironmental issues
Coastal Watching: To understand different elements of the coastal
areas which are linked to disasters and environmental issues
Therefore, when theses three elements are linked together, it gives anoverall perspective of regional watching or river basin understanding
from the mountains to coastal areas.

Framework of Regional Watching
Understanding the River Basin

Mountain Watching

Town Watching

Coastal Watching

Understanding the region andUnderstanding the region andUnderstanding the region andthe environment, landslides,

the environment, floods, andthe environment, tsunamis, storm

and the role of forests.

earthquakes.

surges and the role of forests.

Building the network in the

Building the network in the

Building the network in theCommunity

Community

Community

Community

SchoolCommunity

SchoolCommunity

SchoolFigure 1-6. Understanding the River Basin in the Regional / Community Watching Context
10

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

1.5 Regional Watching Linked to Experiential
Learning
Figure 1-7 shows different illustrations on the use of experiential
learning of disaster mechanisms in mountain (importance of trees for
erosion control and protection), plain land (meandering of river), andcoastal protection (role of mangroves and green belt). This type ofexperiential learning helps in deepening the understanding of physicalphenomena and helps in regional watching.
In this handbook, town watching is exemplified with specificillustrations and experiences. The same methodology of town watching
can be applied to mountain watching and/or coastal watching.
Understanding of Mountain and
Plain Linkage<Materials Used >Understanding of Mountain and
Plain Linkage① Check sponge② Rain water③ Check bucket④ Rain fall again with sheet

Sponge/ Bucket/
Plastics Sheet/
Plastics Box/
Sprinkling can/ Water

Understanding of River Meanderingand Bending<Materials Used >Hose/ banana treeʼs skin/ Bucket or Plastics Box/ Water

Understanding of River Meanderingand Bending①Usual time (one river)② Excessive rainfall(one river)③ Meeting points of
two rivers④ The river is meandering① Without Mangroves② With big wave

③ Set the Mangroves④ With big wave

Demonstration about Tsunami
Understanding of Mangrove and Wave

Figure 1-7. Different Elements of Regional Watching Linked toExperiential Learning of Disaster Mechanisms
1 Concept of Community and / or Regional Watching11

1 Concept of Communityand / or Regional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

1.6 Purpose of Town Watching in
Disaster Prevention
When we walk down the streets carefully, we can find both good andbad points of the town which we do not notice in our daily life. Town
watching is originally used as a tool for urban planning, but it is used fordisaster prevention in this guideline. After we look for dangerous spots,
disaster prevention facilities, and historical sites in the town, disasters arerecognized as our concern and not other’s concern and the awareness of
disaster prevention is increased and actual disaster prevention activities
are promoted.
It is a challenge to each community to cope with disasters, with selfand mutual-help in disaster prevention requiring to be improved. Town
watching is supposed to be initiated by students in elementary and juniorhigh school and cooperated by teachers, parents, municipal employees,
community workers, and volunteers. Through these activities, establishingschool-based system of mutual-help becomes another objective of town
watching.
The objectives of town watching are as follows:
Knowing the current situation of the area
Increasing children’s and adults’ awareness of disaster prevention
Cultivating children’s comprehensive skills and abilities of informationcollection, thinking, judgment, expression, and communication
Telling the experience of disaster victims
Pointing out regional problems and suggesting solutions
Establishing cooperation system whenever disaster occurs
Preparation for disasters by local residents with raised awareness of
disaster prevention
Becoming a trigger for children to be important leaders in disasterprevention in the region

Figure 1-8 and 1-9 (next page) show each role and the time flow for town
watching.

12

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Supporting cooperation within
the region, sharing information
on past disasters andadministrative cooperation
against disasters

Deciding schedule, arranging
curriculum, adjusting the planwith regions and cities, leading
people on the day, and providing
a venue

Schools/
Teachers

Local
Administration
City halls,
Education
board

Children/Students

Community

Parents, Residents’ association,
Disaster prevention organization,
NPO, etc.

Sharing experiences of pastdisasters, community-based
cooperation and community’s
characteristics

Figure 1-8. Stakeholders and their responsibilities in town watching

Walk and observe

Make a map

Discuss

Make a Presentation

Figure 1-9. Flow of town watching

1 Concept of Community and / or Regional Watching13

2
PreparationforTown Watching3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

It is necessary to set the objectives, schedule and position in classcurriculum in implementing town watching. Based on the decision, concrete
preparation is discussed such as asking available supporters in school andregion, sharing roles, making a budget, deciding on the implementationsite and preparing equipment (Figure 2-1).
Since implementation of town watching is suggested to be initiated by
students, discussion and preparation should first be done in school andasking participation and support to the target site and the city hall should
be done later.

Review

Decidingschedule
Asking available
supporters. Sharing roles.
DifficultA.

B.

becauseofschedule

becausethey
cannotunderstandA.

B.

if they
if they feelcannotdifficulty tounderstand implement
the concept

Making a budget

Difficult

Asking support fromlocal residents

B.
A.
becausebecauseof weak the residents
are not
relationshipwith the available onregion the proposedschedule

Difficult

Explain more about theobjectives and expected results

A

Explain/hold study meeting(the main role of other teachers is
to facilitate on the actual day of
town watching)B

apply for support from the city
A

B

Ask the city officers to tell theresidents to support the plan
Change the schedule

Figure 2-1. Flow of Preparation for Town Watching

2 Preparation for town watching15

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.1

Setting Objectives and Schedule

2.1.1 Setting Objectives
This guideline introduces three choices of town watching depending on
possible schedule and objectives (Figure 2-2, Table 2-1). “Comprehensive
plan (Table 2-2)” is recommended in case there is no curriculum for disasterprevention education. This plan takes 17 hours to study town watchingand pre- and post-implementation comprehensively. “Motivating plan” isrecommended in case disaster prevention education is already included in
the class curriculum. It is effective in giving motivation to raise people’s
awareness of disaster prevention when it is used in the earlier stages of“Comprehensive plan.” “Practical plan” is recommended for use in laterstages of “Comprehensive plan,” to link the acquired knowledge to actual
disaster prevention activity. “Motivating plan” is also suitable for use as
an experience if there is no curriculum. In this case, it has a possibility to
be one-time only “event.” Since the aim of disaster prevention education
is linking the knowledge to actual disaster prevention activity, continuous
effort is important. For example, supplemental study such as interactingwith other subjects and regional activities are introduced in Chapter 4.

There is acurriculumon disasterprevention
education.

YES

The objective of
town watchingisA.
To provide
an opportunity
to raise disasterprevention
awareness.

B.
To promotedisasterprevention
action.

Comprehensive
plan

Motivating
plan

Practical
plan

Plan to study disasterprevention throughtown watching andpre- and postimplementation
comprehensively

Plan to make town
watching a trigger
to raise people’s
awareness of
disaster prevention
Suitable plan forexperience

Plan to link town
watching to theresidential area
andactual disasterprevention

NO

Figure 2-2. Plans of Town Watching16

3 Implementation of Town Watching

Plans

Overview

Merit

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Demerit

Remarks

Some schools haveComprehensive Plan to study disaster It is effective toprevention through carry out thea difficulty to secureplantown watchingdisaster prevention sufficient time.
(17 hours ofand pre- and posteducation in a
lectures)
implementation
planned manner.
comprehensively

It is also possible
to plan includinginteraction withother subjects
and regional
activities

Motivatingplan(one day)Plan to make town
watching a trigger
to raise people’s
awareness of
disaster prevention,
Suitable plan forexperience

Since it often
becomes one-time
only “event”,
supplemental study
is needed.

Even if there is notenough time forsupplemental study,
it is desirable
having other ways
to review what they
have learned after
the town watching.
Examples: Asking
students to hand inreports, giving an
assignment related
to disaster prevention,
studying disasterprevention in otherclasses.

Practical
plan(one day)

There is no need
Plan to link town
to change
watching to theresidential area and curriculum,
because they
actual disasterprevention, because already completed
disaster prevention ordinary education
education is already in disasterprevention.
introduced

Nothing

It is also possible toplan includinginteraction with othersubjects and regional
activities

It can be donein a day.

Table 2-1. Plans of Town Watching

2 Preparation for town watching17

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

Objectives

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

Contents
Varieties of disasters

st

1 lecture

To know varieties of disasters
To know threats from disasters
To know the past disasters

Threats from disasters
To aim at knowing that disaster hitssuddenly
Talk about impression of disasters
while watching pictures of disasters

2ndlecturerd
3 lecture

To understand natural phenomena
To understand the mechanism ofwhich cause disasters, and todisasters
understand the relation to human life
To know local disaster history
To imagine local hazards

To study local disaster history based on
documents, and to imagine theoccurrence of similar disasters【one dayprogram】
th

4 lecture
5 th lecture
6 th lecture
7 th lectureth
8 lecture
9 th lecture

To walk down the local region to Implementation of “Motivating plan”
See points in 2.2.4
know the region

To imagine various situation of disasteroccurrenceth

10 lecture

To think how to prepare fordisasters

where?: in school, house, local region or
travel destination
when?: weekdays or weekends, day ornight time【one dayprogram】th

11 lectureth
12 lecture
13th lecture
14th lecture
15th lectureth
16 lectureth
17 lecture

To make a plan for disasterprevention

Implementation of “Practical plan”
See points in 2.2.4 and Chapter 4:activities after town watching

To think of the relationship withthe region

To think of ways to tell what one learned
to local residents

Table 2-2. Town Watching – Detailed Description of Comprehensive Plan
18

3 Implementation of Town Watching

2.1.2

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Setting the Schedule

Since town watching is executed off-campus, scheduling and adjustment
need to be coodinated with residents’ association, Parent-Teacher Association(PTA) and city hall in the target region. It must be scheduled based on thecomprehensive information of weather, link with other classes, etc.
If it is executed under hot weather conditions, it is necessary to pay
attention to the health condition for preventing participants from experiencing
sun stroke and heat stroke. Wearing hat and continuous water replacement
must be instructed. If it is executed in the rain, it can be executed in caseof light rain. Sometimes, it must be called off, because the river may rise
and the ground may become loose.

Points to Help Decide on the Schedule•••

Scheduling with residents’ association, PTA, and city hall
Adjustment with classes
Weather, time

Figure 2-3. Participants are exhausted in an extremely hot day
2 Preparation for town watching19

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.1.3

Positioning in School and in the Curriculum

Examples of positioning in school and curriculum are as follows (Figure 2-4).
It is easy to position based on schedule and manpower by the arrangementof motivating and practical plans.
Example 1: Sixth grade of elementary school, 11 to 12-year old children
Town watching is executed during the summer vacation as the introduction/
trigger of disaster prevention education, and disaster prevention is studiedin classes of comprehensive studies in the second semester.

(For Example) 2nd semester:Classes of comprehensive studies (25 hours)“Let’s become a master ofprotecting our region.”

Summer Vacation
Town watching

September

Good points of theregion, danger spots

Let’s summarize
what we learned
in town watching(4 hours)

OctoberNovember

The things we can do fordisaster prevention

・Let’s make teams foreach theme (1 hour)・Let’s make activity plan

Let’s share what
we learned inworkshops(2 hours)(10 hours)

・Let’s check the plan ineach team (8 hours)

Relation to other subjects

Using PC

Mother language

Let’s make reports using PC.

Let’s talk about what you think
EthicsThings we learned fromearthquakes

・Research activity
・Summary with word processor
・Making summary document

1st semester

2nd semester

3rd semester

・To learn from otherregions
・To know the hometown
・Mountain watching・To know thehometown

・Disaster prevention
meeting with family
・Enlighten region on
disaster prevention

Figure 2-4. Examples of Positioning in School and Curriculum20

3 Implementation of Town Watching

2.1.4

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Positioning in the Region

It is effective to involve disaster prevention education in regional events
to have constant opportunities to study disaster prevention besides town
watching. Implementation of town watching becomes easier if there iscontact with the region before town watching. The following are examplesof events which makes cooperation with the region easier.
Day of School Visit by Residents

Holding an open day in school for local and regional residents toparticipate and study disaster prevention with students. - It may besuitable as preparation of town watching.
School Festival

Exhibiting something about disaster prevention studies.
Exhibiting maps made in town watching may be effective.
Acting a play on disaster prevention.
Sports Festival

Bucket brigade (Students and residents make regional teams
and compete in relay race.)
Home Visits by Teachers

Setting a stage for family to think about disaster prevention inhouse by talking about town watching activities
Other Activities for Making Contact
with Other Schools and Regions

・ Summer camp・ Christmas concert/ Religious concerts
・ Celebrating indigenous practices
・ Making Shimenawa, sacred rice-straw ropes
・ Tour in home town
・ Workshops
・ Human rights concert
・ Let’s walk 28km!!
・ Volunteer activities of the family
・ Trash-picking after regional events
2 Preparation for town watching21

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.2 Preparation for Town Wathching

2.2.1

Schedule before the Implementation

Figure 2-5 shows the flow of preparation to implementation of town
watching. After making a curriculum and positioning town watching, detailed
preparation is started.
A new school
year begins

One month

Two weeks

One week

before thebefore thebefore theimplementation

implementation

implementation

Implementing
town watching

Positioning of

Sharing roles in school

town watching

Contacting the region

Preparing theDeciding

Preliminary inspection,equipment

implementation

deciding target area

Groupingday(Walk with residents）

Final reminders
and meeting

Figure 2-5. Flow of Town Watching

Sharing Roles in School
facilitator in each grouppeople who prepare documents and materials
people who prepare equipment
site manager
people who have contact with residents
coordinator~90 minor
Area CArea A
Area B

Deciding Target Region
Size…within one and half an hour (for walking
down the region). Within 30 to 40 minute-walk issuitable in case of preliminary inspection
Region…Area surrounding the school is divided
when making students’ groups. Students are groupedbased on their residential area. It makes easier
to decide target region, because they are used towalk the way. They may have findings and get
new insights.
In case the inspection area is far, bicycles andcars may be needed to access the area, therefore
parking space may need to be reserved.
22

Figure 2-6.
Example of Area Grouping3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Collecting Information
Story telling by disaster victims in the region
Places which were affected by the past disasters
Teachers Walk the Target Area with Residents.

All teachers should participate in the inspection if possible. Residents
who know the area and the past disasters well are highly recommended tojoin. Teachers and residents walk together in the inspection region, andmark the spots on maps where disasters occurred in the past and hazard
areas they think are dangerous. Then finally the walking course is decided.
Pictures must be taken. Areas are divided for each group to be able to see
the same number of spots.

Figure 2-7.
Preliminary Inspection

Bring the Following During the Preliminary Inspection•••

Digital camera
Map
Pen/ pencil

MAP

2 Preparation for town watching23

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.2.2

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

Participants and Their Roles

Participation of various groups is preferred during town watching: Residents’association, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), City hall, and residents shouldtake part in town watching.
It is better to have various people in one group, however sometimes it
is impossible. In this case, it might be possible only to make a group withchildren, students, teachers and parents, and to ask city officers and people
from the residents’ association to wait at designated points in the town
watching course to give explanations.

Effective Grouping and Sharing Roles

・Students…five to six persons are recommended in one group.
Maximum number is 10 in one group.
・Teachers…At least one teacher is needed in each group.
The role includes guiding students and facilitating activities.
When students seem to have a difficulty in understanding
the explanation of city officers and specialists, additional
explanation by teachers is needed sometimes, however too
much explanation discourages children’s motivation. It is
important to encourage students’ “individual initiative.”
・Residents’ association…The role is to talk about theregional
culture, events and the past disaster experience, therefore
the residents who know the region well is suitable.
・City officers in charge of disaster prevention…The roleis toexplain the disaster prevention plan of the city. Fire-related
people can replace them.
・Parents…Studying with their children encourages disasterprevention awareness at home. When children walk thetarget region, parents promote road safety.

24

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

To guide children
To give directions tomanage time
Teachers

Children,Students
Public Safety
Division of City Hall
Education Board

Parents
Resident’ s Association

Administration

Region

To talk about past disasters
To talk about the current efforts
in disaster prevention

To talk about experiences in
the past disasters
To talk about the region

Figure 2-8. Example of Grouping

Figure 2-9. Students Listening to the Explanation of a Memberof the Residents’ Association
2 Preparation for town watching25

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.2.3 Information Provided by City Halls and Education
Boards
The school conducting the town watching arranges all schedules androles. It is helpful to ask support from schools with experience in town
watching, city halls, and education board. They may provide information,
manpower, and materials, and may introduce suitable people and places fortown watching. Figure 2-9 shows examples which schools want to know
and which cities can provide.

Examples of information which school wants
・Maps…with safety and evacuation facilities
・Regional maps…with size suitable for town watching
・List of people who are in charge of disaster-prevention…in residents’ association
・List of disaster-prevention organizations (and/or fire companies) which can work
together, list of disaster prevention resources and activities such as earthquake
simulation cars and conducting evacuation drill
・Introduction of suitable people to contact and suitable points in each region
・Information of local events for disaster prevention
・Support system of cities…How much cities can support (including manpower andequipment)

Examples which cities/support organization can provide
・Arrangement in a city hall by public safety division, etc.
・Introducing examples of town watching by elementary and juniorhigh schools in the city
・Use of disaster prevention goods and panel pictures
No.

Document

1

Map of city/ city plan2

Digital camera, printer3

Picture of disasters

4

Hazard map for each disaster

5

Documents of community disastermanagement group (Jishubosaikai)

6Video of disaster management

7

Panel of disaster management

8

Sample of evacuation bag

Note

Better to use electronic ﬁlesand panel

910

Figure 2-10. Examples of Information Which Schools Want to Obtainfrom Others and Which Cities Can Provide26

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

2.2.4 Organizing the Information to Clarify Checking
Spots in Town Watching
The checking spots in town watching are different, depending on disasters
and plans,whether it is a motivating or practical type of town watching.
For motivating plan, historical and cultural spots are recommended to
be chosen. For practical plan, dangerous and safety spots to encourage
disaster prevention actions are recommended to be chosen. Management
and usage of each spot is needed to be confirmed. The following tableshows examples of checking spots in town watching.
Checking spots

What children
should know

What to do

Who will
explain

Measure thewidth of theroad
Measure theheight of thewall

Public safety
divisionOpen the box
and look inside

Public safety
divisionOpen it andlook inside

Public safety
divisionFire extinguisher

How to use the fire
extinguisher
Fire extinguishers
can be seen
everywhere
surprisingly

Open it andlook inside

Public safety
division

Water channel

What will happen
if it overflows

Measure thewidth anddepth of water
channelPublic safety
division

Narrow road withconcrete block
walls on both sides

What will happen
if earthquake
occursHow to use firehydrant box
Fire-hydrant box

Fire-hydrant boxes
can be seen
everywhere
surprisingly
How to use the fire
hydrant

Fire hydrant

Fire hydrants canbe seeneverywhere
surprisingly

Table 2-3. Examples of Checking Spots in Town Watching-1
2 Preparation for town watching27

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

Checking SpotsWhat children
should know

Who will
explain

What to do

Residents’Show what is
How they are used inside if possible association,
Parents
Hold it

Sandbags

Measure thewidth of theroad

Public safety
division

History ofCommunity
Altar

Tell themeaningof what is
writtenResidents’association,
Parents

Old wooden
house

What will happen
if earthquake
occursObserve
Ask the houseowner how toprevent
disasters

Public safety
divisionChildren’s park

Observe thesurroundings
Is it suitable as
Know how big
evacuation space it isFind watersupplyPublic safety
division

Stone monument

Why it isconstructed

Narrow road andcrumbling building

What will happen
if earthquake
occursCommunity
Altar

Tell the meaning Residents’of what is
association,
writtenParents

Table 2-3. Examples of Checking Spots in Town Watching-2

28

3 Implementation of Town Watching

Checking Spots

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

What children
should know

What to do

Who will
explain

What happened
Record thewhen typhoon
Public safety
water volume
occurreddivision,
Difference
Record how the Residents’between normal
association,
river area iscondition andParentsuseddisaster occurrenceRiver

Water gate

When is it used

Know thevolume of water
Public safety
Know how thedivisiongates areoperated

TempleHistory of temple

Talk with monks

ForestSee the forest
condition

Ask what kinds
Public safetyof plants are thendivision, Forest
and who andcooperative
how to treat them

Drift woods

See the valley
How drift woods
come

See where andhow much rocks Public safetyand drift woods division
are stored

Dam

See the dam

Ask where dams
Public safety
are built anddivision
how they work

Residents’association,
Parents

Table 2-3. Examples of Checking Spots in Town Watching-3

2 Preparation for town watching29

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

2.2.5 Informing Local Residents
It is preferable to ask the participation of residents one to two months
before the town watching through the president of residents’ association.
Preliminary inspection should be implemented by teachers and residents
one month before the town watching.
If one group has five to six children, it is preferable to ask participationof one or two residents. If participation of residents is difficult, residents
are able to wait at the check spots to explain.
It is recommended providing leaflets on town watching when asking forparticipation

Date: August 2009
Dear Community people,
Our elementary school will carry out town watching for disastermanagement. Aims of town watching are increasing interest about
disaster management through a walk in the community, and learning
about history, risky areas, safe areas, and disaster management in thecommunity by school students. Therefore, community understanding andsupport is most important in town watching.
Please understand the aims of town watching, and participate in town
watching and help introduce things in the community.
Date: 27th August 2009
Gathering place: community center
Bring: pencil and lunch
Dress code: casual and with hat*will carry out in rainy weather<Schedule>
8:30 Gathering the staff and giving explanation
9:20 Gathering the students and giving explanation and questionnaire
10:30 Community watching
12:30 Map making by school students
13:40 Presentation by school students
15:20 DoneBest regards,
Principal of Elementary School

Figure 2-11. Example of Announcement to Residents’ Association30

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

2.2.6 Preparing Necessary Items
This is a comprehensive list of items. Some of these items can be
replaced by local available materials.
Item

NumberPurposeRemarks

Write down what students find intown watching and use forpresentation

Place the map in the centerof large presentation paper.
Blank space around the map isused for writing and putting
pictures

Broad-pointed pens
One set for(read, blue, green,each grouporange, black)Write down on blank maps, etc.

Because the color of
permanent marker might betransferred on the table, news
paper is needed to be set
under the paper.

Sticky notes: 30
pieces (10cm
10cm)

One set foreach group

Write down the explanation of eachspot

Double-stick tape(for putting picturesand notice)

One set foreach groupPut pictures

Clipboard (A4 size)

Same number
as allparticipants

Useful to take memo during town
watching

Digital camera

One set foreach group

Take a picture in each spot

Portable map (A4to A3 size)

Same number
as allparticipants

Useful to know where they are during
town watching

Handouts forchildrenSame number
as all children

Write down whatever children
notice during town watching

Paper for taking notes

One for eachgroup

Record group member’s remarks
during town watching

Questionnaire

Same number
as allparticipantsBase map (full size)

One for eachgroup

Pay attention to use digital
camera, because it takes time
for printing

Whiteboard or
blackboard

1 Put maps on it during presentation

Stick pointer

1 Use during presentation

Video camera andvideotape (120minutes)

One for eachgroup

Use for recording town watching
Use for confirming the remarks ofgroup member later

Optional

Others: projector, screen, microphone, etc,

Table 2-4. Comprehensive List of Items
2 Preparation for town watching31

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2.2.7 Explaining to Children and Students
Teachers need to explain the following to children and students when
town watching is kicked off.

Whatkind of natural
disasters are
there?

Whatis damaged
when anearthquake
occurs? (Showpictures and ask
students to tellwhatever they
notice)What

is useful when adisaster occurs?
(fire hydrant,
fire extinguisher,sandbags, etc.)

32

Why

town watchingisexecuted?

Whatis damaged
when a disasteroccurs? (Pleasechoose disastertype in yourlocality)

Aboutmaking map
andpresentationWhatwill we doduring town
watching?

What

is damaged
when a typhooncomes? (Showpictures and ask
students to tellwhatever they
notice)Attentionand safety during
town watching(See “3.3 Interview
methods” and“Preparation fortrouble)3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

2.2.8 Preparation of Handouts for Students
Organize the check points of town watching and prepare the handouts
for students to take notes based on “Table 2-3 Examples of checking
spots in town watching” in 2.2.4.
Please make your own check sheet.

Example 1:•••

Find spots you think are dangerous when earthquake andtyphoon occur
Find useful things when earthquake and typhoon occur
Find your favorite places

Comment

Comment
Comment

E

D
C
B

Comment

F
A

Comment
Comment

Make hard copy of map of target
area in this town watching, and add
some comments (when a disaster(please choose local disaster type)occurs, this area is dangerous orsafe.)

Example 2:
Choose some spots and ask students to mark the safety or danger degree of
each spot. See how it changes before and after town watching.
Do you think this place is dangerous or safe, if an earthquake occurs.
Mark the safety degree and write why you think so.

I think it isdangerous

I think
it is safe

2 Preparation for town watching33

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

Name:
No. Checking Spots
Narrow road with

SchoolName:
Dangerous ⇔ Safe

Date:
Comment

concrete block walls
on both sides
1

1

2

3

4

dangerous

5
safe

Fire-hydrant box

1

2

2

3

4

dangerous

5
safe

Fire hydrant

1

3

2

3

4

dangerous

5
safe

Fire extinguisher

1

4

2

3

4

dangerous

5
safe

Water channel

5

1

2

dangerous
Comment on today’s town watching

34

3

4

5
safe

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Example 3:
COASTAL WATCHING CHECK LIST

Please identify below the points which you noted from coastal watching,
and write your findings in the appropriate space.

Name:

School Name:

Date:

Topography/Slope
River/Water ways
Wave(Size/Frequency)

Physical Aspects

Sand(Size/Color/Quality)
Wind (Strong/ medium/ low)
Infrastructure/Land use
Erosion
Others (please mention)
Buildings (types)
Drinking water
Sanitation
Education

Social Aspects

Livelihood
CultureSocial issues
Industry
Others (please mention)
Vegetation
Animal / Living objects

Ecological Aspects

Water (Color/Quality)
Solid Waste on the beach
Others (please mention)

2 Preparation for town watching35

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for
Town Watching

2.2.9 Preparation Checklists
Confirm if arrangement is ready for town watching based on thefollowing “Preparation checklists”

1 Are all items ready?

Yes

No

2 Is there enough number of participants?

Yes

No

Does everyone recognize the position of town
Yes
watching in school?

No

34 Is contact to the region made?

Yes

No

5 Is contact to the city hall made?

Yes

No

6 Is role sharing reasonable?

Yes

No

7 Is there an extra day for town watching?

Yes

No

Yes

No

9 Are areas divided appropriately?

Yes

No

10 Is the venue already reserved?

Yes

No

Yes

No

8

11

Are the study plans of before and after town
watching already made?

Is the schedule of town watching day
arranged properly?

Table 2-5 Preparation Checklist
36

3
ImplementationofTown Watching1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

3.1 Schedule of Town Watching Day (example)

8:30~9:00 Preparation (30 minutes)•••

Arranging the venue
Installing the projector and screen; Setting desks and chairs,
if necessary
Checking equipment

9:00~9:30 Explanation of the schedule (30 minutes)••••

Opening remarks
Introducing participants(residents’ association, parents, etc.)
Explaining the spots to see in town watching(using Powerpoint, see following pages)
Showing disaster video, and talks by local residents arealso fine.

9:30~9:50 Questionnaires (20 minutes)••

Questionnaires before town watching not only for students
but for all participants
Pay attention not to discuss with others.

9:50~10:00 Meeting (10 minutes)••••

First meeting of each group before
starting town watching
Making rules, initiated by the facilitator
Deciding who take records and whotake pictures among the children
Assembling students who are in chargeof taking pictures and explaining how to
use instant cameras

10:00~11:30 Walking around the area (90 minutes)•

Each group walks around the decided area, finds the spots tosee, takes notes, and takes pictures.
※ Adults should not lead. Students must be major players.
※ Time keeper needs to manage the limited time properly to see
all spots and to encourage group members to keep time.

38

3 Implementation ofTown watching

11:30~12:30•

Lunch (60 minutes)

Go back to school and take lunch

12:30~12:40•

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Explanation of making
a map (10 minutes)

Explain using Powerpoint, etc.

12:40~13:40 Making a map byeach group (60 minutes)••

First, write down the title of “Townwatching by XX Elementary School” at the top of the paper
Mark the spots which are found and add explanation andpictures13:40~15:00
•
•

•
•
•
•

Each group makes a presentation of what they found in
front of all participants. (If possible, make a presentation
with all members in a group including adults)
Other groups ask questions to the group making apresentation. If there is no question, the chair asks
questions. If students can not answer, adults in the samegroup answer.
The chair makes comments and a summary.
Attention
It takes time for presentation, if the number of groups islarge.
It is possible to rehearse presentation in the time of making
maps.

15:00~15:10•

Summary (10 minutes)

Summarize what people should feel and study throughtown watching.

15:10~15:30•

Presentation(10 minutes for each group)

Questionnaires (20 minutes)

Questionnaires after town watching

15:30~16:00

Clearing up (30 minutes)

3

Implementation of town watching39

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

3.2

2 Preparation for Town Watching

Making a Map and Presentation

Town watching-Making a map

1

•
•
•
•
•

Preparing necessary items
A blank map for each group
Broad-pointed pens: four colors (red, blue, green, black)
Sticky notes
Double-stick tape (for putting pictures on maps)•••

Pens/pencils
Pictures taken during town watching
Memos and maps which were used during town
watching

240

3 Implementation ofTown watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

・Write down “Town watching by XX Elementary School –Group X” at the top of the blank map
・Mark dangerous spots with blue marker
・Why do you think the spots are dangerous?
Write down the reason on sticky notes and put them near
the spots
・Put pictures near the spots, if you have3・Mark your favorite spots with red marker
・Describe the spots on sticky notes and put them near
the spots
・Put pictures near the spots, if you have・Mark the spots, which have useful equipment against
disasters, with green marker
・Put pictures near the spots, if you have

43

Implementation of town watching41

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

Example of Map: Town Watching by XX Elementary School-Group X

Blue: Dangerous spots
Red: Favorite spots

Green: Spots with usefulequipment against disasters

5

6
42

3 Implementation ofTown watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

Preparing the Presentation

Present about

・Whatever you found・Whatever you thought about
your residential areas
・Impression※ Presentation time is around five minutes for each group.
※ Listen to other groups’ presentations, and ask as many questions
as possible.

7
Color Marking

Blue : dangerous spots
Green : spots with useful equipment against disasters

Red : favorite spots
Presentation (5 minutes)
・Things you found・Things you first heard and knew
・Impression

83

Implementation of town watching43

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

3.3 Interview Methods
Before an interview

Make a brief memo of what you want to know.
Be careful to do the following during interviews

•
•
•

•
•

44

Greeting
Introducing the school name and oneself
Telling the objectives of the interview(E.g., We would like to know the experience ofdisaster victims, because we are studying disasterprevention.)
Taking notes of what you heard
To say “Thank you”

3 Implementation ofTown watching

4 Activities for Town Wathcing

3.4 Preparation for Troubles
Be careful of accidents

As participants are too absorbed in town watching and do not pay
much attention to cars, people in charge of road safety are needed
to prevent car accidents.
When participants are looking up, they tend to lose sight of theirown steps, so paying attention to walking is important.
Pay attention to the privacy of local residents

Participants should pay attention to the residents’ privacy to avoid
trouble during town watching. For example, when children arelooking for dangerous spots, they may say, “The house is almost rundown.” or “It is ready to collapse.” pointing at houses in the study
area. It is rude to the owner of the houses and may cause trouble,
so teaching manners to children is needed.
Prepare for your health in summer

Take proper measure for hot summer, and make sure that you haveenough liquids (water, juice, etc.) with you.

3

Implementation of town watching45

4
Activities
After
Town Watching3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for
Town Watching

4.1 Comparing Questionnaire Responses
Before and After Town Watching

4.1.1 Questionnaire Responses Before and After
Town Watching
Many times, town watching ends as an event. Therefore, it is importantto have an impact measurement on town watching. This is done throughquestionnaire surveys before and after town watching.The questions before
and after town watching are the same, therefore the effectiveness of town
watching is evaluated by the changes in the answers.

Describe the good things in your residential
Description
area
Describe the bad things in your residential
2
Description
area
3 Describe the safe places in your town
Description
4 Describe the dangerous places in your town Description
Describe whatever you know about the5
Description
typhoon that occurred in 2004
How do you think you can reduce earthquake
6
Description
disasters
Description
7 Describe what you learned in town watching (only after town
watching)
Do you think big typhoons like those two years
8
Yes / Noago will hit your town again?
If the same scale big typhoons hit the area
Bigger / Smaller
9
again, how much will the damage be?
/ Same1

Table 4-1. Examples of Questionnaires
4. Activities for town watching47

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

4.1.2 Analysis of Questionnaires"5. Describe whatever you know about the typhoon that
occurred in 2004"
Divide the answers into four categories. For example,

a. Hazard

b. Physical Impact

It rained a lot.

The river flooded.

The damage was big.

Mudslides occurred.

c. Damages (Infra)

d. Impacts on people

The houses were inundedSome people evacuatedabove the floor level.

to a school gymnasium.

Paddy fields were inunded.

Some people died.

When the answers before and after town watching are compared in agraph, it shows changes in consciousness. The biggest number shows thebiggest changes in four categories.
150

Example A:
Elementary School
The change was more on physicalimpacts.

After

100
50
0

54
18
25

a

62

b

Before
32

8

27

19

c

d

Example) A Elementary School48

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for
Town Watching"7. Describe what you learned in town watching."
Divide the answers into seven categories.
a) Description about the past disastersb) Description about useful things to prevent disastersc) Description about dangerous spotsd) Description about safe evacuation placese) Description about countermeasures against disastersf) Description about disasters in generalg) Description about the areah) Others

Example B:
Elementary SchoolMore emphasis on past disaster

Abstract
Concrete"9. If the same scale of past disasters occur again, how much will
the damage be?"Compare the number of respondants before and after the town
watching who answered “bigger,” “smaller,” and “same.”
In case of C Elementary School, the number of “same” decreased
after town watching. It shows high possibility that town watching makes
participants to have a more concrete image of disasters.

Example C:
Elementary School(number of answers) 67

BiggerSmaller
Same

Note: You can change the categories as per your local context

4. Activities for town watching49

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

4.2 Comparing the Map with the Local Hazard
Map, etc. (Ensuring Accuracy and Relevance)
After the town watching, please compare official hazard maps and map
with local information by town watching.
< Sample: Official hazard map of Earthquakes><Sample: Official hazard map of Tsunami>

50

3 Implementation of Town Watching

4 Activities for
Town Watching

4.3 Updating the Map
The map must be updated. It is needed to be updated regularly,
therefore the process of implementing town watching again is important.
•••

Updated maps will be opportunities to remind local residents of disasterprevention. They will keep the maps because children made them.
The map is remade to be an A3-size map.
Children will improve the map with high consciousness if the map isused by local residents.

4. Activities for town watching51

1 Concept of Community and / orRegional Watching

2 Preparation for Town Watching

4.4 Thinking of Countermeasures
Against Disasters
We should lead our children to be conscious of disaster prevention andto think countermeasures against each disaster, through town watching.

4.4.1 Thinking of What We Can Do in Our Region
To think the current issues and necessary things in the region throughtown watching and to think possible individual countermeasures against
disasters
To compare “disaster prevention map” made by residents’ association
with a map of town watching, and to talk with local residents about thesame and different part

4.4.2 Examples of Activities After Town Watching in
Saijo City
Watching a play describing thefeeling of flood disaster victims

Compiling research (of each thema)
into five-minute VTR

Deciding a research theme forDisaster Image Game in the
kitchenInforming parents of news

each team and making a proposal
for disaster prevention

Distributing

Leading themes include important

Mapping exercise in school andhome (evacuation)

things(life), fearsome things(earthquakes), and protecting selffrom earthquakes

Setting a theme of what is neededfor our family and school in disasterprevention

Hearing of wishes for peace andsafety placed in regional cultural
heritages

Constructing monument to disasters

with residents; disaster-relief workwith residents
52

Imagining life after earthquake

residents

proposals

toPresentation by sixth-year students
to fifth-year students
Watching insidecommunity bytown watching
by

town

Watching outsidecommunity bydisaster education
disasterwatching
education
Check own house

Think about how to improvedisaster managementfor disaster management

4 Activities for
Town Watching

3 Implementation of Town Watching

Exhibition in school festival
Visiting a local disaster prevention
centerVisiting a disaster site
Listening to a lecture by a member

Family meeting on disasterprevention

Students moderated a family

meeting on disaster prevention andimplemented “disaster prevention
check in our house.”of the disaster prevention center

Making a poster

Watching DVD about disasters

Disaster prevention educational

Finding and studying a theme on

disaster prevention (second gradestudents)

Studying by linking with othermaterials (for placement in students’and residents’ houses)

Making guidelines on disasterprevention (by students andteachers)

subjects; studying readings of moral
education

Making a map of danger spots

Evacuation drills

Putting a map in a community
centerDocuments about local disasters;development of teaching materials

4. Activities for town watching53

Annex 1: History of Town Watching
Town watching is a participatory approach used in community
planning in big administrative units like cities. Residents recognize
issues and seek solutions together through town watching.
Town watching has been developed by urban planners inJapan since the 1970s, and has become to be well-known as aparticipatory tool. “Machidukuri” (in Japanese) is translated as“community planning” or “town making” by Evans, et al.
The origin of “Machidukuri” comes from citizens’ demonstration
against environmental pollution in Japan in the 1960s. Local
governments needed discussion with citizens. Recently“Machidukuri” has been developed as a partnership in someregions. In addition, “Machidukuri” campaigns to promote
citizens’ participation are mainly developed by implementing
Japan’s focus on urban planning. Concerns about urban planningsuch as access to public road and use of plaza and land areconsidered through town watching. Town watching is conducted
to deal with disasters, safety, etc. It is related to physical issues
such as safe places, dangerous places, and evacuation routes.
This is called disaster prevention town watching.

54

AnnexAnnex 2: Town Watching in Asia
Æ 8 Z k ` m ` k ` \ j f ] B p f k f L e` m \ i j ` k p
Town watching was implemented in many regions withdifferent themes.
<Case 1>
Theme: Waterfront environment
Participants: School students, school teachers, city government,
community members and university
Place: Da-nang, Vietnam
Memo: Observation of ponds once a month, Town watching
twice a year

<Case 2>
Theme: Garbage issue
Participants: School students, school teacher, community
management group (M.A.S.), and university
Place: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Memo: Town watching for discussing garbage management

Annex

55

<Case 3>
Theme: Coastal environment and tsunami disaster
Participants: School students, school teachers, and university
Place: Chennai, India
Memo: Town watching for disaster prevention after the Indian
Ocean Tsunami in 2004

<Case 4>
Theme: Mountain environment and typhoon disaster
Participants: School students, school teachers, city government,
community person and university
Place: Saijo City, Japan
Memo: Town watching for disaster prevention in the future56