International Summer Studio, Fieldwork, and International Student Workshop(2018/7/29-2018/8/8)
Theme: Disaster recovery, urban plan, fieldwork and study tour
Place: IRIDeS, Sendai City, Ishinomaki City, Kessenuma City, Ofunato CIty, Kamaishi City

Between the July 29 and August 8, 2018, 12 students of urban planning from National Taiwan
University (NTU) and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (UIUC), along with Prof. Robert
Olshansky from UIUC and Assistant Prof. Shu-mei Huang from NTU participated in a summerstudio on recovery planning with Tohoku University faculty and students. This was the 2nd Postdisaster Planning Co-Studio NTU/UIUC Co-studio, previously held in Taiwan in 2016, also withcooperation with Tohoku University faculty. Through this collaborative exchange, a cross-border,interdisciplinary learning model was developed to advance teaching and research about postdisaster planning. The summer studio included learning from lectures and discussion with IRIDeS
researchers, site visits to local areas in the process of recovery after the 3.11 Great East Japan
Earthquake, and concluded with 5-day student workshop in Kamaishi City.
After an orientation and site visit of tsunami affected areas of Arahama, Sendai City and Yuriage,
Natori City on the first day, students watched the 3-D Great Tsunami movie and listened to lectures
on July 30 and August 1st on various topics related to disaster prevention and recovery from thefollowing IRIDeS faculty: Associate Professor Erick Mas (Hazard and Risk Evaluation ResearchDivision), Professor Shunichi Koshimura (Hazard and Risk Evaluation Research Division),
Associate Professor Katsuya Hirano (Disaster Information Management and Public Collaboration
Division), Associate Professor Michio Ubaura (Regional and Urban Reconstruction ResearchDivision), and Assistant Professor Elizabeth Maly (Human and Social Response Research Division).
Over the next several days, students participated in site visits in coastal communities, and had thechance to listening to the experiences of affected people and ongoing recovery work in Ishinomaki
City; Namiita community in Ogatsu, Ishinomaki, Kitakama Area in Ishinomaki. Traveling up thecoast, students observed the recovery situation in coastal areas of Minami Sanriku and Kesennuma,and received a detailed explanation of various recovery projects from the Ofunato City staff.
After arriving in Kamaishi, and participating in the Yoisa summer festival, students could engage
more deeply with the local community during a 5-day workshop in Kamaishi City from Aug. 4-Aug.
8. Thanks to the support and coordination of the Kamaishi City International Relations office, andalso to the explanation and guidance from Professor Yasuaki Onoda (Disaster Information
Management and Public Collaboration Division). Students had the chance to meet many people
involved with the recovery of Kamaishi City and discuss the current situation and ongoingchallenges from various points of view. Reflecting the unique strengths and opportunities forKamaishi, students gained a better understanding of the situation and the challenges for recovery
planning and community revitalization in areas affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Working in 2 groups, students created proposals for sustainable visions for Kamaishi Tobu area
and Unosumai area, which they presented at a public presentation in the Kamaishi PIT, attended
by 40 people, followed by an enthusiastic discussion with local staff and resident, during which
students received various feedback about their proposal.
Text and Photos: Elizabeth Maly (Human and Social Response Research Division)(continues to the next page)Photos: meeting with local community in Nagamachi (left) and group photo at Arahama E.S. (right)

Photos: Lectures presented by Assistant Prof Maly (top left), Prof. Koshimura (top right);
Assoc. Prof. Mas (bottom left); Assoc. Prof Hirano (bottom center) and Assoc. Prof. Ubaura (bottom right).

Photos: of visits to local areas Kitakami, Ishinomaki

Photos of visits to local areas: Namiita, Ogatsu Peninsula, Ishinomaki(continues to the next page)Photos: Visit to recovery projects in Ofunato City

Photos: Receiving an explanation from Kamaishi City Mayor (left) and Prof. Onoda (right)

Photos: Workshop presentation and discussion

Photos: The final outcome of the workshop, a public presentation in the Kamaishi PIT