This is a {preliminary} list of groups, individuals, and institutions active in the disaster hit area of Tohoku in northern Japan, or of projects elsewhere in Japan that can serve as good practice examples for reconstruction.
In its current state, it represents an unsystematic, broad collection of various projects of differing scopes and scales. In the long-run, however, we aim to provide a systematic database and map of who is doing what, where, how, and with which success in the fields of alternative energy, community building, multi-generation housing, transportation, architecture, master plans, agriculture, economic development, and art & design.
The information presented here is crowd sourced, the correctness and coherence of the data can therefore not be guaranteed.
If you like to participate you can edit and add initiatives to the list here:
Tohoku Initiatives (Public GoogleSpreadsheet)
Provision of necessary information to citizens including a map with information on moving to higher ground. Also facilitates an integrative reconstruction process by providing maps necessary for reconstruction permits. Many maps are available in PDF format for printing. (日本語 only)
Based in: various Tohoku communitiesActive in: Tohoku
Preserving the memories of the lost towns, recording present conditions, and facilitating the construction of a new future by building an inclusive archive; all local governments in the disaster affected regions are taking part in this project. (日本語 only)
Based in: various Tohoku communitiesActive in: Tohoku
Revitalisation of Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries through job training and capacity building. Establishing of a urban - rural linkage in order to bring young urban people back to work in rural Japan.
Based in: Tokyo, KyotoActive in: Japan
Help local rural communities by providing technology and other training, as well as employment incubation. Our vision is to reuse existing assets, retain local rural populations and traditional Japanese culture & stimulate new solutions to solve global problems.
Based in: Active in:
Tohoku project of international disaster relief NGO that helps to winter-proof and to customise temporary housing units in Kesennuma and Ishinomaki as well as to build community facilities and organise community events.
Based in: Hakodate, Sri LankaActive in: Kesennuma, Ishinomaki
The Association for the Revitalization of Ishinomaki is a volunteer group based in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. We are currently involved with community restoration projects as well as providing aid to temporary housing in Ishinomaki.
Based in: IshinomakiActive in: Ishinomaki
CRASH is non-profit Christian disaster relief organization based in Tokyo. After the disaster, CRASH set up five bases in the disaster zone and has been mobilizing volunteers, who have helped in a wide variety of ways including clean up, rebuilding, distributing supplies, listening to survivors, planting crops, doing arts and crafts, holding concerts, distributing flyers, and helping out at mobile cafés.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
The initiative aims to collect, preserve, and make accessible as much of the digital record of the disasters as possible, to enable scholarly research and analysis of the events and their effect.
Based in: HarvardActive in: Tohoku
The NPO ETIC will train and match 200 young aspiring entrepreneurs (Fellows) with 100 social business leaders that are heading reconstruction efforts to rebuild Tohoku through economic empowerment in 3 years (from Jun 2011 to Mar 2014). The lack of young aspiring individuals is the bottleneck to promote recovery projects effectively and efficiently, and the demand for this service is larger than originally anticipated.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
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German Disaster Relief Resuce and Search & Rescue is a volunteer group that helped with rescue and relief in Rikkuzentakata, Kamaishi, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures from March to September 2011. In November 2011 we were again at the J-Village, and are committed to the decontamination area.
Based in: Berlin, GermanyActive in: Tohoku
This Tohoku town is one of the leading pioneers of renewable energy generation in Japan and one of the few municipalities that achieved energy self-sufficiency. (日本語 only)
Based in: Kuzumaki, IwateActive in: Kuzumaki, Iwate
Foreign Volunteers Japan is created to gather willing volunteers, who wish to take an active role in the Tohoku relief efforts. This is an open discussion forum for sharing and discussing information regarding volunteer activities, aid delivery, and humanitarian relief issues concerning the post-tsunami recovery of the Tohoku region.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Virtual department store for direct marketing of traditional crafts products and food from Ishinomaki and Minamisoma. Economic Revitalisation, capacity building, matching of initiatives and supporters. (日本語 only)
Based in: Ishinomaki / Minamisoma / TokyoActive in: Ishinomaki / Minamisoma
Because of complicated decision-making process, government could not provide supports promptly to the devastated area. PFEJ uses its website and twitter to spread/gather the information, it makes prompt support easily and much faster. However, as a matter of fact, most of the elderly in that area cannot use computer, so we also have telephone operators and local volunteers to contact the survivors directly to get their voices, what they really need.
Based in: various cities all over JapanActive in: Tohoku
We find inspiring stories about people who are helping to restore Japan. Then, with a camera crew, we go to the actual location to film what exactly these people are doing to help. Each story has multiple videos documenting their progress each step of the way, showing how it was in the beginning, what they did, how people reacted, and how this process made them feel.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Based in Ishinomaki, the local grass root organisation “Guru Guru Cheer Squad” aims at improving the quality of daily life in the affected areas through community shops and a community bus, which connects residents of temporary housing estates to the public life of the city
Based in: IshinomakiActive in: Ishinomaki
Mapping project that created a time line visualisation of the reconstruction process after the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Features projects in the categories Art, Design, Architecture, Events
Based in: KobeActive in: Kobe
A comprehensive collection of maps and 3.11 related visualisations.
Based in: Harvard, Sendai Active in: Tohoku
Starting from cleaning up rubble, leveling ground and establishing the BaseCamp, eventually projects of "thinking" and "acting" with us together like the agriculture reconstruction and new town-building, there are various activities you can join.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Sendai
IDRO-Japan aims to provide aid and assistance for immediate post-disaster relief and also assist in long-term support through relief trips and the construction of housing and community centers in the Tohoku region.
Based in: KyotoActive in: Tohoku
Entries of an idea competition for the year 2020 in Tohoku, held in December 2011. Themes were 'Local involvement in Recovery', 'Industry and Employment', 'Social Infrastructure' and others.
Based in: KobeActive in: Tohoku
Mobile library is going around Rikuzentakada city, Ofunato City Sanriku-cho, Otsuchi-cho, and the Yamada –cho in Iwate Prefecture. The project is carried out by the Shanti Volunteer Association (http://sva.or.jp/global/)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Iwate
Japan Art Donation will use your relief donations for the revival of cultural institutions, the dispatching of artists, the conducting of workshops for the children who suffered, the opening of theatre plays, dances, and performances in the striken areas.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Coordination of disaster reconstruction activities across Tohoku with office in all three affected prefectures. (日本語 only)
Based in: Tokyo Active in: Tohoku
Japan Civil Network for Disaster Relief in East Japan is a broad coalition of Japanese nonprofit nongovernmental organizations providing disaster relief. JCN aims to serve and support affected individuals and communities, while also helping them to rebuild their lives and secure their futures. The site features an excellent interactive map locates the various relief initiatives. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Osamu Goto, professor of the School of Architecture at Kogakuin University, and his team have been working on a project to build permanent wooden houses for survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The housing makes reference to the collective housing model. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Ishinomaki, Shirahama
Multi-language collaborative resource that helps teachers, students, and scholars locate and share educational resources about the historical contexts of scientific and technical issues related to the triple earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan.
Based in: Morioka, Harvard, TokyoActive in: Minami-sanriku-cho
The star architects Kengo Kuma, Toyo Ito, Kazuyo Seijima, Riken Yamamoto and Hiroshi Naito founded this group in order to engage in Tohoku reconstruction.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Kamaishi
The Kizuna Foundation ("Kizuna" or the "Foundation") is the successor organization to All Hands Volunteers, Inc's humanitarian aid project in Ofunato and Rikuzentakata. The Foundation aims to match funds with local needs arising from the events of March 11, 2011. The key areas of focus are: rehabilitation of existing infrastructure (school and recreational areas), restoration of existing economies (fisheries and agriculture), and introduction of new industries (high margin, low overhead). Kizuna will also maintain a state of readiness for disaster response and preparedness as secondary areas of focus Our motto is: Connecting People to a Better Future.
Based in: Tokyo/IwateActive in: Tohoku
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) organization aiding Matsushima rebuilding efforts through financial donations. Supporting Miyagi and Iwate through hand-made blanket donations, letters, and heart-to-heart connections. 私の心からあなたの心に。
Based in: North Carolina, USAActive in: Miyagi/Iwate
Project of the Tokyo-based ETIC NPO that seeks to support reconstruction and life in Tohoku. Recruiting manpower and donations for various projects in the fields of community revitalisation, education, capacity building, economic revitalisation, etc. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Tohoku University recently launched a digital archiving project on the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster. Collaborating with the government, industry, and academia, the project aims to build a comprehensive archive on disasters in the region, with a broad spectrum of memory, records, case studies. It aims to record the recovery and rebuilding process of the disaster and to disseminate information a near real time basis. As of this writing, detail of the project is unknown since this archiving project has been recently released. (日本語 only)
Based in: SendaiActive in: Tohoku
This Initiative, established by the MIT-Japan Program at the Center for International Studies, will provide a mechanism for faculty and student exchange between MIT and universities in the Tohoku region for the study and implementation of disaster-resilient planning.
Based in: Tokyo, CambridgeActive in: Tohoku
Interactive map showing all temporary housing estates in Miyagi Prefecture. (日本語 only)
Based in: Active in: Miyagi
We want more trees to be a base where people can share happiness through a process of active forestation. Maintenance and conservation of forest and forestation activity in Japan and overseas. Provision of a carbon offset service, associated with forests. Planning, manufacturing, and distribution of thinning wood products.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Japan, World
Aim of the NPO is to build a slow village, in tune with nature, history of the community, new technology and local traditions (日本語 only)
Based in: Kitakami, IshinomakiActive in: Ishinomaki
Architect INAMOTO Tadashi proposes the Gassho House to be used first as temporary housing, and eventually as permanent residence. The mass-produced, pre-fabricated temporary houses inevitably become industrial waste because most of the materials are non-reusable. Instead, the structural parts of the Gassho House are entirely made of wood without a single nail. As such, it is not only recycleable, but also easy to repair, augment, disassemble and relocate, if necessary.
Based in: TakayamaActive in: Tohoku
OpenSimSim offers everyone the opportunity to be a part of the design and building process of urban and architectural projects - from needs or wishes to implementation and revision. It is a community driven platform which offers the possibility to share ideas, concepts, experience and knowledge, and to inspire people throughout the design process.Inspired by the wish to help people in Japan after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, we started an initiative called “OpenJapan”. We would like to offer the opportunity to donate other valuable resources than money: time, knowledge and experience.
Based in: BerlinActive in: Tohoku
Peace Boat is a Japan-based NGO that has been working to support Ishinomaki city and its environs since March 2011. Our work centers on the training and deployment of volunteers. Current projects include: mud and debris clearance, supporting the reopening of factories and fisheries, and providing support and care to residents of temporary houses. We are also offering a volunteer leadership training programme which will give participants the skills to lead teams of volunteers in emergency relief operations.
Based in: Takadanobaba, TokyoActive in: Ishinomaki, Tohoku
Created by artist Anne Schreivogl, delivering 40 5" x 5" paintings of cherry blossoms along with handmade cards and origami hearts from the Skagit Valley community in Washington State, USA. Delivery will be in Sendai and Ishinomaki to those affected by the tsunami and earthquake on the weekend of March 10th and 11th, 2012
Based in: Anacortes,WAActive in: Tohoku
Collaborative project by Sendai Mediathek, Tohoku University's Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tokyo University of the Arts' Graduate School of Film and New Media and various corporate donors. The project records interviews with citizens and experts and records the reconstruction process. (日本語 only)
Based in: SendaiActive in: Tohoku
With the help of Prof. KOIZUMI Hideki from the University of Tokyo, Naruse-Inokuma Architects, GOTO Chikako and various other individuals, students and corporate sponsors, the community structure Riku Cafe has opened in January 2012. (日本語 only)
Based in: Rikuzentakada, TokyoActive in: Rikuzentakada
Residents in a disaster-stricken Koizumi district of Kesennuma submitted their own relocation plan to the local municipal government, a move that could become a model for other hard-hit areas. Residents in the city's Koizumi district completed the plan based on many discussions and study sessions. The process was aided by Prof. Suguru MORI from Hokkaido University. (日本語 only)
Based in: KesennumaActive in: Kesennuma
This project seeks to plant sakura trees that demarcate the reach of the tsunami, to show future generations the extent of the damage. Starting with the development of the home page, SAVE TAKATA seeks to support the project by publishing information about it. (日本語 only)
Based in: RikuzentakadaActive in: Rikuzentakada
Coordinating corporate, group and individual volunteer efforts toward Rikuzentakata’s revival, enacting plans to solicit and procure sponsors, enacting various charity events to fund and support the city’s revival, coordinating and communicating with foreign charities and support organizations, supporting the local community.
Based in: RikuzentakadaActive in: Rikuzentakada
The government of Japan met many of the population’s needs but quickly became thinly stretched - Save the Children stepped in to fill the gaps, addressing the specific needs of children. Save the Children has provided direct support to children and their families through provision of important services as well as basic materials, and has also met needs indirectly, working with community groups on the ground who are closest to affected communities.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Special issue of the architectural journal Shinkenchiku, featuring a large number of completed architectural interventions across Tohoku. Featured projects include: (1) ARK OF BANBOO= HIROKAZU TOKI+TAKAHASHIKOGYO (2) HOME-FOR-ALL BY KUMAMOTO ARTPOLIS TOHOKU SUPPORT GROUP=TOYO ITO, HIDEAKI KATSURA, KAORU SUEHIRO, MASASHI SOGABE (3) SHIZUGAWA BANYA PROJECT=MIYAGI UNIVERSITY TAKEUCHI LAB. (4) KAMAISHI-BOX=KAZUHIKO NAMBA+SEI HAGANUMA+ YOSHITOMO URABE (5) CYCLEⅡ-ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT SHIZUGAWA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL=KENYA ISHIHARA (6) FACE OF HOURAIKAN=KATSUHIRO MIYAMOTO (7) GASSHOU=KOJI KAKIUCHI (8) EKO BIRCH SHELTER=YOSHINOBU MIZUTANI (9) EMERGENCY HOUSE ""DONGURI HOUSE""=HIROFUMI SUGIMOTO (10) A SMALL WOODY BRICK HOUSE (ASSEMBLY HALL)=MASAO YAHAGI (11) EX-CONTAINER PROJECT=YASUTAKA YOSHIMURA (12) UTATSU COMMUNITY PAVILION=HARVARD UNIVERSITY GSD+ KEIO UNIVERSITY+ MIYAGI UNIVERSITY (13) BABADO-RU 5-CHOME=MIT Japan 3/11 Initiative Project Team (14) CONTAINER TEMPORARY HOUSING IN ONAGAWA=SHIGERU BAN+TSP TAIYO (15) LOHAS DESIGN OF A TEMPORARY ASSEMBLY HALL=YOSHITOMO URABE+SEI HAGANUMA (16) TEMPORARY HOUSING IN TONO=TOSHIO OTSUKI+LINDENBAUM (17) TONO PERMANENT HOUSING FOR EVACUEES IN ISHINOMAKI=OSAMU GOTO+YUI ARCHITECTS (18) TEMPORARY EMERGENCY HOUSING, MINAMISANRIKU TOWN=SHOICHI HARYU (19) MEETING SPACE AT THE TEMPORARY HOUSING IN MINAMI SOUMA, FUKUSHIMA=TARO IGARASHI+SEI HAGANUMA (20) MOBILE SMILE=YASUHIRO YAMASHITA
Based in: TokyoActive in: Japan
Project of the Tokyo-based ETIC NPO that seeks recruit short term human resources for registered Tohoku reconstruction projects in the fields of community design, industrial revival, healthcare, education. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
ShopTohoku.com is a social project by Tokyo-based startup marketing company, Matcha Latte Media. At Matcha Latte Media, we help select Japanese small and medium businesses market and sell their wonderful products to the rest of the world thru online stores. While we may be helping a few businesses in the regions hit by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami, there are many others out there who do not fit our partner profile. Filling a need to introduce amazing companies from this region to potential customers around the world, we have launched ShopTohoku.com as a directory and hope to raise funds to go North to teach companies about selling to customers in other countries.
Based in: TokyoActive in:
Multi-language collaborative resource that helps teachers, students, and scholars locate and share educational resources about the historical contexts of scientific and technical issues related to the triple earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan.
Based in: GlobalActive in: Globe
Loosely affiliated group of people living in (or close to) Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Our members go up to Tohoku (in particular, Ishinomaki) regularly to participate in various volunteer activities. We work closely with Association for the Reconstruction of Ishinomaki and It's Not Just Mud.
Based in: TsukubaActive in: Ishinomaki
Organized by the students and alumni of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and translated into 26 languages, the web-site shows what is going on Tohoku(東北), the affected area in Japan by the earthquake of March, focusing on 10 local groups. Through photographs, we will convey the will of the people toward reconstruction of their severely damaged cites to the world. To appeal for the public consciousness and continued support, lest the disaster be forgotten, is our main purpose.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Restarting agriculture in Tohoku by planting cotton in idle rice paddies affected by sea water inundation, providing stable employment by creating products and new enterprises using Tohoku cotton together with apparel related corporations, contributing to disaster reconstruction by sustaining economic activities where farmers, spinning companies, apparel brands, stores and 'YOU' can collaborate together. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Organisation that seeks to create structures and educate people in order to develop community building strategies for countering depopulation of Tohoku and strengthening local economies. Seeks to facilitate a broad exchange of ideas between local governments, private business and academic institutions.
Based in: unclearActive in: Tohoku
Interactive map showing the locations of many relief organisations working in Tohoku. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
Concept by architect SAKO Keiichiro, envisioning elevated towns for areas that are endangered by tsunamis. Communities would be situated on top of a platform, whose base is formed by infrastructure, parking, factories and workshops. (日本語 only)
Based in: TokyoActive in: Concept
The center develops high technologies to evaluate disaster risk, such as earthquakes, tsunami and floods in regional areas, control earthquake damages of building group, raise a high accuracy tsunami warning and analyze tsunami system.
Based in: SendaiActive in: Tohoku
Facilitating collaboration among Japanese and international designers, architects and planners contributing to the long-term revitalisation of Japan's tsunami-affected Tohoku region. The project embraces the viewpoints of activists, citizen groups and professionals, active in Tohoku communities, throughout Japan and around the world, to foster the exchange of ideas, best practice experiences and the provision of practical support. In recognition that other communities around the world have faced similar reconstruction issues, the TPF² project aims to leverage international experience and enable mutual learning.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
UNCRD has organized a workshop, consisting of site visits and discussion meetings with local municipalities and communities. Two issues of particular interests for this workshop are: i) promotion of green business; and ii) involvement of all stakeholders in reconstruction efforts, including NPOs and NGOs.
Based in: NagoyaActive in: Tohoku
Dedicated effort to establish a trust fund for the expressed and specific intent to provide support to those affected by the tragic events on March 11th 2011 in Tohoku. By joining key leaders from Academic, Business and the Community at large: We propose to take all steps required - together - in order to get the best resources possible in place to enable their goals for the long-term challenges ahead. The need for domestic and international exchanges is clear. There has been significant good-will from global communities for Japan and there is much work needs to be done in the coming years, we will provide a platform to enable colaboration. The lessons learned in Japan from this disaster must be identified and shared for the benefit future calamities, here and abroad, with the spirit and purpose of this island nation. Wasurenai - We Will Never Forget.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
WAWA Project is a social, creative platform for opportunity which is managed by the artist-run non-profit organization commandN, with the cooperation of 3331 Arts Chiyoda. The aim of WAWA is to connecting people in the different disaster-hit areas of Tohoku, who are initiating rehabilitation activities on the ground with those people who wish to support such local regeneration activities. WAWA Project engages closely with activists in the affected communities, is maintaining a physical base for their activities in Tokyo, while transmitting information about their endeavors through online and offline publications.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
The devastation brought to northern Japan by the Great Tohoku Earthquake on March 11 left a startling number of individuals without homes and in need of support. While many have expressed interest in offering relief to those affected and contributing toward the rebuilding process of Japan, effectively connecting donors to those in need presents a tremendous challenge. Wecarejapan.org is a website designed to face this challenge, facilitating the flow of information between people requesting aid and those offering donations.
Based in: TokyoActive in: Tohoku
The ZENKON Bath project of Architect Tadashi Saito of Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture and skilled volunteers is sending baths from Kagawa to areas in Tohoku damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. The bath is built using conventional wooden post-and-beam construction. Since building the first ZENKON bath in Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture on April 5, twelve have been built through June 13. Blueprints are open source. (日本語 only)
Based in: KagawaActive in: Tohoku
summer school, workcamps, symposium, sustainable rebuilding of Sanriku, renewable energy, passiv house, breakwater, seawalls, we want to build up confidence and assurance with NGOs in Sanriku, make plans together for a sustainable and egological urban management
Based in: Deutschland, Bielefeld, Miyako, TochigiActive in: sankiku (Miyako, Kamaishi)