Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

The transmission of collective memories of disasters plays an important role not only in preparing for future disasters but also in the formation of community identity. However, due to negative memories, intentional forgetting is often attempted, leading to difficulty in transmission. Therefore, disaster-affected buildings and materials are preserved and exhibited as monuments and icons to transmit memories. In this case, the damage caused by the disaster stirs emotions in observers and becomes a source of value. Thus, in the process of maintenance and repair, there exists the challenging task of "preservation of the state of being broken," which becomes increasingly difficult over time. In fact, despite efforts, the disappearance is occurring nationwide in Japan. Examples include the removal of disaster-affected houses at Mount Unzen Fugen-dake, despite being preserved and exhibited as an alternative to memories in decay. Many "Disaster Memorial Museums" built after the Great East Japan Earthquake exhibit various disaster-affected buildings, but the policies for their maintenance and repair are not necessarily disclosed, and they are anticipated to face the same challenges in the future.

 

This study focuses on investigating the remains of the Great East Japan Earthquake and buildings and their fragments damaged by the atomic bomb, including the Atomic Bomb Dome, which also faces challenges in inheritance and maintenance. These remains are the physical evidence of the first nuclear weapon attack in human history. The state of their damage and fragmentation retains the “memory” of the attack. To continue fulfilling the registration criteria for World Heritage status, the Atomic Bomb Dome needs to be repaired as close to its “original” state as possible. The fragments damaged by the atomic bomb can also become important materials for restoration. However, there are few precedents for handling such remains from this perspective, and there are no systematic research or preservation and exhibition methods. No academic field can solely tackle research on such remains, requiring collaboration beyond existing fields. Therefore, this study uses engineering techniques to tackle the values of memories and cultural heritages as the central issues in humanities and seek possibilities for application to the Great East Japan Earthquake. As a starting point, three-dimensional measurements of fragments damaged by the atomic bomb are carried out to develop a “digital archive.” Discussing among local residents what should be preserved and how to preserve it as a disaster heritage is desirable. The results of this study can serve as a platform for such discussions.