Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake: Sendai Arahama Elementary School Building and Residential Foundation

Eastern Sendai (Sendai Port, Arahama, Yuriage in Natori, etc.) Recommend Application Required Town Walking / Tours Half-Day Experience Business Trip Unique to Sendai With Friends Group Travel Do It Here Educational Program Available

During the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, 320 children, school staff, and local residents evacuated to Arahama Elementary School. The school building is open to the public as ruins to serve as a memorial and pass on the lessons learned from the disaster. By preserving the foundations of houses where people once lived, we convey the lives of the people who lived here, the memories of the region, and the destruction of the tsunami from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011, as a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0, making it the fourth-largest earthquake in the world since 1900. This earthquake triggered massive tsunamis along the Sanriku coast of Tohoku. The seismic tremors were observed across a wide area of Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu. The tsunamis reached the Pacific side of Japan, with heights exceeding expectations at 8 meters and 9 meters. The highest recorded tsunami reached 14.8 meters in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, and traveled inland, rising up to 40.5 meters on coastal slopes. The tsunamis devastated a wide area of northeastern Japan.

Arahama Elementary School has been preserved and maintained as earthquake remains with the aim of raising awareness about disaster prevention among visitors. The school building shows clear evidence of the disaster and has exhibits to help visitors understand the power and threat of tsunamis.

The distance from here to the coastline is less than 1 km. The school building is four stories tall, and the tsunami reached up to the second floor. On March 11th, the day of the earthquake, 320 students, faculty, and local residents took refuge here. You can learn about their experience here. Also, take a look at the foundations of damaged houses and you can feel the power of the tsunami.

Holding Term	All year round on Saturdays and Sundays.
Duration	About 2 hours (including travel time to and from Arai Station, it will take approximately 3 hours.）
Number of people involved	5 ~ 15people
Fee	5000 JPY- (tax included)

Tabimusubi, Inc.

We plan and organize town walk tours and hands-on activities that can be experienced in 90 to 120 minutes, mainly in Sendai City. Local guides who love Sendai, Miyagi, and Tohoku will guide you to their favorite spots and introduce them from the perspective of local residents. We offer experiences on various themes such as "History," "Food," "Tradition," "Landscape," and "Sake." There are some programs limited to specific times or dates, and others available through consultation and reservation, so please feel free to contact us for inquiries.

Contact / Organizer Information

Experience Index

Comment by orgnaizer

Take a look at the surroundings from the roof of the school and imagine how things were in the past.

Basic Information

Experience Name	Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake: Sendai Arahama Elementary School Building and Residential Foundation
Holding Place	Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake: Sendai Arahama Elementary School
Duration	About 2 hours (including travel time to and from Arai Station, it will take approximately 3 hours.）
Holding Term	All year round on Saturdays and Sundays.
Start Time	9:30 at Arai Subway Station or 12:30 at Arai Subway Station.

Implementation Condition

Minimum number of passengers	5people
Maximum number of passengers	15people
Reservation Application Deadline	By 16:00, 21 days in advance

Fee

Fee	3: 5000 JPY (tax included)
Included in the fee	Guided tour.
Payment Methods	Cash payment on the day.
Cancellation and Changes	Cancellation up to 3 days before 0:00, up to the day before = 50% of the participation fee. Same day cancellation, no-contact/no-show is 100% of the participation fee. Cancellation by phone can be done on business days and business hours, generally on the same day you apply. If you are able to find a replacement who can participate instead, no cancellation fee is required. Please contact us if that happens.

Meeting Place & Access

Meeting Place	Arai Station（Sendai Municipal Subway Tozai Line） Travel by city bus from Arai Station
Meeting Time	9:30 at Arai Subway Station or 12:30 at Arai Subway Station.
Access	By Public Transportation: About 15 minutes by train from Sendai Subway Station to Arai Subway Station on the Tozai Line.
Parking	None