Tohoku resilient schools and youth engagement in memory after 2011 tsunami

Purpose In 2011, a disaster devastated the Tohoku region in Japan and left more than 15,000 victims. However, there could have been more. School buildings became a center of response and evacuation during the emergency, playing a central role in each disaster phase. How did the schools manage the situation in small Japanese communities and what lessons can be drawn? Disaster prevention education and training, rapid evacuation, survival in shelters and transmission of experiences to future generations are the key to disaster management in Japan. In the Tohoku area, these lessons are also connected with the history and memory of previous tsunamis. Design/methodology/approach From a local approach and socio-historical methodology, research is based on ethnographic fieldwork in disaster-affected communities, archival data collection and oral testimonies. Between November 2020 and March 2023, in-depth interviews were conducted with tsunami survivors, children and community leaders involved in disaster response during the months and years following the tsunami. The analysis focuses on disaster response in schools, survival and building capacities of youth during reconstruction through six case studies. Findings This research determines the importance of local history in tsunami management in Tohoku. It offers practical examples from each disaster phase for individuals and communities to face disasters and foster resilience. It reveals, on the other hand, how during the reconstruction process, a young generation embraced memory to reinforce disaster prevention for the future of the region. Originality/value Highlighting the importance of including children and youth in disaster response, reconstruction and memory through applicable cases, this study provides a guide of school experiences in Japan that can become global lessons for disaster risk reduction (DRR).