School memorials as sites of memory and the dynamics of remembrance after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Across the world, memorial museums commemorate losses from wars and other traumatic events, often after years or decades of discussion. In contrast, following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, hundreds of disaster memorial facilities were established within just a few years. Among them, a new category of disaster heritage, shinsai ikō, emerged, preserving ruins that bear direct traces of the disaster. Notably, the majority of shinsai ikō converted into museums are school buildings. This research examines the rapid preservation of these sites and the prominence of school ruins through the lenses of cultural anthropology, memory studies, and engineering. Practical factors, such as vacant land in tsunami hazard zones, the structural resilience of schools and their role as evacuation sites, made their preservation more feasible. Ethnographic research further reveals that schools serve as lieux de mémoire, resonating across diverse memory communities. Historically central to disaster education and community activities, schools foster shared memories and often become informal memorials post-disaster. However, transforming them into official heritage sites reshapes local perceptions, access, and the dynamics of remembrance. This study highlights the need to balance commemoration, education, and the sensitivities of affected communities in disaster heritage preservation.