11years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Future.(Projects in Katsurao Village)

11years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Future.
(Projects in Katsurao Village)

Katsurao Village

Katsurao Village is a small village with a population of around 1,500 people (before the earthquake). It is located in the northern part of Futaba County in the Abukuma Mountains, and will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its establishment in 2023. More than 80% of its area is covered by forest, and the village settlement was created on a riverbank. Surrounded by lush nature, the primary industries are agriculture and livestock.

March 11, 2011: The Great East Japan Earthquake

Katsurao Village was not damaged by the tsunami, however there was significant infrastructure damage including damage to roads, buildings partially destroyed, and the collapse of a slope on the grounds of a public facility.

Katsurao Village before the earthquake

From ancient times, the people of the village supported one another and worked together in agriculture and daily living.
The village is a place of human warmth and rich seasonal appeal, where this cultural spirit of mutual assistance known as “Yui” remains in abundance. Because 30% of village residents share the same family name of Matsumoto, residents call each other by their first names rather than their last names.

Katsurao Village culture
Remains of the Katsurao Daijin Yashiki

This is the remains of the Matsumoto Clan residence. This clan prospered as merchants in this area for around 200 years during the Meiji Era. An initiative to recreate the Noh and Kyogen plays that were performed at this location at the time began in 2019.
Katsurao Village events
Katsurao Thanksgiving Festival

This event has a firm place among the autumn seasonal sights in Katsurao Village. It attracts large numbers of people and features performances by a wide range of artists and taiko drummers, stews cooked in large pots, and fresh soba noodles. Although it was temporarily stopped due to the disaster, it was resumed in 2017.
Katsurao Village records
No. 1 in Japan in consecutive days without a fatal accident

Katsurao Village established the Japanese record of over 36 years period from 1965 to 2001, 13,261 days without a fatal traffic accident. A large sign is placed in the center of the village proclaiming it the “Village that Achieved 13,000 Days Without a Fatal Traffic Accident”.
Katsurao Village specialty products
Shimi-mochi
(dried rice cake)

This preserved food is a specialty of the Abukuma Region. It uses gonboppa (a mountain herb) as a binder for mochi rice and uruchi rice to form and bind the treat. It is then immersed in water and dried in mid-winter, frozen by the north wind. It has been a Katsurao specialty product since ancient times.

Katsurao Village immediately after the earthquake.

Because aftershocks continued after the earthquake, some facilities within the village were opened as temporary evacuation centers at 5:00 PM on March 11. As many as 160 village residents evacuated, mostly elderly persons.Katsurao Village residents were forced to live in evacuation centers until the evacuation order was lifted (except for certain areas) in June 2016.

3 days after the earthquake, in order to protect residents from harm caused by radiation, the village mayor (at that time Masahide Matsumoto) decided to evacuate the entire village without waiting for instructions from the national government, and the village residents evacuated to the gymnasium in Azuma Sports Park.
The next day, explosions occurred in succession at the No. 2 and No. 4 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Large amounts of radioactive materials were flown in a northwesterly direction by the wind and fell on the village that same afternoon. It was truly a close escape. The decision to evacuate was later widely praised, and the mayor became the first Japanese person to receive the Green Star Award.

Living in an evacuation center

The village decided to evacuate again to at least 100 km from the nuclear power station, and on March 15 evacuated to Aizubange Town.
The residents then conducted secondary evacuations from Aizubange Town and other evacuation sites in and outside of Fukushima Prefecture to lodges and hotels in locations such as Yanaizu Town, Mishima Town, Nishiaizu Town, Kaneyama Town, and Tadami Town.

Mayor Matsumoto at the ceremony for the 2013 Green Star Award

This award was established in 2009 by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and Green Cross International (GCI). It is awarded to persons who prevented environmental crises resulting from natural disaster, major accident, conflict, or other factors, and to persons who engaged in excellent activities for crisis preparation or response. Mayor Matsumoto received the award in the disaster response category in 2013.

Katsurao Village today

Since the evacuation order was lifted on June 12, 2016, the village has been making steady progress towards revitalization. It has created new industries such as phalaenopsis orchids and knit products, as well as new events such as the Tour de Katsurao bicycle race. In the municipalities designated as “Restricted area”, the evacuation order was partially lifted on June 12, 2022 for the first time in preparation for an eventual return by residents. An event which was held in the village at the same time was attended by Prime Minister Kishida, who observed the state of the village revitalization.

New events
Tour de Katsurao

This public bicycle road race was launched in June 2018. Riders compete in four events over two days. It is becoming recognized as a major event that attracts large numbers of participants including some on the Japan national team level each year.
New facilities
Katsurao Village Reconstruction and Community Center Azalea

This community center was opened in June 2018. As a symbol of the revitalization, it is used for activities and communication aimed at deepening connections and bonds. It also provides sightseeing information and road information about the village, and sells specialty village products.
Symbol of agriculture resumption
Crimson clover

As one part of its preservation and management of agricultural land, the village Agriculture Revitalization Council is working to restore the productivity of cropland by cultivating plants which serve as green fertilizer, and has also created a new sightseeing spot in Katsurao. These flowers reach full bloom in late May of each year.
New industries
Phalaenopsis orchids

Katsurao Phalaenopsis Orchid LLC, was established based on an agreement with local farmers. In January 2018, it began cultivating high-quality phalaenopsis orchids and shipping them to the metropolitan area and other markets. As a high-grade flower, the profit margin is high and the business has grown to generate more jobs.

Katsurao Village of the future

Eco Compact Village

Katsurao Village has established “Eco Compact Village” as a slogan expressing a future image of the village as it aims to coexist in harmony with nature, deliver happiness to every individual, and be a sustainable hometown. The village is working for local revitalization utilizing renewable energy.

Katsurao Village Smart Community Project (Project owner: Katsurao Electric Power Company)