Adventure Playground Activities around Sendai Seaboard Before and After the Big Disaster

Abstract

Almost all children's playgrounds around the Sendai seaboard were lost due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. Children were left with no outdoor play areas because of reconstruction works and temporary dwellings. We must remember that children's play is not only a vital factor in keeping a community alive, it also helps develop children's human and social behavior, while providing energy and hope for the future. The paper introduces the activities of adventure playgrounds around Sendai City before and after the disaster, and examines them in view of the essence of children's play and games.