This paper reports on the fieldwork conducted by undergraduate students at disaster sites after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, and how their teacher instructed them. The experience of conducting the "Ethnographic Research Course" at Tohoku University will be introduced as a case study. An ethnographic description of the fieldwork class will be presented, followed by two reports as case studies, written by students who conducted fieldwork over the course of one year. Minako Seki, one of the students taking the course, conducted fieldwork when participating in study tour walking through Ishinomaki City. The tour was organized by a university student group called "START," whose members engage in reconstruction assistance. The tour, aimed at people who did not experienced tsunamis directly, was divided into three parts: visiting disaster-stricken areas, walking around Ishinomaki City together with residents of the Ishinomaki Kotobukicho Shopping Street, and exchanging feelings and impressions with other participants in a group discussion held after the walking tour. The results of her fieldwork suggest three points about tourism in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake: first, a relationship of "seeing" and "being-seen" has suddenly emerged in the disaster-stricken areas; second, the visitors joined the tour to see the affected sites, thereby confirming the images they had earlier seen in the media, and third, the coordinator servers as a critical bridge between the visitors and local people. Meanwhile, the other student, Terute Ito, conducted fieldwork with a group called "Wakamenokai," a civic association that aims to protect the sea in Sanriku (the coastal area of Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture) from radioactivity. While the members of the group had dealt with the nuclear issues before the Great East Japan Earthquake, the nuclear accident affected them greatly, both directly and indirectly. Above all, motivated by the increased risk of radiation contamination, those who had previously had little interest in civic activity became actively involved in the group. Therefore, the group's members, who have a wealth of experience and knowledge about the radiation issue, began to play an intermediary role between new citizen groups and such people. After the 3/11 disaster, the Wakamenokai have come to organize and coordinate workshops, films screenings, and demonstrations more frequently. However, their beliefs cannot be easily communicated to others. There seems to be a wide divergence between the group and ordinary people, and it is difficult to say whether they are sharing their information sufficiently. As a result, communication is not thoroughly established with ordinary people, at least at present. Finally, the paper reflects on the meaning of the disaster-related fieldwork conducted by the students as part of their anthropology class. They enhanced their awareness of the 3/11 earthquake through one year of fieldwork, and reflected on their experiences by writing ethnographic reports. It should be pointed out that the students' findings, giving new meaning to the disaster, might provide significant insights into anthropological education and the study of disasters.
