Abstract
In Kumamoto Prefecture, since 6 years have passed after the Kumamoto Earthquake, there
are concern that the memory of the natural disaster is fading. To address this, efforts to pass on
the experience and memories of the survivors are being planned. Local governments and
research institutions such as universities are spearheading this initiative. What has changed is
the opportunities for victims to talk about their experience and pass on their personal stories.
This study focus on narrative, a method of passing on memory, and examines the impact of a
disaster archive exhibition, combined with a talk event, and a panel exhibition of universityowned
disaster-related materials and research results. Disaster victims had the opportunity to
tell their stories related to the event, before their memories fade, since 7 years have passed since
the event. The results of this study showed that the exhibition of such disaster archives have a
significant impact on the opportunities to talk to disaster victims. The results reveal that the
disaster archive exhibition provided a perspective on the disaster as a whole and an opportunity
to uncover new stories about the survivorʼs experience.
