Effective Visitor Learning and Experience for Changing Disaster Preparedness Behavior Based on Visitors’ Characteristics: From an Internet Survey on the Case of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

In the areas affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, efforts have been made to promote the dissemination of disaster learning. In this study, we aim to analyze which contents of learning and experiences effectively change their actions to reduce disaster risk according to visitors' preparedness, and the purpose of their visit. We conducted an online survey among visitors (N=1,175) to the disaster-affected areas from the 2011 event. The main findings are as follows: 1) visiting the interior of the earthquake ruins, seeing the townscape that was cleared, and listening to the storytellers were most effective regardless of the visitor's disaster preparedness or purpose; 2) informal and interactive interactions with locals who experienced the disaster may be effective for visitors less prepared with intention to learn the disaster.