We developed experimental equipment measuring 7.5 m long by 0.9 m wide by 0.5 m tall to teach students about tsunami. The developed equipment enables the mechanism of tsunami occurrence, the difference between wind waves and tsunami waves, and the difference between pressure wave and drawback to be taught. Using this equipment, we conducted a tsunami education class and evaluated the educational effects for disaster-prevention learning, in a lesson on the formation and changes of land for sixth-grade elementary school children.

The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake happened at the Japan Trench on March 11^th, 2011. After the earthquake, that huge tsunami waves attacked on the Pacific coast in the northeastern Japan, and about 18,000 persons passed away or missing. The public had a little information on the mechanism of tsunami. The paper describes the “tsunami” created in the experimental flume, exhibiting the characteristics of tsunami with massive energy. To know the characteristics of tsunami must lead the people to escape from tsunami. The paper also reports the lesson titled on “Earthquakes and tsunami” held in two primary schools on December in 2011.

We developed an experimental apparatus for the purpose of understanding the differences between the nature of sea waves and tsunami. The apparatus showed that places on the coastal plain could be flooded by a tsunami even if they were located far from the coast. The apparatus was designed for not only easy assembly and disassembly, but also for easy transport, and requires only a small storage space. By conducting experiments using the apparatus in junior high schools and at dissemination events, the awareness of students and participants on disaster prevention and their understanding of tsunami has increased.

We developed a portable experimental tool to demonstrate tsunami. The equipment is inexpensive and is easy to make and use. It is also easy to transport. It is 136 cm long, 12 cm wide and 21.5 cm deep when set up for a demonstration. It can be broken down into two halves, and these halves can be nested inside one another in a 72-cm long package for carrying. Tsunami waves are generated by a flipping up a panel attached to the bottom of the equipment and the features of tsunami waves can be observed.