Minamisanriku Disaster Prevention Center

Minamisanriku Disaster Prevention Center is a three-story concrete building preserved within Memorial Park as testimony to the 2011 tsunami. The remains of the structure clearly show the height and power of the wave that struck the coast that day.

The building was erected in 1995 as an administrative center and remained in operation until March 2011. The great tsunami hit the facility during the earthquake and destroyed the upper floors completely.

School groups and families come here to understand how communities prepare for natural threats and why early action matters. Many visitors leave flowers or small tokens near the memorial stone honoring those who stayed at their posts to warn others until the water reached them.

Guided tours are offered in several languages and explain what happened during the disaster and how coastal towns prepare today. Access is usually available during daylight hours since the site is part of a public park.

An employee named Miki Endo stayed at her post on March 11, 2011, and broadcast evacuation warnings over loudspeakers until the end while the water was already rising. Her announcements reached many people in the area and gave them time to reach higher ground.

Location: Minamisanriku

Inception: December 20, 1995

GPS coordinates: 38.67778,141.44639

Latest update: December 20, 2025 13:25