As Ohioans, we’re accustomed to any major natural disasters. The most 
we worry about are snowstorms, tornadoes, and the after-effects of Hurricanes from other states. I was nowhere near ready to witness the scale, magnitude, and impact of Natural Disasters in Japan. Something really cool happened during the first week we were there. I experienced my first ever earthquake. It happened early in the morning. I first woke up to the loud alarm from my phone warning of the earthquake. Moments later, the earthquake came, shaking my bed and the table next to me. After a few seconds it was over. After seeing that a tsunami would not follow, I went back to sleep. Fortunate for us, the earthquake was non-damaging, but it was still surreal feeling the movement of the building.
Later in the week we visited the Honjo Life Safety and Learning Center, managed by the Tokyo Fire Department. My time there was unforgettable because of all the simulations available to learn from. First, we went through an earthquake simulation. Our tour guides instructed us on the proper position for earthquake safety. What was unique about this simulation was that it mimicked the scale and feel of real earthquakes that occurred in the past. Next was the smoke safety section. Here we learned how to navigate buildings and escape during a smoke emergency. We split into two different groups to go through the simulation. While navigating the dark, smoke-filled room, we had to demonstrate the proper stance of crouching as low to ground as possible, with one hand covering our mouth and nose and the other hand touching the wall to help us navigate. This was a fun experience to do with the group. Next, we ventured on to the Rainstorm and typhoon simulation section. We were dressed in heavy duty rain boots and coats to avoid getting drenched. While in the simulation, we were hit with tons of water and strong winds to give us the real typhoon experience.
Lastly, we headed over to the Urban flood section to experience heavy water pressure from floods. We were tasked with pushing open a regular door and a car door obstructed by flood water. It was definitely more difficult that it looked. Even the lowest setting for flood made it very hard to open the door. My time spent as this disaster prevention facility was incredibly eye opening and educational. We saw first-hand the importance of natural disaster prevention education, especially for people who are at risk for major disasters. Countless lives are saved when people receive this type of education.
Because of the prevalence of tsunamis and typhoons in Japan, the Japanese have no choice but to be super creative when exploring solutions to rid the city of flooding. While in Suginami, Tokyo, we received a tour of the Kanda River/ Loop Road No. 7 underground reservoir. The facility serves an invaluable purpose for the area. It takes the flood water from rivers and guides it this massive underground tunnel. The construction of this system was split into two projects. The first part was the completion of a 2,000 m tunnel and the second project was the addition of a 2, 500 m tunnel. Municipal Government officials also approved the widening of nearby river channels and deepened riverbed to prevent flooding as part of the projects. Pictured is a complete replica of the collecting and storing system.
This project has profound benefits in regulating nearby reservoirs and reducing flood damage in downstream basins. We were giving the opportunity to go down into the tunnel. I was not ready for how large it would be. It also seemed to go on forever. There was a section of the tunnel that had a cute mural on it. Future plans include building more underground reservoirs to collect the water. Eventually government officials plan to divert some of the collected water back into the ocean with the addition of more tunnels. Overall, the Japan continue to explore innovative ways to manage natural disasters and ensure the safety and wellbeing of its citizens.
