The Information about the Present Condition and the Event

~From the blog on 13^th August of the Fukushima Network for Preserving Historical Materials~

 1.The recent condition concerning the heavy rainfall disaster in Niigata and Fukushima

So as to grasp the present conditions of the historical materials affected by the heavy rainfall disaster at the end of July, we inspected around Mishima-machi and Kanayama-machi with the cooperation of the local board of education on 8^th August. There are some cases that the historical sites which involved the buried properties were eroded, however, we could grasp the fact that the houses and the facilities which had preserved the old archives or other materials were safe from the soaking. As for the Tadami-machi which are located in the headwaters, we received the information that they were all safe.

As of the present, there is no case of the old archives which have been recorded in the lists being damaged by the disaster. Some areas have a shortage of voluntary workers for the retrieval. As for the detail, please see the website of the Japan National Council of Social Welfare.

2.The present condition about the non-designated properties in Date City

We got the information from the local people that a part of ‘Iwajizo(it is the medieval ‘Magaibutsu’, means Buddhist images which were carved on the rock cliff) which is located on the Hirose River, In Yanagawa-machi, Date City had fallen due to the Earthquake on 11^th March. The part which fell was adjacent to the railway of the Abkuma Express Line.

The ‘Gorinto (a kind of the memorial tower for the Buddhism)’was carved on it and is considered as the important site related to the Toshoji Temple which had a connection with the Date family, the head of the Sendai Domain. However, this site wasn’t designated. We will inform of it to the institution concerned.

3. The information of the Events

(1)Katsushika City Museum; the briefing session for the East Japan Earthquake

On 20^th August, the briefing session for the East Japan Earthquake will be held in Katsushika City Museum. The speakers who have a connection will report the present condition of Minamisoma City and Futaba-machi, which are affected by the radiation’s influence.

(2)The 6^th Conference for the Northern Japanese Castle in Early Modern Time; the briefing session for the Japanese Castle damaged by the East Japan Earthquake

On 21th August, the brief session for the Japanese Castle damaged by the East Japan Earthquake will be held in the 6^th Conference for the Northern Japanese Castle in early modern times. The meeting place is the Sendai City Museum in Miyagi Prefecture. In this session, citizens, researchers and the repair specialists will share the present condition of the Castles in the devastated area, which have been in the core of the community development, and will discuss how to make good use of it for their upcoming activities for the reconstruction and urban improvement.

4.Other information

In the Special Meeting of the National Museum of Japanese History “Inquiring to the Museum in the devastated area” on 30^th July, and the research meeting in the Fukushima Shigakukai(Fukushima Research Association for History) on 7^th August, we reported about the present situation and problems of the rescue operation for the historical materials in Fukushima Prefecture. Many people who came to the meeting gave us kind words. We would like to express our gratitude for all of them.