Sanriku Railway’s Ran Chiyokawa Promotes Disaster Preparedness Through Guided Tours
Ran Chiyokawa, a guide for Sanriku Railway, uses her experience from the Great East Japan Earthquake to educate passengers on disaster preparedness. On the 14th anniversary of the disaster, she highlights the importance of community awareness and shares her family’s experiences of loss and resilience. Her work exemplifies the impact of personal stories in fostering disaster readiness.
Ran Chiyokawa, a 25-year-old guide for Sanriku Railway, emphasizes the significance of disaster preparedness through guided train tours. Chiyokawa, who lived through the Great East Japan Earthquake at age 11, is committed to educating passengers about the impacts of natural disasters while traveling along the Iwate Prefecture coast. During her narrated tours, she reflects on the devastation caused by the tsunami, which affected over 317 locations, including railway infrastructure, and stresses the need for community awareness in disaster planning.
On the 14th anniversary of the earthquake, Chiyokawa led a tour where she showcased photographs of the destruction caused by the tsunami and highlighted the new seawall designed to protect the town. “This empty place used to be a community and people lived there. I would like you to remember that,” she reminded passengers as they traveled. Chiyokawa’s efforts also include sharing experiences from challenges like typhoons and heavy rainfall affecting the area.
She experienced substantial loss during the earthquake, although her family was safe. The tsunami heavily damaged their home in Yamada town, leading them to live in temporary housing for eight years. As she pursued a career in tourism, she joined Sanriku Railway in 2019 and transitioned to a guide in 2021, focusing on communicating her personal earthquake experiences.
President Yoshiaki Ishikawa acknowledges Chiyokawa’s impactful storytelling, stating, “Passengers appreciate guides who speak from their own experience.” He noted that Sanriku Railway’s guided tours play a vital role in disaster awareness. Furthermore, learning from her background, representatives of Noto Railway reached out for guidance on their disaster preparedness tours, inspired by Sanriku Railway’s model of community resilience.
Chiyokawa advocates for proactive disaster education by urging passengers to familiarize themselves with evacuation sites and local hazard maps during peaceful times. She plans to continue sharing her experiences, fostering a culture of preparedness and community involvement as a critical component of her railway guiding role.
Ran Chiyokawa exemplifies how personal experience in disaster situations can be leveraged to educate and inspire others. Through her role at Sanriku Railway, she aims to raise awareness about disaster preparedness, making a meaningful impact on her community. As western Japan faces its own challenges with earthquakes, Chiyokawa’s dedication to sharing lessons learned from past disasters is crucial for fostering resilience and preparedness in society.
Original Source: japannews.yomiuri.co.jp
