EARTHQUAKE MUSEUM   By Vijay Kharbas, Winter 2004 update

Winter 1995. An aerial shot of a twisted ribbon of concrete.We didn't know what it was at first.Most of us don't live in a world where elevated highways just fall down.
As travelers, we come to Japan to get some feeling for what it means to be Japanese, to momentarily imagine this as our home. The only way to truly feel Japan is to share an experience of that world where things do just fall down. Fortunately, we needn't live through an earthquake to gain some understanding, we can visit the Disaster Reduction Museum in Kobe.

It sits on land reclaimed from the sea, in a new development called HAT KOBE, among modern apartment blocks, a seaside park, and an art museum. The Disaster Reduction Museum is an airy glass box with "1.17 5.46" on the side in huge letters remembering the January morning when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake took almost 6000 people. The place serves as a memorial, and much of its focus is on the phoenix-like rebuilding and remaking of the cities by determined, resourceful people from Hyogo and around the world. It tells the story of the recovery of hope, and seeks to learn ways to mitigate the effects of future disasters.

The tour starts on the 4th floor, where you'll be shepherded into a standing auditorium to see a reenactment of the quake. It's ominous, loud, and terrifyingly real. Flashing lights, a rumbling floor and the sounds of dogs barking add to the feeling. There are no words or people in the presentation, which strangely makes it more personal, transcending cultural gaps, reminding us of our shared humanity. Afterwards, take a walk through a life-size mockup of a shattered neighborhood. Note the scrawled message to locate a loved one on your left, the mangled train line overhead. It's heartrending, but the tone is always respectful, never grisly. Next is a video diary in Japanese—ask for an English translation device.

On the 3rd floor, you'll find audio and visual accounts of loss and recovery, rebuilding efforts, graphics and models, and physical artifacts. You can borrow a barcode-reading device to translate much of the material. The 2nd floor is devoted to learning the lessons of the disaster—research and history of earthquakes, safety, and loss-prevention. There is a well-stocked library with information on earthquakes and Hyogo prefecture. There is also a gift shop on the 1st floor.

The museum is best reached by train—the Hanshin line (Iwaya sta.) from Kobe or Osaka—walk south 8 minutes; JR Nada and Hankyu Oji-koen stations are also nearby. Hours are from 9:30; closing time varies seasonally. Closed on Mondays. Basic admission is ¥500, with discounts for students, seniors, and groups.

[The Earthquake Museum] (Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution)