Main

The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

NPO Miyagi Shiryou Net (Network for Preserving Historical Materials)

Regeneration of Michinoku culture and traditions: carrying on historical heritage

Activity grant

Project Description

The organization preserves historical materials such as ancient documents and old buildings of the region that faced destruction during the earthquake, and records and carries on in detail the regional history and culture that has been built up though the approach of the people of the Michinoku region towards the natural environment. The organization records and gathers information from disaster historical heritage that will contribute to regional reconstruction in Sendai. In addition, the organization is restoring and developing a database for ancient records related to the Ogatsu Hoin Kagura tradition that is a nationally designated important folk cultural property in Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City. Through these series of activities, we will share information on regional historical heritage, and support the activities of residents who are engaged in reconstruction from the perspective of history and culture.

Grant year
FY2011 Activity Grants
Grant term
1 years
April 2012 - March 2013
Grant amount
2,000,000 yen
Activity region
Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Emergency measures on damaged historical materials by residents and students (July 2012)

Overview of the Organization

Shin Hirakawa, Director
Representative
Shin Hirakawa, Director
Establishment year
2003 (certified as NPO in 2007)
Establishment purpose
Preserve historical materials such as ancient documents, folk utensils, and antiquities remaining in the region from disasters and other risks that could lead to destruction. The organization was triggered by relief activities for historical materials affected by the earthquake that occurred in July 2003. Many materials were protected thanks to the cooperation of the parties involved. On the other hand, there were also historical materials that could not be saved in time. Learning from these experiences, we have adopted the approach of assessing the presence of materials and recording them together with the parties involved prior to the occurrence of disasters, such as for Miyagiken-oki Earthquake that was seen as a virtual certainty.
Main activity areas
Miyagi Prefecture and southern part of Iwate Prefecture (former Sendai Domain)
Number of staff members
9 part-time staff members, 150 full members
Annual operating budget
2.91 million yen in 2009, 3.99 million yen in 2010, 12.05 million yen in 2011
WEB site
http://www.miyagi-shiryounet.org/
Main activities
  • (1) Checking for the presence of historical materials
    Check for the presence of historical materials in each region, and create ledgers that summarize this information.
  • (2) Keeping records of individual historical materials
    We create digital records for historical materials for individual houses and organizations and create image data and photo books in preparation for destruction of the originals in the event of a disaster.
  • (3) Public relations and promotion efforts
    We conduct broad public relations and promotion activities through surveys, the provision of our achievements, and courses.
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, we have been engaged in relief and preservation activities for historical materials owned by individuals affected by the disaster.