The "Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair," an event for the promotion and awareness of disaster prevention, was held at Mabi Fureai Park on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
This year (2024) marks the third time the event has been held, and this time, the experiential programs were even more enriched.
Thanks to favorable weather, about 15,000 people attended, making it a great success.
Here is a report on the day's events.
What is the "2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair"?
The "Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair" is an event for the promotion and awareness of disaster prevention organized by Kurashiki City.
It was held on November 10, 2024 (Sunday) from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Mabi Fureai Park.
The park was divided into three areas: a grassy area, a riverbank area, and a working vehicle area, with various activities centered around experiential booths as follows.
- Stage Events
- Rescue and Relief Training
- Booth Exhibitions for Fun Learning about Disaster Prevention
- Gathering of Working Vehicles
- Fun Lottery
- Food Trucks
Overview of the Day
I arrived at the venue around 10:30 AM, shortly after the event started.
The place was already bustling with many people, especially in the "Working Vehicle Area," where families with children were particularly noticeable.
Earthquake Experience Vehicle
There are only two earthquake experience vehicles in Okayama Prefecture, and one of them was present at the Disaster Prevention Fair.
The experience was organized with time slots in the morning and afternoon, and upon arriving around 10:30 AM, I was able to get a ticket for the last morning session starting at 11:30 AM.
I actually experienced it, and the shaking equivalent to a Nankai Trough mega earthquake was quite intense. It provided an opportunity to think about how to respond if such an event were to occur.
Booth Exhibitions
At the booth exhibitions, over 50 sponsoring companies and organizations showcased engaging and educational displays. The main theme was "experience," with many workshops available.
This is the "Sandbag Filling Experience," where participants filled a 25 kg bag with sand. The children were experimenting to see how much they could fill.
Stage Events
When I arrived at the main stage, Kurashiki City Mayor Ito Kaori was just giving her greeting.
Various performances, including puppet shows, were also showcased afterward.
Food Truck Area
Around noon, the number of people in the food truck area noticeably increased.
Last year, many vendors sold out quickly, but this time, perhaps due to their determination, most vendors continued selling until the end, although some did sell out.
Conclusion
Following last year (2023), the weather was favorable again, and many people attended, enjoying learning and experiencing disaster prevention.
This year (2024) saw an earthquake on the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day and an emergency information alert for the Nankai Trough earthquake in August, which heightened disaster awareness that had been fading.
When thinking of disasters in Kurashiki, the "July 2018 Heavy Rain (Western Japan Floods)" comes to mind, but that was already over 6 years ago. Reflecting on myself, I found that the expiration dates of the emergency food supplies I had stocked were up, and it is easy to let one's awareness slip... It was an opportunity to review expiration management.
Disaster prevention efforts must be ongoing and not just one-off events.
Such thoughts were prompted.
I believe it will likely be held again next year, and I think it was a meaningful event to regularly raise disaster awareness and learn about the latest initiatives.
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Data for the 2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair
| Name | 2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair |
|---|---|
| Date | November 10, 2024 (Sun) 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | 4629-1 Ayata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City |
| Participation Fee (tax included) | Free |
| Homepage | Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair |
