The “Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair,” an event to promote and raise awareness of disaster preparedness, was held at Mabi Fureai Park on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
This year (fiscal 2024) marked the third time the event was held, and the hands-on programs were even more extensive.
Favored by good weather, the event was a great success, drawing approximately 15,000 visitors.
Here’s a look at the day’s events.
The information presented was current when this article was published in December 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Fiscal 2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair”?
The Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair is an event organized by Kurashiki City to promote and raise awareness of disaster preparedness.
It was held at Mabi Fureai Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
Mabi Fureai Park was divided into three areas—the lawn area, riverside area, and working vehicles area—with the following activities, centered around hands-on booths:
- Stage events
- Rescue and relief drills
- Exhibits where visitors could learn about disaster preparedness in an enjoyable way
- A gathering of working vehicles
- Prize drawing
- Food trucks
Highlights of the day
I arrived at the venue at around 10:30 a.m., shortly after the event began.
It was already bustling with people, especially families with children in the working vehicles area.
Earthquake simulator truck
Apparently, there are only two earthquake simulator trucks in Okayama Prefecture, and one of them was at the Disaster Prevention Fair.
Tickets were issued for designated time slots in the morning and afternoon. When I arrived at around 10:30 a.m., I was able to get a ticket for the last morning session, starting at 11:30.
I tried it myself, and the shaking—equivalent to that of a massive Nankai Trough earthquake—was intense. It gave me an opportunity to think about how I should respond if one were to occur.
Exhibits
At the exhibits, more than 50 sponsoring companies and organizations had created engaging displays that made learning fun. The main theme was “hands-on experiences,” and there were plenty of workshops and other activities.
This activity involved filling a sandbag with 25 kg of sand. The children experimented to see just how much that would be.
Stage events
When I arrived at the main stage, Kurashiki City Mayor Ito Kaori was giving a speech.
After that, a variety of performances, including a puppet show, were presented.
Food truck area
Around noon, the food truck area became noticeably busier.
Last year, many vendors sold out early, but perhaps each one came better prepared this time. I saw a few items sell out, but many vendors continued selling until near the end of the event.
From the Writer
As in the previous fiscal year (2023 / Reiwa 5), the weather was good, and many people came to enjoy learning about and experiencing disaster preparedness.
This year (2024), earthquakes struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day, and a Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information bulletin was issued in August. It was a year when awareness of disaster preparedness, which had begun to fade, rose again.
When people in Kurashiki think of disasters, the “July 2018 Heavy Rain (Western Japan Heavy Rain)” comes to mind, but that was already more than six years ago. Looking back at my own preparations, I found that some of the food I had stored for emergencies had passed its expiration date. It’s easy to let our awareness slip… This was also an opportunity to review how I manage expiration dates.
Disaster preparedness efforts are meaningless if they are one-off; they must be ongoing.
That’s what the event made me think about.
The event will probably be held again next fiscal year, and I think it was a meaningful opportunity to regularly raise awareness of disaster preparedness and learn about the latest initiatives.
Articles about the Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair
2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair Information
| Name | 2024 Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair |
|---|---|
| Date | November 10, 2024 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Location | 4629-1 Yata, Mabi, Kurashiki City |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Kurashiki Disaster Prevention Fair |
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