Disrupted sense of place and infrastructure reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Recovery after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami remains contested with often conflicting infrastructure rebuilding and social processes that have unfolded in reconstruction strategies. Previous research points to the need to understand the integration of social and infrastructure dimensions of recovery to inform better planning processes. While place-based approaches have long been central to understanding disasters, there is comparatively less knowledge about the processes of how sense of place is established, or lost, in recovery after being disrupted following a disaster. Using the case of Kesennuma in the prefecture of Miyagi, we examined how these socio-technical processes unfolded. We draw on case study methods, including interviews and focus groups with residents and leaders of jichikai – neighbourhood associations of relocated communities – to understand how infrastructure reconstruction impacted sense of place. We found that infrastructure was a foundation for people's connections that construct sense of place across three scales – the individual, community, and city. To rebuilt sense of place, physical infrastructure needed to consider people's routine, community ties, and city identity after a disaster and it was the role of infrastructure across these scales that determined how disrupted sense of place could be re-established or continue to be disrupted through reconstruction. This work ultimately contributes to understanding how infrastructure can enable recovery and reduce disaster risk by creating more vibrant places within communities.