-One year from that big earthquake-
Documentary; the history of Kobe university'95(95/9/2~)
From the depths of grief
For the Restoration and Reconstruction
September 2
The Faculty of Medicine held a symposium at the Kobe International Conference Hall. The theme was "Future disasters and emergency aid -from the experience of the Great Hanshin Earthquake-".
September 7
The future of the shelters at the gymnasium
On August 20, Kobe City gave up providing food to 250 shelters, and combined them to 10 "waiting rooms".
There are more than 700 refugees in Nada Ward, but Nada Ward only has one waiting room that can hold at most 300 people. There are still 26 "former shelters". The Kobe University gymnasium is one of them. On September 7, 9 families (17 people) live there.
A man says, "I do not want to move to a temporary dwelling far from here even though I endured this hardship."
On the other hand, the university replied "We only follow the decision of Kobe City. It is the matter of refugees and the City." They never change their stance that they leave everything to Kobe City. Kobe city closed and reduced the number of shelters. Refugees do not have any place to go to. The university obeys Kobe city. It will take a long time till the triangular problem is solved.(NEWS NET)
Photo: The temporary dwellings at Ichiozan. On the back are the buildings of the Faculty of Engineering. Taken on January 6, 1996. NEWS NET
September 20
The public bathtub in the shelter was dismantled
The large public bathtub in the refuge on the grounds of the Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies, "Deai-no Yu(the bath of meeting)" was closed. It had a roof with a blue plastic sheet, pillar of goalposts and a boiler made of brick. Many refugees used to get refreshed there.
Photo: The bath in the northwest of Cross-Cultural Studies' ground made by volunteers. Taken in Sept. 1995.NEWS NET
September 25
The refuge at the Faculty of Agriculture was dismantled
The refugees at the Faculty of Agriculture left there. Once 160 people took refuged there.
September 26
An assembly of Seismic Disaster beyond the faculties
The first meeting of the Study of Seismic Disaster was held. Its theme was "Rift and Earthquake". This inter-faculty meeting was aimed to make reference to the lessons of the disaster.
In the meeting, Professor Shigehiro Hata (the Research Institute for Higher Education) reported that the faults at Mt.Rokko, other than Nojima Fault, were active. Professor Takao Miyata at the Faculty of Science said that from the lean of telegraph poles, he could presume where active faults were in the city area. Associate Professor Takashi Okimura at the Faculty of Engineering reported about the collapses of mountains and changes of the ground where houses stood.
October 27
2 volunteer groups debate together
An open debate "To look back at the past for the next step" was held by the Rescue Party and Volunteer Center at Kobe University.
October 30
Kobe University Library opened collection of the earthquake
A collection of books about the Great Hanshin Earthquake was set up in the library of Humanities and Social Science at Rokkodai Campus. Kobe University appealed in and out of the university to collect data concerning the disaster.(NEWS NET)
Photo: It collects not only books but leaflets and university newspapers. The Kobe University Library
The locus of the earthquake was published
The Society for the Study of the Earthquake in Kobe University published "The Study of The Great Hanshin Earthquake Vol.1-The record of 100 days from the earthquake."
Octorber 31
The second meeting the Study of Seismic Disaster
The second meeting of the Study of Seismic Disaster was held at Takigawa Memorial Hall.
November 8
Pre-Rokko Festival was held in the Faculty of Engineering
Usually, Pre-Rokko Festival was held nearby JR Rokkomichi Station, but this year it was held in the ground at the Faculty of Engineering because of the building "Main Rokko" at Rokkomichi was broken and under construction. (NEWS NET)
November 11
Rokko festival was held
The 16th Rokko Festival (University Festival) was held on November 11 and 12. It rained a little on the first day, but the second day was fine and a lot of people visited Kobe University.
Because the live concert of the guest musician Masaharu Tsuruku gathered a large audience, 142 food stands lost their customers for a while. The only event concerning the Great Hanshin Earthquake was the lecture with a journalist Akihiro Otani and other guests about the media on disasters, but it could only have 20 audiences.
The epilogue of the Festival started in the evening of the second day in the front yard. The cheering party chorused "SHoshin", the former University anthem. The cheerleader took Hideki Takami's portrait in her arms. He was a leader of the cheering party who died in the earthquake.
November 25
Genya-sai, school festival for night students, started. Michio Sakai, ex-editor of Kobe Shimbun, lectured on the topic "After the Great Hanshin Earthquake."
November 30
All refuges were removed
3 families (8 people) of refugees moved to temporary dwellings. The second gymnasium of the Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies where they once lived was last the refuge at Kobe University. Right after the disaster, there were more than 1600 people in the Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies, and 2550 in total in Kobe University. All refuges of Kobe University finished their roles. Due to the closing of refuges, the disaster measure center was also dissolved.
The message for appreciation was put up in the university.
Photo: Cross-Cultural studies campus. There were more than 1,600 refugees then. Taken on Jan.27, 1995.
"To the students and staffs at Kobe University"
We lived a refugee life in the gymnasium of Kobe University since the earthquake, but we could leave the refuge on November 30.
We were so nervous that we never thought our future after the earthquake. And the days had passed while we had not felt satisfied or relieved. But we could live in the temporary dwellings. As the long refugee life ended, we recovered our composure.
On that day, the city of Kobe collapsed in a moment. The buildings that we could see were heavily damaged. We lost our houses and our families. We were deprived of the peaceful life. We looked for food and water, and walked around the ruined city. We were sheltered in a hurry at Ishiyagawa Bus Terminal. We were afraid of aftershocks. We had not any place to settle down, then Kobe University was kind enough to accept us in the gymnasium. The staffs of Kobe University supported us both materially and morally. They carried the blankets and food and relief goods. We troubled the students by using the gym that the students should use, but many students encouraged us kindly. We will never forget that for all our lives.
Thank you for your kindness. We became independent because of your surpport. Thank you very much.
November.30, 1995
From the members in the Gymnasium Refuge
December 10
Ravens cannot return to the Division 1
The exchange match of divisions of American football was held in NIshinomiya Ground, where Kobe University Ravens(1st in Division 2) challenged Doshisha University(7th in Division 1). Doshisha won the game by 8-5, so the Ravens could not return to the Division 1.(NEWS NET)
December 17
Boy's Lacrosse team runnner-up in the Japanese Championship
The final match of the 6th Japanese Championship of Lacross was held in Tokyo-Edogawa Ward Stadium. The boy's final was between Kobe University and Keio University, and Kobe was in hot pursuit of Keio. Unfortunately Kobe lost the championship by 6-7. Kobe University students wore arm bands saying "Fight Kobe" in the game. Some players had lost their apartments. (NEWS NET)
December 27
The victims reached 6,308
The Government of Hyogo Prefecture changed the definition of the number of victims of the earthquake. It was changed from the number that the police announced to the number of people who received condolence money for a disaster. The total number of victims became 6308.
January 5
Prime Minister Murayama resigned
Suddenly, the Prime Minister Murayama resigned. He said "We did what we should do."
January 17
One year has passed since the earthquake.
A special lecture was held at the big classroom in the Faculty of Agriculture. The Vice President Mr.Tabuchi lectured on "the earthquake and the University", Professor Iokibe at the Faculty of Law lectured on "the earthquake and Administration",and Professor Maruya at the Faculty of Economics lectured on "the earthquake and the economy".
[Document : the movement of Kobe University 1995]
1/17/95
1/18/95-
2/6/95-
4/1/95-
9/2/95-1/17/96
Go to Top page
Copyright © Kobe University NEWS NET Committee / University News Network Kansai, All Rights Reserved.