Comparative Study of Literacy Enhancement on Volcanic Disaster Reduction for the Residents and Visitors in Mt. Ontakesan and Other Volcanic Areas

Abstract

After the eruption of Mt. Ontakesan Volcano in 2014, Ontakesan Volcano Laboratory, Nagoya University was established in 2017 to keep and develop the face-to-face relationship between the local community and volcano experts. In 2018, the Ontakesan Volcano Meister System also started to undertake activities for volcanic disaster management and promotion of the regional economy. Additionally, two visitor centers opened in Kiso Town (at the foot of Mt. Ontakesan) and Otaki Village (at the entrance of the trail to the summit) in 2022. We compared these activities in the Ontakesan area with other volcanic areas (Usuzan, Bandaisan, Hakoneyama, Fujisan, Asosan, Unzendake, and Sakurajima) from the perspective of literacy enhancement on volcanic disaster management. We made an interview survey of the organizations/facilities responsible for volcanic disaster prevention education in these volcano areas to evaluate the activity of the Ontakesan Voclano Meisters. We considered common and specific issues among them to clarify the characteristics of literacy enhancement for volcanic disaster reduction in the Ontakesan area. In all the organizations that we surveyed, there is a common emphasis on the education for children to transfer disaster memories to the next generation and to raise their awareness of disaster prevention. Though the Ontakesan Volcano Meisters have less interaction with the local residents than other areas, they exceed in the enlightenment for climbers and have made efforts to raise the safety awareness of climbers on site since their establishment.