A festival celebrating reunion among residents
On April 17, 2022, we participated in the "Kounose Gathering" held in the Kounose district of Kuma Village.
The Kounose Gathering is a festival where residents and volunteers from the affected Kounose district, as well as former residents who have moved to other locations, gather to pray for reunion and recovery.
The festival was organised by local volunteers and featured a lively menu including meals provided by ladies known as "Kounose Madame", an okonomiyaki stand run by people who volunteered during the disaster, and shaved ice provided by the local fire brigade.
Expanding the circle of gathering in the Kounose area
In addition to the Kanose Gathering, the Kounose district also has a discussion forum called the "Hometown Revitalization Gathering." Unlike the Kounose Gathering, the Hometown Revitalization Gathering is held as a place for residents to discuss the reconstruction effort.
After the damage caused by the heavy rains in 2020, the residents of the Kounose area are now living in three separate areas: Watari, Nishiki, and Kannose. In order to make the Kounose area a lively place like it was before the disaster, regular meetings and opportunities to meet face to face are being created.
The research team from Kumamoto Prefectural University will also participate in such gatherings in the future, and continue their IoT research that will benefit local people.
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