Tohoku Music Therapy Project: Ekollon
The Great East Japan Earthquake happened at 2:46 pm on Friday, March 11th 2011. It was of a 9.0 magnitude which was the most powerful earthquake ever measured in Japan. More than 18,000 people are dead and still missing. Three prefectures in the Tohoku (North-eastern) region of Japan, Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima, have been most seriously devastated.
Many people have lost their homes; some towns and villages have been completely swept away and ruined, to which quite a few residents cannot return due to fear of aftershocks, tsunami and radioactive contamination. Therefore, these survivors reside in the temporary housing supplied by the government. And they have been suffering from these changes of environment, unpredictable fear and anxiety for their future life, loss of family members and friends, etc.
Weekly visit of music therapy to the affected areas was started right after the earthquake by Mr. Kuninori Chida and his colleagues in Morioka. And the regular group session takes place in the common room of their temporary housings.
. Sing-along, instrumental, movement activities with music, physical activities and discussion have been clinically implemented according to the needs of the clients. Their needs and clinical output has been changing due to their phases and levels of trauma and grief process.
And in April 2013, we have established a general incorporated association “Tohoku Music Therapy Project”
Members
President: Mr. Kuninori Chida
Board members: Ms.Yoshie Sasaki, Ms. Kazuko Mii
Secretary: Mr. Yasuhiro Sawase
Advisor: Dr. Kana Okazaki-Sakaue
The aims of this project are:
to provide regular music therapy services for the survivors of the affected areas
to enhance awareness towards the needs of psychological care through music in the society
to support local music therapists both financially and psychologically, so that clinicians who are also the survivors of the earthquake can be taken care of.
If you want to become our support member or make donation, please contact us at:
TOHOKU MUSIC THERAPY PROJECT
1-8-1 Higashianiwa, Morioka, Iwate 020-0824 JAPAN
TEL&FAX: +81-19-656-7365
E-mail: contacts@ekollon.jp
WEB site http://ekollon.jp/