Changes to soundscapes at outdoor gathering spaces in Fukushima, Japan, caused by the severe nuclear power plant accident

Abstract

Five years have passed since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which caused changes to daily life in the city of Fukushima, Japan. These daily life alterations caused changes to the soundscapes of Fukushima, which are still evolving now. In this study, the soundscape change at Fukushima’s outdoor gathering spaces is discussed using field recordings by the author. Shortly after the accident, few human voices could be heard at outdoor gathering spaces, but natural sounds such as birdsongs could be heard as usual per the time of year. Park decontamination started during summer 2011. In some parks where decontamination was successfully completed, people’s voices and sounds of children playing returned during spring 2012. However, in other parks where decontamination was done but ineffective, the lack of human voices and artificial sounds continued until radiation levels decreased sufficiently. In this way, soundscape change at outdoor gathering spaces represents people’s attitude toward the radioactive contamination; soundscape recording documents not only sonic environments but also people’s lives.