Revisiting the Concept of Tsunami Tendenko: Tsunami Evacuation Behavior in the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

This paper discusses the concept of “tsunami tendenko,” which has become widely known, particularly after the massive tsunami triggered by the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku earthquake (hereafter referred to as “Great East Japan Earthquake”) on March 11, 2011. In Japanese, tendenko refers to an “everyone for him/herself” mindset, which calls for a quick tsunami evacuation without waiting for others, not even one’s parents or children. The word tendenko has been handed down in the Tohoku region as an important code of action to be observed in local communities at risk of tsunami, because a quick evacuation to higher ground without taking care of anyone has been considered the only way to escape from the complete destruction of a devastating wave. This paper reexamines the notion and implications of tendenko from a sociopsychological perspective. Specifically, this work aims to demonstrate that, in addition to its commonly used definition, tendenko is a multilayered term integrating at least four meanings and functions: (1) emphasizing the principle of self-reliance, (2) encouraging others to seek refuge, (3) fostering mutual trust in advance, and (4) reducing feelings of self-reproach among survivors. Tendenko is examined by drawing on its etymology, social survey data from the Great East Japan Earthquake and other tsunami evacuations, and the findings of studies in the field of social psychology. This paper will also show how this concept symbolizes the complexity of tsunami evacuation and offers a path toward a solution.