\u201cWe want to continue activities that allow us to share the experiences of the disaster,\u201d a member of the town\u2019s tourism exchange section said.<\/p>\n
Many students also visit places in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, including the Kadanowaki Primary School building, which was ravaged both by tsunami and fire.<\/p>\n
According to the Ishinomaki tourism association, the town saw almost no school trips before the disaster. <\/p>\n
In fiscal 2012, however, 1,920 students came from 26 schools. <\/p>\n
In fiscal 2013, about 1,700 students came from more than 20 schools in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Yamagata Prefecture and other areas as of the end of July.<\/p>\n
In late July, the Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization held a seminar introducing programs that would teach about disaster-prevention and earthquakes for travel agencies in Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most important thing is to share experiences of the disaster and teach people the importance of being prepared, but if educational trips become established, it will boost the local economy and spur restoration,\u201d a person in charge of the seminar said. <\/p>\n
In contrast with Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, school trips to Fukushima Prefecture are declining as a result of the nuclear crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co.\u2019s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n
Before the disaster, students from 841 schools visited the popular destination of Aizuwakamatsu in the prefecture in fiscal 2010. <\/p>\n
However in fiscal 2011, this number plunged to 100. <\/p>\n
The situation is improving, with 210 schools organized trips to Aizuwakamatsu in fiscal 2012, but many people are still wary of radiation. <\/p>\n
The Aizuwakamatsu tourism association has appealed to schools in other prefectures and assured them of the area\u2019s safety, but according to one member: \u201cParents and others are still nervous. All we can do is explain carefully, like undoing a knot in a string.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"