This study examines how disaster experiences from the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes are transmitted and reflected in school education, focusing on elementary and junior high school teachers in Mashiki Town, one of the most severely affected areas. A questionnaire survey was conducted to clarify teachers’ perceptions and practices regarding the transmission of disaster experiences. The study addressed three research questions: (1) how disaster experiences are shared and transmitted among teachers, (2) how archival materials and facilities related to the earthquake are utilized in schools, and (3) how the earthquake experiences are reflected in disaster education. The results show that while teachers generally recognize the importance of transmitting disaster experiences, systematic opportunities for sharing within schools are limited, partly due to teacher turnover. Although many teachers are aware of archival resources, their use in educational practice remains limited. Furthermore, disaster education reflecting earthquake experiences tends to rely on individual teachers’ initiatives rather than on institutionalized curricula. These findings suggest that sustainable transmission of disaster experiences in school education requires organizational support, including systematic teacher training, curriculum development, and effective use of archival resources. This study provides empirical insights into post-disaster education in a severely affected municipality and contributes to the discussion on disaster memory transmission in schools.
Hamatsu et al. (2026) studied this question.