A Music Company Is Helping Rebuild a Japanese Town Through Music

More than 15 years after a devastating tsunami struck Japan’s northeastern coast, one small town is finding a new way to bring people together: music.

In Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, music equipment company Sound House has established a logistics center and showroom as part of a long-term effort to help turn the disaster-hit community into a place where music can play a larger role in everyday life.

Onagawa was severely affected by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. In the years since, the town has worked to rebuild its community and create new opportunities for residents.

Sound House chose Onagawa partly because the company saw an opportunity to create jobs in a smaller, depopulated area. Its logistics operation now occupies the former Onagawa Junior High School, while its showroom is located near Onagawa Station.

But the company’s involvement goes beyond selling instruments. Sound House has also created free music classes for local children, giving young residents an opportunity to learn instruments and develop their interest in music.

The project has gradually grown. In April 2026, the company held its fourth Onagawa Children’s Music School concert. Thirty-three groups of children took part, with families and friends gathering to watch the performances.

The company has also supported local events. In August, Sound House provided audio equipment and managed sound operations for the Onagawa Bon Odori festival, which included traditional dancing, live performances and DJ sets.

For the company, music is therefore not simply a business. It has become part of a wider effort to create places where children can learn, residents can gather and visitors can experience the town.

The story of Onagawa shows that rebuilding a community is not only about replacing buildings and infrastructure. It can also involve creating new activities, relationships and opportunities that give people reasons to come together.

Years after disaster changed the town forever, music is helping Onagawa write a different chapter — one performance, one class and one community gathering at a time.

Source: The Japan Times; Sound House