Japan launched one of the world's largest coastal defense projects by building nearly 250 miles of seawalls and planting millions of trees for natural protection after the 2011 tsunami destroyed towns and forests.
The towering concrete barriers, some rising five stories high, now line fishing villages as a shield against future waves, while reforestation efforts with Japanese black pines and other native species aim to rebuild lost ecosystems. Community projects like Millennium Hope Hills and the Michinoku Trail merge safety, remembrance, and environmental recovery, offering both immediate and long-term resilience.
These dual defenses show how Japan is balancing engineered infrastructure with living green belts.
Seawalls provide quick and proven protection, but coastal forests hold cultural meaning, dissipate tsunami energy, and reflect a slower yet deeply rooted form of resilience.
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