Composed of two stainless steel and granite arches over a powerful central column, the monument was installed to mourn the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, to pass on the knowledge gained and lessons learned from the experience, and to enshrine an oath to mitigate the damage of future disasters. The two crossing arches express the determination to ensure that the memory of the disaster will be passed down for generations to come without interruption. The cylindrical column, which stands 4.6 meters high—the peak height reached by the tsunami that hit Tagajo City—serves as a remembrance of the Great East Japan Earthquake in its scale and design.
The adjacent display boards present in Japanese text an overview of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the damage incurred in Tagajo City, a map of the areas flooded by the tsunami, an explanation of the monument’s design, and a “disaster mitigation city” declaration. The monument will serve as a reminder of the earthquake and tsunami not only for citizens but also for visitors from other areas and generations that did not experience the natural disaster.