Designing Alternatives to Megaprojects: Traditional Knowledge as Hope Against Seawalls in Japan

In a world where climate-related crises are becoming increasingly widespread, far-reaching, and unpredictable, it is important to predict the unpredictable and design not only structures but also futures that promote long-term resilience and hope. This chapter investigates the seawall and sea defense megaproject implemented by Japan after the March 11, 2011, triple disaster as well as the negotiations surrounding bottom-up alternatives to this project. In 2012, Japanese governmental institutions promoted the construction of 400 km of sea defense infrastructure in the coastal communities of Tohoku, northeastern Japan.