The Kyoto University Paleoearthquake Study Group has developed a web application "Minna de Reprint" that converts earthquake historical materials into text, and released it on January 2017, 1.Reprinting is the work of converting old documents written in junk characters into modern characters one by one.With this app, both researchers and the general public can participate in the reprinting of old earthquake historical materials using a personal computer or tablet.
There are many historical materials written about earthquakes in Japan, and it is said that the number is the highest in the world.However, only a few have been reprinted, and some historical materials that may contain unknown information are disappearing without being reprinted.Therefore, the study group aims to accelerate the conversion to text by having the citizens participate in the reprint.
The app has three features.A large number of cursive script patterns and about 3 patterns of idioms collected from books from the Edo period are recorded, and you can use KuLA, a cursive script learning support app, to "manabu".In addition, about 3000 items from the "Ishibunko" owned by the Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo can be recorded and "reprinted" by the "live" function that allows a large number of people to write at the same time like Wikipedia.In addition, you can post photos and sentences with the SNS function to "connect".
There are various ripple effects due to the spread of application usage.Possibility of reexamining past data and discovering new facts.In addition, as the number of people who have acquired knowledge of kuzuji characters increases, it is possible to promote the conversion of earthquake historical materials into texts and leave the historical materials for posterity.Furthermore, it can be applied to the excavation, preservation, and disclosure of disaster historical materials that remain in various parts of Japan in addition to earthquake historical materials, which in turn leads to an increase in disaster prevention awareness.
In the future, it is planned to create a map showing the chronology of paleoearthquake and the place where it occurred, and it is said that historical materials other than the "Stone Text Library" will be posted and reprinted.
