Perceived contributions of long-term peer-led cooking activities to community resilience: a case study of nuclear evacuees in Fukushima

Introduction Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, the residents' association of the Shimokajiro housing complex, with support from the Ajinomoto Foundation, implemented cooking classes. This study aimed to examine the significance of these classes after external support ended. Methods In March 2024, focus group interviews were conducted with 14 users (11 women and 3 men; mean age, 77.5 years) of a community meeting space in the Fukushima Prefectural Shimokajiro housing complex, which houses evacuees from the nuclear accident. The collected data were qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis based on the Braun and Clarke method. Results Two key benefits were identified regarding the cooking classes conducted by the residents' association. At the individual level, the cooking classes created opportunities for social participation, promoted learning and self-efficacy, and enabled participants to reconnect with aspects of everyday life disrupted by the disaster. At the community level, resident-led activities fostered mutual care and informal monitoring, contributing to the prevention of social isolation and strengthening community cohesion. In the absence of traditional family-based support systems, residents developed weak social ties that enhanced community resilience. Conclusion Resident-led cooking activities can provide a sustainable foundation for long-term social recovery in disaster-affected settings. In situations where returning to original communities is not feasible, rebuilding everyday practices through peer-led initiatives may represent a critical pathway for community reconstruction. These findings underscore the importance of resident-led initiatives in fostering social connectedness during disaster recovery.