"Hamaguchi Award" is an international award for individuals and/or organizations that have made significant scientific or pragmatic contributions to the enhancement of coastal resilience against tsunami, storm surge and other coastal disasters, which will raise people's awareness of disaster resilience. The award was established in 2016 by the International Promotion Committee for Tsunami/Coastal Disaster Resilience Technology due to the designation of November 5th as "World Tsunami Awareness Day" on the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) in December 2015. November 5th was set as Tsunami Prevention Day in Japan before the UNGA designation. The award is named after Mr. Hamaguchi Goryo who protected and saved villagers from a tsunami about 160 years ago.

Who is Hamaguchi Goryo?
Hamaguchi Goryo was born on a little village where currently is Hirogawa town, Wakayama Prefecture. When the large tsunami resulting from the Ansei Nankai Earthquake of 1854 struck the village, he guided his fellow villagers to evacuate to higher ground by setting fire to his precious sheaves of rice, his whole year's harvest, as a signal of warning. His post-disaster contributions such as building shelters for victims and breakwater appartenly minimized post-tsunami damage.