If an earthquake hits while you're travelling in Japan
First, protect your head and body. Once it stops, check whether you're hurt, and look for broken glass and things that could topple around you. If you're at the coast, prepare for a tsunami too.
Official sources checked: 2026-10-12
If an earthquake strikes, remember these three things
- Protect yourself first.Protect your head from falling objects, and don't rush outside.
- Once it stops, check your surroundings.Check whether you're hurt, and follow the instructions if staff or on-site announcements tell you to evacuate.
- At the coast, prepare for a tsunami.If you feel a strong quake, or weak shaking that goes on for a long time, evacuate to high ground or another safe place without waiting for an alert.
Official sources: JNTO: earthquake actions by situation (in Korean) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: tsunami evacuation at the coast (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I do first once the shaking stops?
First check whether you're hurt. Also check for broken glass and things that could topple around you.Don't head straight back to your hotel or a station just because it stopped. Aftershocks are possible, so put your shoes on and move only as staff or on-site announcements direct.
- Call 119 if you need an ambulance or rescue.Ask people nearby for help, and when the call connects, give the address or facility name where you are.
- Ask staff before going back to your hotel.Ask whether you can enter your room and whether the route to the hotel is closed. Don't go into a damaged building to retrieve your bags.
- Once you reach somewhere safe, contact your family.Briefly tell them where you are and whether you're hurt.
Official sources: JNTO: earthquake actions by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO: traveller support hotline and emergency contacts ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: seismic activity after a major earthquake ↗
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Should I act differently in big cities and small towns?
Where you are matters more than the size of the city.On streets full of buildings, glass and signs can fall; on mountain paths, rocks can fall and slopes can collapse. At the coast, prepare for a tsunami. Check below for what to do where you are.
Streets with lots of buildings and shops
Cover your head with a bag or similar, and don't stand right under buildings with glass windows or signs. Once it stops, watch for falling objects as you move to an open area away from buildings. If you're told to evacuate on site, follow those instructions.
Remember:Protect your head, and stay clear of glass windows and signs.
Official sources: JNTO: earthquake actions in buildings and busy districts (in English) ↗
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Mountain paths, cliffs and slopes
Near mountains or cliffs, rocks can fall and slopes can collapse. Move away from dangerous slopes to somewhere safe. When heading back to your accommodation, ask first whether the route is blocked. A shorter route isn't necessarily a safe one.
Remember:Avoid slopes, and check that your way back is safe.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: evacuation around mountains, cliffs and the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: earthquake damage by building and terrain (in Japanese) ↗
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Coasts, ports and river mouths
If you feel a strong quake, or weak shaking that goes on for a long time, don't wait for a tsunami alert — evacuate to high ground or another safe place. Don't delay evacuating to take photos or go back for bags left at your accommodation.
Remember:Evacuate first — don't wait for a tsunami alert.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: tsunami evacuation at the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: seismic activity after a major earthquake ↗
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In hotels, stations and trains
Protect your head and stay away from windows and furniture that could topple. When evacuating, follow staff directions and use the stairs. At stations and on trains, follow staff and crew instructions, and don't climb down onto the tracks on your own.
Remember:Follow staff instructions, and don't go down onto the tracks.
Official sources: JNTO: earthquake actions by situation (in Korean) ↗
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Can I keep travelling after an earthquake?
Stop sightseeing if you've been told to evacuate or there's damage nearby.Even if it felt weak, check that your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available, and that your transport is operating, before deciding on your next plans.
Can I decide to cancel my trip just because it was magnitude 6.5?
Magnitude (M) is the size of the earthquake itself. Seismic intensity is how strongly it shook where you are. The same earthquake produces different intensities and damage in different areas, so magnitude alone can't tell you whether to cancel or continue your trip. Check the damage and evacuation notices for the area you're visiting, plus whether your accommodation and transport are operating.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: magnitude and seismic intensity (in Japanese) ↗
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If it felt weak and there's no visible damage
Check alerts and evacuation notices first. Then check whether your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available, and whether the trains or buses you'll take are operating. Don't set off right away thinking 'it's just a weak aftershock, it'll be fine'.
If there's damage or you can't move around
First find somewhere safe to stay. If your accommodation isn't available, ask staff about shelters; if trains have stopped and you can't get back, ask about somewhere to rest temporarily. If you're heading home, check not just your flight but also the transport to the airport.
The aftershock risk doesn't disappear just because time has passed.A bigger earthquake than the first one could follow. Before restarting your itinerary, check the Japan Meteorological Agency and the area's official guidance again, plus whether your accommodation and transport are operating.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: seismic activity after a major earthquake ↗ · JNTO: official disaster and transport information ↗ · Shinjuku City · 新宿区: temporary shelters for people unable to get home (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I check to get back to my hotel or fly home?
Check your accommodation, your transport and your flight separately.Even if flights are departing, the trains to the airport may be stopped. Check first that you can get there safely, then move.
- Hotel:Ask whether you can enter your room and whether the route to the hotel is closed.
- Trains and buses:Check the operator's official notices for whether your section is running.
- Flights:Check the airline's website or app for whether your booked flight is operating normally. You also need to check the transport to the airport.
If you need to change or cancel a booking, ask the company you booked with about the conditions. A disaster doesn't mean every booking can be cancelled for free.
What to do when flights are delayed or cancelled → · Check transport in Japan →
Official sources: JNTO: official disaster and transport information ↗
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Who do I call if I need urgent help?
For an ambulance or rescue, call 119
119 · Ambulance, fire and rescue
Give the address or facility name where you are, and the condition of anyone hurt. If it's hard to explain over the phone, ask staff nearby for help.
JNTO traveller support hotline
050-3816-2787
From overseas: +81-50-3816-2787
Available 24 hours a day, every day, in Korean, English and Chinese. Call if you run into trouble while travelling — a disaster, an accident or an illness. If you need urgent rescue, call 119 first, not this line.
Official sources: JNTO: traveller support hotline and emergency contacts ↗
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If you're a Korean national who has lost a passport or needs consular help, see Lost passport guidance from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan (in Korean) and contact the embassy or consulate-general that covers the area you're in. If you're another nationality, contact your own country's embassy or consulate.
Also useful to know
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to cancel my whole Japan trip if it's magnitude 6.5 or higher?
You can't decide to cancel your whole Japan trip on the number 6.5 alone. Check whether the area you're going to has damage, whether evacuation notices are out, and whether your accommodation and transport are available. If you've been told to evacuate or your accommodation is damaged, stop sightseeing and move somewhere safe.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: magnitude and seismic intensity (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO: official disaster and transport information ↗
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Can I get straight back to sightseeing after a weak aftershock?
Rather than setting off straight away, check the surrounding damage and alerts first. Then check whether your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available, and whether the trains or buses you'll take are operating. If you're at the coast and feel a strong quake, or weak shaking that goes on for a long time, don't wait for a tsunami alert — evacuate to high ground or another safe place.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: seismic activity after a major earthquake ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: tsunami evacuation at the coast (in Japanese) ↗
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Are small towns safe in an earthquake because there are fewer buildings?
Fewer buildings doesn't make it safe. Near mountains or cliffs, rocks can fall and slopes can collapse; at the coast, prepare for a tsunami. Look at the risks where you are, not the size of the town, and follow on-site evacuation instructions.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: earthquake damage by building and terrain (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: evacuation around mountains, cliffs and the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: tsunami evacuation at the coast (in Japanese) ↗
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Official sources for this guide
This guide is based on the official sources below. For current earthquake information, open shelters and transport, check the latest notices for the area you're travelling in. When reading guidance for other areas, check whether it applies where you are.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency: earthquake information in Korean ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: magnitude and seismic intensity (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: seismic activity after a major earthquake ↗ · JNTO: earthquake actions by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO: earthquake actions in buildings and busy districts (in English) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: earthquake damage by building and terrain (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: evacuation around mountains, cliffs and the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency: tsunami evacuation at the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO: official disaster and transport information ↗ · JNTO: traveller support hotline and emergency contacts ↗
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