If an earthquake strikes during your Japan trip
Protect your head and body first. Once the shaking stops, check yourself for injuries and look around for broken glass or objects that could fall. If you are near the coast, prepare for a tsunami too.
Official sources checked: 2026-10-12
When an earthquake strikes, remember these three things
- Protect yourself first. Protect your head from falling objects, and do not rush outside.
- Once the shaking stops, check your surroundings. Check yourself for injuries, and follow instructions if staff or on-site announcements tell you to evacuate.
- Near the coast, prepare for a tsunami. If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time, evacuate to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a warning.
Official sources: JNTO · What to do in an earthquake, by situation (in Korean) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuating from the coast during a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I do first once the shaking stops?
First check yourself for injuries. Also check for broken glass or objects that could fall nearby. Do not head straight to your hotel or the station just because the shaking stopped. Aftershocks can follow, so put your shoes on and move as staff or on-site announcements direct you.
- If you need an ambulance or rescue, call 119. Ask people around you for help, and once the call connects, give your current address or the facility name.
- Ask staff before heading back to your hotel. Ask whether you can enter your room and whether there are road closures on the way to the hotel. Do not enter a damaged building to retrieve your luggage.
- Once you reach a safe place, contact your family. Briefly tell them where you are and whether you are hurt.
Official sources: JNTO · What to do in an earthquake, by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO · Traveler support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a large earthquake (in Japanese) ↗
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Should I act differently in a big city versus a small town?
Where you are right now matters more than the size of the city. On streets lined with buildings, glass and signs can fall; on mountain paths, rocks can fall and slopes can collapse. Near the coast, prepare for a tsunami. Check below for what to do in your location.
Streets with many buildings and shops
Cover your head with a bag or similar, and avoid standing directly under buildings with glass windows or signs. Once the shaking stops, move to a wide open area away from buildings, watching for anything that could fall. If on-site staff direct you to evacuate, follow their instructions.
Remember: Protect your head, and stay clear of glass windows and signs.
Official sources: JNTO · What to do in an earthquake in buildings and busy streets (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 a safe place. Before heading back to your accommodation, ask whether roads are blocked. A nearby road is not necessarily a safe one.
Remember: Stay away from slopes, and check that your route back is safe.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Around mountains and cliffs, and coastal evacuation (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 earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time, evacuate to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a tsunami warning. Do not delay evacuating to take photos or go back for luggage left at your accommodation.
Remember: Evacuate first; do not wait for a tsunami warning.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuating from the coast during a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a large earthquake (in Japanese) ↗
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Hotels, stations, and trains
Protect your head and move away from windows and furniture that could topple. When evacuating, use the stairs as staff direct you. At stations and on trains, follow staff and crew instructions, and do not step onto the tracks on your own.
Remember: Follow staff instructions, and do not go down onto the tracks.
Official sources: JNTO · What to do in an earthquake, by situation (in Korean) ↗
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Can I keep traveling after an earthquake?
If you have been told to evacuate or there is damage around you, stop sightseeing. Even if the shaking felt weak, check that your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available and your transport is operating before deciding what to do next.
Should I cancel my trip just because I saw magnitude 6.5?
Magnitude (M) measures the size of the earthquake itself. Seismic intensity describes how strongly it shook where you are. The same earthquake produces different intensities and damage in different areas, so magnitude alone cannot tell you whether to cancel or continue your trip. Check damage and evacuation guidance for the area you will visit, along with your accommodation and transport.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Magnitude and seismic intensity (in Japanese) ↗
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If the shaking felt weak and I see no damage
Check warnings and evacuation guidance first. Then confirm that your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are open, and that your trains or buses are running. Do not set off right away assuming a weak aftershock means all is fine.
If there is damage or you cannot move
First find a safe place to stay. If your accommodation is unusable, ask staff about shelters; if trains have stopped and you cannot get back, ask about facilities where you can rest temporarily. If you plan to fly home, check not only your flight but also transport to the airport.
Time passing alone does not mean the risk of aftershocks is gone. An even larger earthquake can follow the first one. Before restarting your itinerary, check the Japan Meteorological Agency and official guidance for the area, plus accommodation and transport operations.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a large earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗ · Shinjuku City · 新宿区 · Temporary facilities for people unable to get home (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I check to return to my hotel or fly home?
Check your accommodation, your transport, and your flight separately. Even if your flight is operating, the trains to the airport may be stopped. Confirm you can get there safely before you move.
- Hotel: Ask whether you can enter your room and whether there are road closures on the way to the hotel.
- Trains and buses: Check the operator's official notices to see whether your section is running.
- Flights: Check the airline's website or app to see whether your booked flight is operating normally. Also check transport to the airport.
If you need to change or cancel a booking, ask the company you booked with about the conditions. A disaster does not mean every booking can be canceled for free.
What to do when flights are delayed or canceled → · Check transport in Japan →
Official sources: JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗
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Who should I call if I need urgent help?
Call 119 for an ambulance or rescue
119 · Ambulance, fire, and rescue
Give your current address or facility name and describe the injured person's condition. If it is hard to explain by phone, ask nearby staff for help.
English-language travel assistance from JNTO
050-3816-2787
From abroad: +81-50-3816-2787
Available 24 hours a day, every day, in Korean, English, and Chinese. Contact them if disaster, accident, or illness causes difficulties during your trip. If you need emergency rescue, call 119 first, not this number.
Official sources: JNTO · Traveler support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗
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If you are a Korean national and have lost your passport or need consular assistance, see the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan's guidance on lost passports and contact the embassy or consulate responsible for the area you are in. Travelers of other nationalities should contact their own embassy or consulate.
Good to know
FAQ
Should I cancel my whole Japan trip if the magnitude is 6.5 or higher?
A magnitude 6.5 figure alone is not enough to decide. Check whether the area you are visiting has damage, whether evacuation guidance has been issued, and whether your accommodation and transport are available. If you have 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 (in English) ↗
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Can I resume sightseeing right after a weak aftershock?
Check nearby damage and warnings before setting off. Then confirm that your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available, and that your trains or buses are running. If you felt a strong earthquake on the coast, or weak shaking that lasted a long time, evacuate to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a tsunami warning.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a large earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuating from the coast during a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗
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Are small towns safe in an earthquake because they have fewer buildings?
Fewer buildings alone does not make a place safe. Near mountains or cliffs, rocks can fall and slopes can collapse; near the coast, prepare for a tsunami. Assess the risks where you are rather than the size of the town, and follow on-site evacuation guidance.
Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Earthquake damage by building and terrain (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Around mountains and cliffs, and coastal evacuation (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuating from the coast during a tsunami (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 are traveling in. When reading guidance for another area, check whether it also applies to 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 large earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · What to do in an earthquake, by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO · What to do in an earthquake in buildings and busy streets (in English) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Earthquake damage by building and terrain (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Around mountains and cliffs, and coastal evacuation (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuating from the coast during a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗ · JNTO · Traveler support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗
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