Disasters · Tsunami

What should I do if a tsunami strikes during my Japan trip?

If you feel a strong earthquake — or weak but long-lasting shaking — on the coast, evacuate immediately to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building without waiting for a tsunami warning. Do not go back just because one wave has passed. Keep sheltering until tsunami warnings and advisories are lifted.

Official sources checked: 2026-10-12

If you are at the beach in these situations, evacuate right away

If you felt a strong earthquake or weak but long-lasting shaking, evacuate immediately to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building without waiting for a warning.
If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning has been issued for your area and you are near the coast or a river, evacuate immediately. Evacuate even if you felt no shaking.
If a tsunami advisory is issued, get out of the water and move away from the coast right away. Follow on-site evacuation instructions.
Keep sheltering until warnings and advisories are lifted. Do not go back for your belongings or to look at the sea.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation guidance (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunamis caused by earthquakes and volcanic phenomena (in Japanese) ↗ · Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warning/advisory page (in Korean) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

How to read Japanese signs and notices

When you see the Japanese below on signs or phone alerts, check what it means. Do not look at the numbers alone — read what danger is being announced and which area or section it covers.

Example of reading numbers and expressions

海抜 5m / Sea Level 5m

Meaning This means the elevation of your current location is 5 m.

What to do Even after checking the elevation, do not assume the spot is safe. Find the tsunami evacuation site and the direction to it.

This does not mean you are 5 m from the coast, nor that the expected tsunami height is 5 m. It is an example of reading numbers and does not show any specific beach's elevation.

Official sources: Okinawa Prefecture · Elevation and tsunami evacuation sign guide (in Japanese) ↗
Checked: 2026-10-12

Example of reading numbers and expressions

避難場所まで ○m →

Meaning This expression tells you how much farther it is to the evacuation site in the direction of the arrow.

What to do First find the evacuation site name and the arrow direction. The number is the remaining distance to it. If roads are controlled on site, follow that guidance.

The ○ stands for the distance number printed on the actual sign. This example does not reproduce any specific location's distance or an actual sign photo. Note that 海抜 means elevation and まで means "up to that point."

Official sources: Sakai City · Evacuation direction and distance sign guide (in Japanese) ↗
Checked: 2026-10-12

津波避難場所

Meaning This is an evacuation site for escaping a tsunami.

What to do Move to the evacuation site the sign points to and follow on-site guidance.

This does not mean you can stay overnight or receive supplies there. Do not confuse it with a shelter where you stay.

Official sources: Okinawa Prefecture · Elevation and tsunami evacuation sign guide (in Japanese) ↗
Checked: 2026-10-12

津波避難ビル

Meaning This is a building designated for escaping a tsunami.

What to do Follow the signs showing the building's evacuation floors and the way up.

Not every tall-looking building qualifies. Follow the actual signs and staff guidance.

Official sources: Okinawa Prefecture · Elevation and tsunami evacuation sign guide (in Japanese) ↗
Checked: 2026-10-12

Red-and-white checkered flag

Meaning This is a signal that a tsunami warning or advisory has been issued.

What to do Get out of the water and evacuate immediately. Do not wait until you understand the broadcast or finish translating it on your phone.

Not seeing the flag does not mean you are safe. If you feel a strong earthquake or weak but long-lasting shaking on the coast, evacuate without waiting for a warning.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami flag guide (in English) ↗
Checked: 2026-10-12

Japan's red-and-white checkered tsunami evacuation signal flag — If you see this flag at the beach, get out of the water and evacuate immediately. It signals that a tsunami warning or advisory has been issued. This is an illustration from the Japan Meteorological Agency's guide, not a photo of a specific beach.
Credit: Japan Meteorological Agency, "Tsunami flags" · PDL1.0 · Used unchanged · Terms of use
Sources and terms checked: 2026-10-12

What should I know before heading to the beach?

Before your trip, learn the tsunami evacuation sites and routes near your accommodation and the beach you plan to visit. Also look at the official map (tsunami hazard map) marking areas that could flood.

Save your accommodation address and contact details, plus the route to your evacuation site, on your phone. If you get separated from your companions, decide in advance how to contact each other. If on-site guidance differs from your saved map, follow the evacuation route being announced now.

On the tsunami hazard map, find your accommodation, the beach, and the harbor, and check whether they are in a possible inundation zone. A tsunami can travel up rivers even if you are away from the sea.
Find the sites designated for tsunami evacuation. It is also good to know other evacuation sites on even higher ground. When you arrive at your accommodation, ask staff which direction and which roads to take when evacuating.
Before departure, set up the Safety Tips app so you can receive disaster alerts in a supported language you understand. Locally, do not just wait for app alerts — also follow broadcasts and staff evacuation guidance.

Do not feel safe just because you are outside the map's expected inundation zone. An actual tsunami can be larger than expected.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · How to prepare for and evacuate from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Evacuation site and shelter map (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Notes on using the evacuation map (in Japanese) ↗ · Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Safety Tips app and disaster alert language settings (in English) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

Should I evacuate before any warning is issued?

If you feel a strong earthquake — or weak but long-lasting shaking — on the coast, evacuate first without waiting for a warning. A tsunami generated near the coast can arrive before any warning is issued.

Protect yourself while the shaking lasts. If you felt a strong earthquake or weak but long-lasting shaking on the coast, do not delay evacuating to search for alerts or to check whether you can see the waves.

Do not wait for the sea to recede first. The water may not recede at all, and a large wave could come straight in.

Can I just go to the nearest shelter?

To escape a tsunami, you must go to a site designated as a tsunami evacuation site. Such places for escaping immediate danger are called designated emergency evacuation sites. Ordinary shelters are facilities for staying after a disaster. Just because a place is labeled a shelter does not mean it can protect you from a tsunami.

Which building should I go up?

Find a building designated as a tsunami evacuation building and evacuate in the direction the on-site signs point. Do not enter just any tall-looking building.

Elevation is the height of the land above sea level at that point. Do not judge yourself safe or end your evacuation based on that number or a sign's color alone. Follow the route to the evacuation site your area designates, and keep sheltering until warnings and advisories are lifted.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation guidance (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami FAQ (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Evacuation site and shelter map (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · How to prepare for and evacuate from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · First steps when an earthquake strikes (in Korean) ↗ · Okinawa Prefecture · Elevation and tsunami evacuation sign examples (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Explaining elevation and land height (in Japanese) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

What should I do when a tsunami warning or advisory is issued?

If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning is issued, move immediately from the coast and riversides to high ground or an evacuation building. Even with only an advisory, get out of the water and move away from the coast.

If you see the red-and-white checkered tsunami flag at the beach, start evacuating right away. It is a visual signal that a tsunami warning or advisory has been issued. Do not feel safe just because you cannot see the flag or did not get an alert.

After evacuating, check which warnings or advisories are in effect for your area on the JMA page (in Korean). Read the covered areas and issue times together, and follow local broadcasts or staff if they direct you to evacuate.

Major tsunami warning · 大津波警報

Evacuate immediately from the coast and riversides to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building. The tsunami could be bigger than expected. Do not decide you are high enough — go higher.

Tsunami warning · 津波警報

Evacuate immediately from the coast and riversides. Do not judge yourself safe from the forecast height number alone. Do not go to the coast to watch the waves.

Tsunami advisory · 津波注意報

Get out of the water immediately and move away from the coast. Stop swimming and coastal fishing. If you are told to evacuate on site, follow that instruction.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation guidance (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami flags and evacuation signals (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · How to prepare for and evacuate from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warning/advisory page (in Korean) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

Can I go back to my accommodation once the waves have passed?

Not yet. Tsunamis come in multiple waves, and later ones can be higher. Keep sheltering until warnings and advisories are lifted.

Even if the sea looks calm, or the expected arrival time of the first wave has passed, do not end your evacuation. Do not go back to look at the sea or fetch your belongings.

A warning downgraded to an advisory is not an all-clear. If an advisory remains, keep sheltering. Even after warnings and advisories are lifted, do not head straight for your accommodation. Check whether the roads there are restricted, and ask your accommodation staff whether you can return and stay now.

Another coastal area having its warning lifted does not mean yours is lifted. Check on the JMA page and on-site guidance whether the warning or advisory for your area has been lifted.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami FAQ (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation guidance (in Japanese) ↗ · Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warning/advisory page (in Korean) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

After evacuating, what should I check first to return to my hotel or go home?

If any warning or advisory remains, keep sheltering. From where you evacuated, contact your accommodation first. Once you are told it is safe to move, check your trains, buses, and booked flights separately.

Decide your next plans after checking whether you can stay at your accommodation and use transport. If the evacuation continues or accommodation and transport are hard to use, do not restart coastal sightseeing — find somewhere to stay first. If you need to change or cancel bookings, ask the airline, accommodation, or booking site whether changes or cancellations are possible and what they cost. A disaster does not mean every booking is cancelled for free.

Ask your accommodation staff whether you can enter your room today, whether the road to it is blocked, and whether they are giving guests separate evacuation guidance. Do not stop evacuating to fetch your luggage or to make a reservation time.
If you cannot stay at your accommodation, ask the staff at the place where you evacuated where you can stay tonight. Even if a place is marked on the map, check separately whether it is open now. Find somewhere you can go now in the area's shelter-opening notices or staff guidance.
Once movement is allowed, check on the operator's website or app whether your train, bus, or ferry is running, and on the airline's website or app whether your booked flight is departing. Even if your flight departs, transport to the airport may be stopped.

Official sources: Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Notes on using the evacuation map (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Railway, airport, and airline website list (in English) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

Who do I call if I am hurt or need help?

Call 119 if you need emergency help from an ambulance or firefighters. If you have trouble understanding disaster guidance or want help because you cannot return to your accommodation, contact the JNTO traveler support line.

When you call 119, say where you are and what help you need. If it is hard to explain by phone, ask nearby staff to help you make the report.

The JNTO traveler support line (Japan Visitor Hotline) is 050-3816-2787 within Japan and +81-50-3816-2787 from abroad. It takes inquiries about accidents, illness, and disasters during travel every day, 24 hours, in Korean, English, and Chinese. If you need emergency help from an ambulance or firefighters, call 119 first instead of JNTO.

Tell accommodation or shelter staff: "I am traveling and cannot return to my accommodation. Where can I stay?" If you need supplies, medicine, or interpretation, ask for those too. Available help varies by situation.

Official sources: JNTO · 119 and the traveler support line (in English) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

Related guides

FAQ

Should I evacuate if a tsunami warning is issued even though I felt no shaking?

Yes. If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning has been issued for your area and you are near the coast or a river, evacuate immediately to high ground or an evacuation building. A tsunami can reach Japan from a distant earthquake or volcanic event without you feeling any shaking.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunamis caused by earthquakes and volcanic phenomena (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation guidance (in Japanese) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

Can I stay at the beach if the forecast tsunami height is low?

No. Even at 20–30 cm, fast currents can sweep you away. If a tsunami advisory is issued, get out of the water and move away from the coast right away. If you felt a strong earthquake or weak but long-lasting shaking on the coast, evacuate to high ground without waiting for the forecast height or a warning.

Can I just go to the nearest shelter on the map?

To escape a tsunami, you must go to a site designated as a tsunami evacuation site. Do not head for an ordinary shelter just because one is nearby. Learn the tsunami evacuation sites and routes before your trip. If you face tsunami danger, evacuate immediately to high ground or a designated tsunami evacuation building.

Official sources: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Evacuation site and shelter map (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · How to prepare for and evacuate from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗
Sources checked: 2026-10-12

When the warning is downgraded to an advisory, can I go fetch my belongings?

Not yet. A downgrade to an advisory is not an all-clear. Tsunamis come in multiple waves and later ones can be higher, so keep sheltering until warnings and advisories are lifted. Even after warnings and advisories are lifted, do not enter restricted areas and follow your accommodation staff's guidance.

Official sources for this guide

Check the notices for your area for current warnings and access restrictions. For whether trains and flights are running, see the transport operators' latest notices.