If an earthquake strikes while you are travelling in Japan
Protect your head and body first. When the shaking stops, check yourself for injuries and look for broken glass or objects that could fall. If you are near the sea, be ready for a tsunami as well.
Official sources checked 2026-10-12
When an earthquake strikes, remember these three things first
- Protect yourself first.Protect your head from falling objects and do not rush outside.
- Check your surroundings when the shaking stops.Check yourself for injuries, and if staff or announcements tell you to evacuate, follow their instructions.
- Be ready for a tsunami if you are near the sea.If you feel strong shaking, or shaking that is weak but goes on for a long time, move to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a warning.
Official sources:JNTO · Earthquake guidance by situation (in Korean) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami evacuation on the coast (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I do first after the shaking stops?
First check yourself for injuries. Also look for broken glass or objects that could fall.Do not head straight for your hotel or the station once the shaking stops. Aftershocks can follow, so put your shoes on and move as directed by staff or announcements.
- If you need an ambulance or rescue, call 119.Ask people nearby for help, and when the call connects, give your current address or the name of the facility.
- Check with the staff before returning to your hotel.Ask whether you may enter your room and whether the route to the hotel is restricted. Do not enter a damaged building to recover your luggage.
- Contact your family once you are somewhere safe.Send a short message with your location and whether you are injured.
Official sources:JNTO · Earthquake guidance by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO · Traveller support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a major earthquake (in Japanese) ↗
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Should you act differently in big cities and small towns?
Where you are matters more than the size of the city.On streets lined with buildings, glass and signboards can fall; on mountain trails, rocks can fall or slopes can collapse. Near the sea, be ready for a tsunami. Find the right action for where you are below.
Streets with buildings and shops
Shield your head with a bag or similar, and keep away from directly under buildings with glass windows or signboards. After the shaking stops, move to an open space away from buildings while watching for falling objects. If you are guided to evacuate, follow that guidance.
Remember:Protect your head and stay clear of glass windows and signboards.
Official sources:JNTO · What to do in an earthquake in buildings and busy districts (in English) ↗
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Mountain trails, 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 the route is blocked. A shorter route is not necessarily a safer one.
Remember:Avoid slopes and check that your route back is safe.
Official sources:Japan Meteorological Agency · Evacuation around mountains, cliffs and coasts (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 strong shaking, or shaking that is weak but goes on for a long time, move to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a tsunami warning. Do not delay evacuating to take photographs or to go back for luggage left at your accommodation.
Remember:Evacuate first, without waiting for a tsunami warning.
Official sources:Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami evacuation on the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a major earthquake (in Japanese) ↗
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Inside 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 or on trains, follow staff and crew instructions and do not get down onto the tracks on your own.
Remember:Follow staff instructions and do not go down onto the tracks.
Official sources:JNTO · Earthquake guidance by situation (in Korean) ↗
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Can I keep travelling after an earthquake?
If you have been told to evacuate or there is damage around you, stop sightseeing.Even if the shaking felt weak, confirm that your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are available and that transport is operating before deciding on your next plans.
Can I decide to cancel my trip based only on a magnitude of 6.5?
Magnitude (M) is the size of the earthquake itself. Seismic intensity is how strongly it shook where you are. The same earthquake can cause different shaking and damage in different places, so it is hard to decide whether to cancel or continue a trip from the magnitude alone. Look at the damage and evacuation guidance for the area you plan to visit, together with accommodation and transport.
Official sources:Japan Meteorological Agency · Magnitude and seismic intensity (in Japanese) ↗
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If the shaking felt weak and you 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 and buses are running. Do not set off straight away thinking 'it was only a weak aftershock'.
If there is damage or you cannot move on
First find somewhere safe to stay. If your accommodation is unusable, ask staff about shelters; if trains have stopped and you cannot get back, ask about a place to rest temporarily. If you plan to fly home, check not only your flight but also transport to the airport.
The risk of aftershocks does not disappear just because time has passed.A larger earthquake can follow the first one. Before restarting your plans, recheck official guidance from the Japan Meteorological Agency and the area, and the operating status of accommodation and transport.
Official sources:Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a major earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗ · Shinjuku City · 新宿区 · Temporary rest facilities for people unable to get home (in Japanese) ↗
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What should I check before returning to my hotel or flying home?
Check your accommodation, your transport and your flight separately.Even if your flight departs, the trains to the airport may be stopped. Confirm you can get there safely before you move.
- Hotel:Ask whether you may enter your room and whether the road to the hotel is restricted.
- Trains and buses:Check the operator's official notices to see whether your section is running.
- Flights:Use the airline's website or app to check whether your booked flight is operating normally. You also need to look at transport to the airport.
If you need to change or cancel a booking, ask the company you booked with about the terms. A disaster does not mean every booking can be cancelled free of charge.
What to do when your flight is delayed or cancelled → · Check transport in Japan →
Official sources:JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗
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Who should I call when I need urgent help?
Call 119 if you need an ambulance or rescue
119· ambulance, fire and rescue
Give your current address or the facility's name and the condition of the injured person. If it is hard to explain over the phone, ask nearby staff for help.
JNTO travel support hotline (Korean, English and Chinese)
050-3816-2787
From abroad: +81-50-3816-2787
It operates 24 hours a day, every day, in Korean, English and Chinese. Contact them if you face difficulties while travelling because of a disaster, accident or illness. If you need emergency rescue, call 119 first rather than this number.
Official sources:JNTO · Traveller support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗
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If you are a Korean national who has lost a passport or needs consular assistance, see the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan's lost-passport guidance (in Korean) and contact the embassy or consulate-general responsible for the area you are in. Travellers of other nationalities should contact their own embassy or consulate.
Related information
Frequently asked questions
Should I cancel my whole Japan trip if the magnitude is 6.5 or more?
A magnitude of 6.5 alone is not enough to decide whether to cancel your whole Japan trip. Check whether there is damage in the area you are visiting, whether evacuation guidance has been issued, and whether 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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If it was only a weak aftershock, can I go straight back to sightseeing?
Rather than setting off straight away, check for damage around you and check warnings first. Then look at whether your accommodation and the places you plan to visit are usable, and whether your trains and buses are running. If you are on the coast and feel strong shaking, or shaking that is weak but goes on for a long time, move to high ground or another safe place without waiting for a tsunami warning.
Official sources:Japan Meteorological Agency · Seismic activity after a major earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami evacuation on the coast (in Japanese) ↗
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Small towns have fewer buildings — does that mean earthquakes are fine there?
Having fewer buildings alone does not make a place safe. Near mountains or cliffs, rocks can fall or slopes can collapse, and near the sea you must be ready for a tsunami. Assess the risks of 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 · Evacuation around mountains, cliffs and coasts (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami evacuation on 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 are travelling 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 major earthquake (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Earthquake guidance by situation (in Korean) ↗ · JNTO · What to do in an earthquake 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 coasts (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami evacuation on the coast (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Official disaster and transport information (in English) ↗ · JNTO · Traveller support hotline and emergency contacts (in English) ↗
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