Disasters · Tsunami

What Should You Do If a Tsunami Hits During Your Japan Trip?

If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time at the coast, don't wait for a tsunami warning — evacuate immediately to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building. Never go back just because one wave has passed. Remain evacuated until tsunami warnings and advisories are lifted.

Official sources checked: 2026-10-12

Evacuate right away in these situations at the beach

If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time, don't wait for a warning — evacuate immediately to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building.
If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning has been issued for your area and you're near the coast or a river, evacuate immediately. You must 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 guidance.
Remain evacuated until warnings and advisories are lifted. Don't go back for your belongings or to watch 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 screen (in Korean) ↗
Source 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. Don't just read the numbers — read what danger is being announced and which areas or zones it covers.

Example of reading numbers and expressions

海抜 5m / Sea Level 5m

Meaning Means the elevation of your current spot is 5 m.

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

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

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

Example of reading numbers and expressions

避難場所まで ○m →

Meaning Shows how far it is to the evacuation site in the arrow's direction.

What to do Find the evacuation site's name and the arrow direction first. The number is the remaining distance. 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 particular place's distance or an actual sign photo. 海抜 means elevation, and まで means 'up to that point' — read them separately.

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

津波避難場所

Meaning 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 here. Don't confuse it with an evacuation shelter for staying.

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

津波避難ビル

Meaning A building designated for evacuating from a tsunami.

What to do Follow the guidance showing the building's evacuation floor and how to get up there.

This does not cover just any tall-looking building. Follow the actual signs and staff guidance.

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

Red-and-white checkered flag

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

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

Not seeing the flag doesn't mean it's safe. If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time at the coast, evacuate without waiting for a warning.

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

Red-and-white checkered tsunami evacuation signal flag of Japan — If you see this flag at the beach, get out of the water and evacuate immediately. It's a visual signal that a tsunami warning or advisory has been issued. This is a JMA illustration, not an on-site photo of any particular beach.
Credit: Japan Meteorological Agency, "Tsunami flags" · PDL1.0 · used unmodified · Terms of use
Source & terms checked: 2026-10-12

What Should You Know Before Heading to the Beach?

Before you go, learn the tsunami evacuation sites around your lodging and the beach you're visiting, and the routes to them. Also look at the official map (tsunami hazard map) showing areas that could flood.

Save your lodging's address and contact details and the route to your evacuation site on your phone. If you're traveling with others, decide in advance how to reach each other if separated. If on-site guidance differs from your saved map, follow the evacuation route being announced now.

On the tsunami hazard map, find your lodging, the beach, and the port, and check whether they're in areas that could flood. Even away from the sea, a tsunami can travel up rivers.
Find the designated tsunami evacuation sites in advance, and learn other evacuation sites on even higher ground. When you arrive at your lodging, ask staff which direction and which roads to take to evacuate.
Before departure, set up the Safety tips app to receive disaster alerts in a language you understand. On-site, don't just wait for app alerts — follow broadcasts and staff evacuation guidance too.

Don't feel safe just because you're outside the map's expected flood zone. An actual tsunami can be bigger than expected.

Official sources: Japan Meteorological Agency · Preparing for and evacuating from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Evacuation site and shelter maps (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Points to note when using evacuation maps (in Japanese) ↗ · Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Safety tips app and disaster alerts (in English) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

Should I evacuate before any warning is issued?

If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time at the coast, evacuate first without waiting for a warning. A tsunami from near the coast can arrive before any warning is issued.

Protect yourself while it's shaking. If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time at the coast, don't delay evacuating to search for alerts or look for waves.

Don't wait to see the sea pull back first. The water may not recede — a large wave can arrive right away.

Can I just go to the nearest shelter?

To escape a tsunami, go to a designated tsunami evacuation site. Such a place for escaping immediate danger is called a designated emergency evacuation site. Regular evacuation shelters are facilities for staying after a disaster. A place labeled as a shelter isn't necessarily safe from a tsunami.

Which building should I go up into?

Find a designated tsunami evacuation building and evacuate in the direction the on-site signs point. Don't just enter any tall-looking building.

Elevation is the height of the land above sea level at that point. Don't judge you're safe or end your evacuation based on this number or the sign's color alone. Move along the route to the locally designated evacuation site, and remain evacuated 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 maps (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Preparing for and evacuating from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · What to do first when an earthquake hits (in Korean) ↗ · Okinawa Prefecture · Elevation and tsunami evacuation sign examples (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Elevation and land height explained (in Japanese) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

What Should I Do If a Tsunami Warning or Advisory Is Issued?

If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning is issued, move immediately from the coast and river areas to high ground or an evacuation building. Even if only an advisory is issued, 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's a visual signal that a tsunami warning or advisory has been issued. Don't feel safe just because you don't see the flag or didn't get an alert.

After evacuating, check the Japan Meteorological Agency's Korean-language screen for which warnings and advisories cover your area. Read the affected areas and issued time together, and follow local broadcasts or staff evacuation guidance.

Major Tsunami Warning · 大津波警報

Evacuate immediately from the coast and river areas to high ground or a tsunami evacuation building. A bigger-than-expected tsunami can come. Don't assume where you are is high enough — go higher.

Tsunami Warning · 津波警報

Evacuate immediately from the coast and river areas. Don't judge it's fine just from the expected height number. Never go to the coast to watch the waves.

Tsunami Advisory · 津波注意報

Get out of the water and move away from the coast immediately. Stop swimming and coastal fishing. If on-site staff tell you to evacuate, follow that guidance.

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 · Preparing for and evacuating from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Tsunami warning/advisory screen (in Korean) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

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

Not yet. Tsunamis arrive in multiple waves, and later ones can be higher. Remain evacuated until warnings and advisories are lifted.

Even if the sea looks calm, or the expected arrival time of the first wave has passed, don't end your evacuation. Don't go back to look at the sea or pick up your belongings.

A warning downgraded to an advisory has not been lifted. If an advisory remains, remain evacuated. Even after warnings and advisories are lifted, don't head straight back to your lodging. Check whether roads to your lodging are controlled, and ask your lodging's staff whether you can return and stay now.

Another coastal area's warning being lifted doesn't mean yours is. Check the JMA screen and on-site guidance to confirm whether your area's warnings and advisories are 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 screen (in Korean) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

After Evacuating, What Should I Check First to Return to My Hotel or Head Home?

If warnings or advisories remain, remain evacuated. From where you evacuated, contact your lodging first. Once you've been told it's OK to move, check your trains, buses, and booked flights one by one.

Decide your next plans after checking whether you can stay at your lodging and whether transportation is running. If evacuation continues or lodging and transportation are hard to use, don't restart coastal sightseeing — find a place to stay first. If you need to change or cancel reservations, ask the airline, lodging, or booking site whether changes or cancellations are possible and what they cost. A disaster doesn't make every reservation free to cancel.

Ask your lodging's staff whether you can enter your room today, whether roads to the lodging are blocked, and whether they're giving guests separate evacuation guidance. Don't stop evacuating to pick up belongings or make a reservation time.
If you can't stay at your lodging, ask the staff at your evacuation site where you can stay tonight. Even if a place is on the map, check separately whether it's open now. Use local shelter-opening notices or staff guidance to find somewhere you can go now.
Once movement is allowed, check the operator's website or app for whether your trains, buses, and ferries are running, and the airline's website or app for whether your booked flight is departing. Even if your flight departs, transportation to the airport may be stopped.

Official sources: Kanagawa Prefecture · How to evacuate when a tsunami comes (in Japanese) ↗ · Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Points to note when using evacuation maps (in Japanese) ↗ · JNTO · Railway, airport & airline website collection (in English) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

Who Do I Call If I'm Hurt or Need Help?

Call 119 if you need emergency help from an ambulance or the fire department. If disaster guidance is hard to understand or you can't get back to your lodging and need help, contact the JNTO Visitor Hotline.

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

The JNTO Visitor Hotline (Japan Visitor Hotline) is 050-3816-2787 within Japan and +81-50-3816-2787 from abroad. It's open 24 hours every day in Korean, English, and Chinese for questions about accidents, illness, and disasters during your trip. If you need emergency help from an ambulance or the fire department, call 119 first, not JNTO.

Tell your lodging's or evacuation site's staff, "I'm traveling and can't get back to my lodging. Where can I stay?" Ask for supplies, medication, or an interpreter together if you need them. What help you can receive depends on the on-site situation.

Official sources: JNTO · 119 and Visitor Hotline guidance (in English) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

If I didn't feel shaking but a tsunami warning is issued, do I still evacuate?

Yes. If a major tsunami warning or tsunami warning is issued for your area and you're near the coast or a river, evacuate immediately to high ground or an evacuation building. A distant earthquake or volcanic phenomenon can send a tsunami to Japan even if you felt no 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) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

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

No. Even 20–30 cm of water can sweep you away in a fast current. If a tsunami advisory is issued, get out of the water and move away from the coast right away. If you feel a strong earthquake or weak shaking that lasts a long time at the coast, evacuate to high ground without waiting for the expected height to be announced or a warning to be issued.

Can I go to the nearest shelter on the map?

To escape a tsunami, go to a designated tsunami evacuation site. Don't head to a regular shelter just because it's close. 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 maps (in Japanese) ↗ · Japan Meteorological Agency · Preparing for and evacuating from a tsunami (in Japanese) ↗
Source checked: 2026-10-12

If the warning is downgraded to an advisory, can I go get my belongings?

Don't go back yet. A downgrade to an advisory does not mean warnings and advisories have been lifted. Tsunamis come in multiple waves and later ones can be higher, so remain evacuated until warnings and advisories are lifted. Even after warnings and advisories are lifted, don't enter restricted areas and follow your lodging staff's guidance.

Official sources for this guide

Check local notices for current warnings and access restrictions. For whether trains and flights are running, check the transportation operators' latest notices.