What to prepare, what to do when the ground shakes, and the basics of tsunami and typhoon evacuation in Japan.
📚 Travel in Japan · 10/10·⏱ 阅读约需 5分钟·信息更新 2026-10-06
📋 基本信息5
Golden rule
Follow the Japan Meteorological Agency, local authorities and hotel or station staff
During shaking
Protect your head, get under a sturdy table, do not rush outside
On the coast
After strong or long shaking, head for high ground without waiting for a warning
Typhoons
Rail and airlines may announce suspensions in advance; keep checking
Emergency numbers
Police 110, fire and ambulance 119
Why visitors should know this
Japan has frequent earthquakes, and typhoons often pass through from summer into autumn. Most trips end without incident, but feeling a small tremor or having trains and flights halted by a typhoon is not unusual. Fortunately, Japan has a well-developed system of warnings and evacuation guidance, so the key for a traveller is to understand that guidance and follow it. This article gives general advice; in a real situation, put the instructions of the Japan Meteorological Agency, local authorities and staff on the spot first.
Before you go
Preparation is short, but it makes a big difference if something happens.
Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and install the tourism authority's official safety app
Save your accommodation's address and phone number in Japanese
A power bank, a charger and some cash
A copy of your passport, your travel insurance contact and your embassy or consulate details
Regular medication, a bottle of water and a light snack
When an earthquake early warning sounds
When strong shaking is expected, the Japan Meteorological Agency issues an earthquake early warning, and phones and broadcasts sound a distinctive alarm. The alert comes just before the shaking arrives, so use that brief moment to protect yourself. Close to the epicentre, the shaking can arrive before the alert. A phone brought from abroad may not receive alerts depending on the model and settings, so if people around you all look at their phones at once or an announcement starts, prepare along with them. Intensity is reported on the agency's own seismic intensity scale, where a higher number means stronger shaking.
During and right after the shaking
Shaking usually does not last long. The priority is not getting hurt while it does.
Indoors, get under a sturdy table or shield your head with a bag
Move away from windows, shelves, signs and vending machines that could fall or shatter
Do not run outside while the ground is shaking
Do not use lifts; if you are in one, press every floor button and get out at the first stop
On a train, hold on and wait for the crew's instructions; never climb down onto the tracks yourself
Once it stops, put on shoes in case of broken glass and check for fire
On the coast, think tsunami first
If you feel strong or long-lasting shaking near the coast or a river mouth, the standard Japanese advice is to move to high ground immediately rather than wait for a warning. Coastal areas have signs marking tsunami evacuation sites and evacuation buildings, so notice them even while out for a stroll. A tsunami can arrive in several waves, and later waves may be larger. Do not return to the shore until warnings and advisories are lifted, and do not go back to your hotel to collect belongings.
When a typhoon approaches
Unlike earthquakes, typhoons come with track forecasts days ahead. Check the Japan Meteorological Agency's forecasts together with notices from rail companies and airlines. Railways sometimes announce planned suspensions before a typhoon arrives, and flights may be cancelled one after another. On islands, buses and ferries can stop and shops may close.
Finish travelling before the typhoon arrives, or stay put until it passes
Stock up on water and food and charge your phone in advance
Stay away from the coast, riverbanks and slopes even if the wind and rain seem weak
Stay away from windows and watch out for flying objects
Reading warnings and evacuation information
The Japan Meteorological Agency issues advisories, warnings and, for the most serious cases, emergency warnings according to the level of danger. Evacuation information for heavy rain and landslides is given on a five-level alert scale, and at level 4 everyone in a dangerous location should evacuate. There are two kinds of place to go: evacuation sites, where you move temporarily to escape danger, and evacuation shelters, where you can stay. You can find them from local signs and municipal information, and the tourism authority and the meteorological agency provide information in several languages. If in doubt, ask hotel or station staff.
When plans fall apart
If flights or trains are cancelled, first stay somewhere safe, then check the airline's or rail company's change and refund information. You may need to extend your stay, so ask early. To claim on travel insurance you may need documents proving the delay or cancellation, plus receipts, so collect them. Send family a short message that you are safe; when networks are unstable, text often gets through better than calls. If you are hurt or unwell, do not tough it out: call 119 or get help from a medical facility. Above all, official guidance on the spot takes priority over this article.