Okinawa is best known for typhoons, but earthquakes and tsunami are also possible here. In 1771 a tsunami killed more than ten thousand people in the Yaeyama and Miyako islands.

Judging what to do is harder when you don’t know the area. Below are the principles published by Japan’s official agencies, presented as they are given.

When you feel shaking

The Okinawa Meteorological Observatory gives this guidance:

  • Indoors — protect your head and take cover somewhere safe, such as under a sturdy desk
  • Outdoors — watch for collapsing concrete-block walls and falling signs or broken glass

Move on to your next action once the shaking stops.

If you are near the sea — go high without waiting for a warning

This is the most important part. The JMA’s tsunami safety guidance states:

  • If you feel strong shaking, move away from the shore to higher, safer ground
  • If you feel weak but long, slow shaking, evacuate immediately as well
  • There is not enough time to escape once you can see the tsunami
  • Tsunami strike repeatedly, and later waves can be higher than the first
  • A tsunami does not always begin with the water receding

The Okinawa Meteorological Observatory adds:

  • Do not assume “this spot is safe enough” — aim for higher ground
  • Do not swim or go fishing on the rocks even under a tsunami advisory
  • Stay alert until warnings and advisories are lifted

You may not notice shaking while swimming or on a boat. If the people around you start moving, go with them to higher ground even if you don’t yet know why.

Setting up your information sources

There are options that work without Japanese. Set them up on your first day.

Your phone will also receive Japan’s Earthquake Early Warning automatically. The alert tone is loud and startling — don’t panic, just protect yourself first.

Emergency numbers

  • Police 110 / Fire & ambulance 119
  • Accidents at sea 118 (Japan Coast Guard)
  • Japan Visitor Hotline 050-3816-2787 — 24/7, multilingual

If you are in your hotel

  • Check where the emergency exits are when you check in
  • On upper floors, use the stairs, not the lift
  • The front desk is your nearest source of guidance on where to go

Hotels in Japan are built to earthquake-resistance standards. Rushing outside mid-shake is often more dangerous than staying indoors and protecting your head. The exception is when you are near the coast and a tsunami is possible — then getting to high ground comes first.

About evacuation sites

In Japan, “evacuation sites” and “evacuation shelters” are two different things:

  • Designated emergency evacuation site — where you go to protect your life when danger is imminent
  • Designated evacuation shelter — where you stay for a while after the danger has passed

Coastal areas may also designate tsunami evacuation buildings — for use when you cannot reach high ground in time.

Check the guidance from the municipality you are staying in, notices posted in your hotel, or the Emergency Links page. When in doubt, ask hotel staff or the people around you.

What this page does not cover

This site does not carry live earthquake or tsunami information. Always check official sources. Decisions about whether to evacuate must follow JMA warnings and the evacuation information issued by the municipality you are in. When in doubt, err on the side of safety.