The Day Japan Fears The Most: $1 Trillion Megaquake

@Abroad in Japan

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This documentary explores Japan's vulnerability to earthquakes, contrasting the devastation in Wajima on the Noto Peninsula with Tokyo's extensive disaster preparedness measures, including simulations, emergency centers, and flood control systems.

7 places · 2 experiences

1
Hakuto Brewery
Brewery · Murayama
Open · until 5 PM
Creator's voice
A sake brewery in Wajima, a town on Japan's Noto Peninsula, that has been operating for nine generations and 300 years. Tragically, it suffered extensive damage during the January 1st earthquake, with half of the site now turned to rubble.
Japan, 〒995-0056 Yamagata, Murayama, Kawashimayama, 4-5 HAKUTO BREWING
2
Wajima Kirimoto
Wajima
Creator's voice
A 200-year-old lacquerware business in Wajima, known for its artisanal craftsmanship. The business is now threatened by the absence of its uniquely trained craftsmen, who have been forced to leave for neighboring regions after losing their homes and workshops in the earthquake.
Wajima, Ishikawa, Japan
3
Wajima Asaichi Market
Market · Wajima
3.7
Creator's voice
The 'jewel in the crown' of Wajima, a main attraction for tourists. It was completely destroyed by fire on January 1st, following the earthquake. The creator notes it will take at least 2 to 3 years to clear the site and rebuild.
Wajima Morning Market, 1-115 Kawaimachi, Wajima, Ishikawa 928-0001, Japan
4
Tokyo Memorial Hall
Place of worship · Sumida City
4.4 (253)Open · until 4:30 PM
Creator's voice
An impressive building in Tokyo, built in 1930 to commemorate the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Its paintings depict the horrific scenes that unfolded after the earthquake, particularly the firestorms that struck the east side of the city, fueled by small wooden houses.
Tokyo Memorial Hall, 2 Chome-3-25 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0015, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Simulating a Mega Earthquake
I stood on the most advanced earthquake simulator in Tokyo, which can replicate multiple scenarios, including the powerful Tohoku 2011 earthquake. It was incredibly intense and long, bringing back bad memories from a 7.4 magnitude earthquake I experienced in Sendai. You have to get under the table the moment it hits, or you'll be thrown off the platform. It's seriously messed up, but a vital experience to understand the reality.
5
Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center
Learning center · Toshima City
4.4Open · until 5 PM
Creator's voice
A facility in Tokyo that provides frighteningly realistic simulations of earthquakes and fires. It aims to help people experience firsthand how bad things can get during a disaster and how to prepare.
Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center, 2 Chome-37-8 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Navigating a Smoke-Filled Building
I reluctantly entered the facility's fire simulator to understand the grim reality of being trapped inside a burning building. If the door's hot, don't open it. Even though it wasn't real smoke, it got in my eyes, lungs, and mouth, tasting awful and making it hard to breathe. Visibility was almost zero, and the floor was hot and slippery. It was extremely unpleasant, and I honestly don't know how you'd get through real smoke in one piece.
5
Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center
Learning center · Toshima City
4.4Open · until 5 PM
Creator's voice
A facility in Tokyo that provides frighteningly realistic simulations of earthquakes and fires. It aims to help people experience firsthand how bad things can get during a disaster and how to prepare.
Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center, 2 Chome-37-8 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan
6
Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park (SONA Area Tokyo)
National park · Koto City
4.1 (587)Closed · opens tomorrow 6 AM
Creator's voice
A deliberately shocking, immersive experience designed to prepare Tokyo residents for the first unimaginable 72 hours after a major earthquake. It serves as a harsh reality check for visitors who have never witnessed such destruction. In the event of a devastating natural disaster, it will become the unsuspecting operational hub for the entire city, with seven helicopter pads for supplies, self-defense force troops, and government officials. It's located out of the most densely populated areas for safety and security.
The Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, 3 Chome-8-35 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan
- Cardboard shelter — An all-too-familiar sight in places like Fukushima (2011) or Noto (earlier this year). People are evacuated to shelters in community centers and schools, and this cardboard structure becomes their home for days, sometimes weeks. It highlights the psychological distress of being forced to live in such an environment, often without water or electricity.
7
G-Cans Project (Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel)
Government office · Kasukabe
4.6 (205)
Creator's voice
A colossal underground flood control system located at the northern edge of Tokyo, designed to deal with flooding. This mega-structure took 15 years and $2.6 billion to build. The main room, known as 'the temple,' can hold 67,000 cubic meters of water and features 59 towering pillars, each 500 tons and 80 meters tall. It's one of the largest underground flood control systems on the planet.
The Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, 720 Kamikanasaki, Kasukabe, Saitama 344-0111, Japan