Firstly thank you, for the overwhelming amount of friends and clients contacting me with concern for me and my families safety and teams, once the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), announced the Japan mega earthquake warning, it appears almost every international news agency is publishing the story!
Unfortunately I am one of the few independent photography workshop operators based in Japan or those based worldwide who visit Japan that will openly talk or write on the subject of natural disasters in Japan, in all honestly its not good for business, but we all know how much the news loves disasters. But we cannot live a fruitful life with natural disasters always on our mind, and believe me I do not. And when a natural disaster hits the international news that occurred in Japan, the last people who contact me are my loving family❤️ because they know me and they know I will be one who is doing the rescuing and not needing rescuing.
I have written dozens of articles and papers on the subject of natural disasters, and as an experienced rescuer, I have experience in several natural disaster zones. As pro photography workshop leaders based in Japan, it is my responsibility to watch weather charts like a hawk for typhoons, and in winter for blizzards, and bomb cyclones. It’s also my responsibility to know what earthquake zones have stress, and could go at any moment, and I avoid these regions, if we MUST PASS or visit a region that I feel is moderately unsafe or the JMA does, I will limit time in these regions from minutes to hours not days, and sometimes I will make a detour. It's also my responsibility knowing proper evacuation routes, knowing protocol when a natural disaster hits, and has come in handy more than one time. I can count on one hand, how many natural disasters hit while I was leading a Japan Photography Workshop. The first was March 11, 2011, I was meeting with Japanese clients discussing a Japan photo workshop in the outskirts of Tokyo at my office building, when the Tohoku earthquake hit. We evacuated the building after two minutes, and then about ten minutes of the ground rolling and kicking like an unbroken horse, I knew it was distant earthquake, as the I was able to stand upright on the side walk, in the same spot we were waiting for the earthquake to stop. The magnitude for us in Tokyo was a strong 6+ not a major earthquake, but it's enough to give someone a taste an earthquake. Damage was to a minimum in our region. But 373 (231 miles away was a different story, the Tohoku region was struck with a magnitude 9.1 the fourth largest ever recorded on our planet.
The first thing I did when the shaking stoped, was to get info by media, second was to get everyone home, during the shaking when everyone was in shock, I called my family as I knew when the shaking stoped the cell phone lines would be overloaded with calls and jammed, and sure enough when the earthquake subsided everyone was on their cell phones, calling loved ones, and soon nobody could get a free line. Happily for me and the group I was meeting, all our families were fine, and I advised my clients quickly returned home. As for me I closed my office, returned home to check on pets who were so happy to see me, then my family shortly returned, as for my pets it took over a month before they felt safe to be alone again. And the rest is history, well except for Fukushima, and Cesium 137 and this is the main reason I am writing this article from My Kominka (traditional Japanese home) in Niigata and not in Kanagawa or Tokyo. There is no harm in eating, drinking or breathing the air in the Kanto region for a a couple months a year, but 365 days a year, year after year is another story.
Daily I receive and quickly review world earthquake data, from micro quakes of 0.1 and larger, plus depth, Japan is my main focus. I use the same software my friends who are Pro-Seismologists do, we view quakes on a various maps and 3d-maps plus latitude longitude, our mapping software shows us where cluster earthquakes are occurring, or fault line quakes, this helps us to have an idea where earthquakes may hit, and after twenty seven years of collecting and analyzing earthquake data, you get good idea what to look for, and have the ability to be able to judge if an earthquake is possibly pending. Plus historical information on past earthquakes and tsunamis, plays a critical role, and as an amateur historian I have a deep knowledge of Japans earthquake history, and Japanese history in a whole.
Three weeks ago I was talking with my staff writer and business partner about earthquakes. I mentioned the nankai trough had been receiving an unusual amount of small seismic activity and a large one could hit without warming, I told him “within the next six months” a large earthquake will most likely hit along the pacific coastline anywhere from Kagoshima to Sendai, and here we are, but the large earthquake has not hit yet! The JMA Japan Meteorological Agency issued a warming of the possibility of the a possible magnitude 8+ earthquake hitting the Nankai region they give a 70% it will hit in next thirty years, in geological terms that could mean hrs to days, its an unknown. Today at 5pm the JMA will end the one week mega earthquake warning.
One thing you cannot do is live your life centered around disasters, and those who do find often find themselves in a bad spot, and some have breakdowns. My collecting weather and earthquake data goes hand in hand as me being a world explorer and leader, plus its my interest, and my families and clients safety is paramount, believe me I don’t want to be in a disaster zone with family or clients, but it has and may happen again. But think about this, who would you rather be with me?, leading your Hokkaido Photography tour - Japan Photo tour?, someone who has a deep knowledge of what to do if a natural disaster hits, knows how to read 7.5 Minute Quad Topo Maps, plus Quadrangle maps, weather maps, a deep knowledge of Japan and the region we are visiting, and the possibility of seismic activity. Plus my team and I have over a hundred combined years of knowledge, of the region we are visiting during any photography journey, and we know the backroads to the backroads that are not on maps, and are experienced pro drivers, where priority number one is safety. Or would you rather take a Japan photo tour, with a leader and possible team, who has never driven in Japan, does not have a back up driver, or only drives in Japan a couple times a year, and is not a pro driver, does not know how to read a weather charts, does not read topo maps, does not understand or know earthquake evacuation procedures, does not carry an extensive first aid gear and kit or know how to use it. Plus is not a local of Japan, and most likely has a run of the mill tour guide with your group translating for you, who may disappear if a natural disaster hits, or will not know what to do and may panic, even knowing they are required to attend a training course of what to do in case of a natural disaster. Also by chance if you join a so-called celebrity, or run of the mill photo workshop tours, you are most likely stuck on the beaten path, where hundreds of thousands or millions of other people are all going the same direction seeking shelter, food and help, good luck godspeed.
My advice, do your homework ask many questions before signing up for a photo workshop tour, and have a video chat with the leader. Also, there are only a few persons or photo workshops agencies I would recommend besides myself for your Japan photography workshop tour, where you can sit back, enjoy your carefree Japan photography journey expedition of a lifetime.
In closing the real reason for the mega earthquake warning, was in 2011 we had a 7.1 earthquake and clusters, dozens of pre-shock earthquakes off the coast of the Tohoku. Then the 9.1 mega quake occurred. The pre-shocks were largely ignored, but a few seismologist said a warming should be issued but never was, and we all know how that went! So now when what appears to be pre-shocks the JMA must issue a warning, as it should have 2011.
Below are links to a few newsletters of past Natural Disasters I experienced and wrote about.
Ishikawa Earthquake January 1, 2024
Super Typhoon Nanmadol to Slam Into Japan - Not My First Super Typhoon! September 2024.
Harsh Weather Photograph. September 23, 2015. This newsletter is when Typhoon Etau slammed into Japan, and I was in Nikko leading a photo tour.
Please contact if you have any concerns, or would like to learn more. Safe Travels friend.