Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県) — Earthquake Risk & History
Chubu region · Based on HERP official data
Shizuoka is one of Japan's highest-risk prefectures for the Nankai Trough megaquake. The Tokai segment lies within the prefecture, and a 70–80% probability earthquake could send 10 m+ tsunami to Shizuoka's coast within minutes of rupture.
Fault Lines & Seismic Characteristics
Active Faults & Trenches
- Nankai Trough (Tokai section)
- Itoigawa–Shizuoka Tectonic Line
- Suruga Trough
- Fuji River Coastal Fault Zone
Seismic Characteristics
The Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line runs north–south through Shizuoka, forming Japan's geological east–west boundary. The Suruga Trough beneath Suruga Bay connects to the Nankai Trough. The Tokai segment has been designated a high-probability Nankai rupture zone; Shizuoka has Japan's most developed prefectural-level earthquake preparedness system.
Earthquake History
- M6.5
2009
Suruga Bay earthquake — Intensity 6- in Shizuoka City; Tokaido Shinkansen emergency stop; 1 dead
- M7.9
1944
Tonankai earthquake — strong shaking in eastern Shizuoka; coastal tsunami damage
- M8.4
1854
Ansei Tokai earthquake — widespread tsunami damage across the Shizuoka coast; many dead
※ Showing M6.5+ or Intensity 5+ events. Source: JMA database, Cabinet Office.
Future Probability — HERP Official Assessment
30-Year Probability (Official Figure)
Earthquake Research Committee 2023 assessment. Some Shizuoka coastal areas could receive tsunami within 10 minutes of rupture. Cabinet Office simulations project 100,000+ deaths within Shizuoka Prefecture under worst-case scenarios.
Traveler Safety Information
Finding Evacuation Shelters
- ✅ Search "避難所" (hinanjo) on Google Maps to find the nearest shelter from your current location
- ✅ Install NHK World or Safety tips (Japan Tourism Agency app) — both send English earthquake alerts
- ✅ Shizuoka Prefecture official disaster prevention page (Japanese) — includes shelter maps
Basic Action Rules
- ✅ At check-in, locate emergency exits and escape routes
- ✅ On strong shaking: protect your head, open a door to secure an exit, do not use elevators
- ✅ Near coasts or rivers: move to high ground immediately — do not wait for a tsunami warning
- ✅ Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance/Fire 119
- ✅ Contact your embassy in Tokyo for emergency consular assistance
Research & Official Sources AI summary
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Projected damage to Shizuoka in a Nankai Trough earthquake
Cabinet Office simulations show tsunami reaching parts of the Shizuoka coast within 10 minutes of a Nankai Trough M9 rupture. Immediate evacuation — without waiting for warnings — is the core survival principle.
Source: 내각부 중앙방재회의 (2022) -
Shizuoka Prefecture's Tokai earthquake preparedness system
Shizuoka has operated its own dedicated Tokai earthquake preparedness plan for decades. Resident drills and evacuation route maintenance are among the most systematically developed in Japan.
Source: 시즈오카현 방재국 (2023)
Related Guides
Seismic characteristics and research summaries on this page are AI-generated from publicly available data by JMA, Cabinet Office, and HERP. Historical earthquake data (year, magnitude, damage) is based on official records, but key figures should always be cross-checked with the latest official sources. This page does not predict future earthquakes.