It is common knowledge that the islands of Japan occupy a perilous position on the oceanic and continental plates. Natural disasters in the form of earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons are frequent visitors.

Fortunately, most cities now have extensive response systems in place, should an emergency occur. Japanese school children practice escape routes and other emergency procedure routines on a monthly basis.

Earthquakes and Tidal Waves

The Japanese rank an earthquake according to the shindo scale, which measures how strongly it is felt by people at a certain moment in a given area. A grade one earthquake is probably only felt by people who are standing still. At four, you cannot help but notice, as things begin to fall. Five and above are cause for alarm.

In the past, the shindo levels were determined by phone calls. People who had experienced an earthquake in a certain area reported their “feelings” by phone to a localized center. For the past twenty years or so, however, a machine has been used to estimate the shindo measurement. A running joke among Japanese science teachers is that a strong earthquake could cause the machine to topple and break. So much for modern technology.

Those living in coastal regions run the risk of having to deal with tidal waves that may follow an earthquake. In 1964, a tsunami off the coast of Niigata Prefecture in northwest Japan emptied Ryootsu Bay near Sado Island. People are reported to have run out into the bay to capture flailing fish with their bare hands as those who escaped into the mountains looked on.

Typhoons and Volcanic Eruptions

September is officially marked as typhoon season, but the typhoons do not always abide by the rule. Strong winds send villagers hurrying to tack boards across their windows. Farmers' wrinkles grow noticeably deeper as pelting rains shower rice stalks. Landslides and flooding rivers send students and teachers on long detours to get to school.

Volcanic eruptions are another threat in many regions of Japan. The view of the world's most famous volcano, Mt. Fujii, is visible from Tookyoo (Tokyo) on a clear day. The volcano last erupted in 1707. Twenty-six different volcanoes remain volatile around Japan. The University of Tookyoo has a Web site that monitors their activity, including the submarine volcano Fukutoku Okanoba.