Great Kanto Earthquake 1923

On September 1, 1923, the biggest earthquakes in world history shook the Kanto Plain. The temblor destroyed Tokyo, Yokohama, and surrounding areas. Approximately 140,000 people killed in the earthquake, resulting in fire. The Great Kanto Earthquake, also known as the Great Tokyo Earthquake, turned Tokyo into hell on earth about 75 years ago.

In less than three days, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.4 on the Richter scale. It caused an extensive fire in nearly half of Japan’s capital into sudden thrust, full of debris and dead bodies everywhere. According to eyewitnesses, the earthquake lasted 4 to 10 minutes, this spread panic and fear among the earthquake survivors.

The magnitude of the earthquake was so great resulting in 121-tons of the Great Buddha statue moved almost 60 centimeters. The Great Kanto Earthquake caused tremendous damage to Shizuoka Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture. Mainly, in Kanagawa Prefecture including Hakone, Kamakura, the port city of Yokohama, and Tokyo itself.

Houses and warehouses destroyed by earthquake and fire. (1925). [Image]. Topical Press Agency

Physical Effects of Kanto:

The total death toll from the earthquake and its aftermath is estimated to be approximately 142,800. The earthquake occurred at 11:58 in the morning. Hence, so many people were preparing lunch. In Tokyo and Yokohama, kitchen fires were overturned and broken gas pipes caused firestorms and destroyed houses and offices. The fire and earthquake destroyed 90% of Yokohama’s houses and made 60% of Tokyo’s homeless population.

The worst consequence was the fate of 38,000 to 44,000 Tokyo working class who fled to Rikugun Honjo Hifukusho, once known as a Military Clothing Depot. Flames surrounded them, around 4:00 in the afternoon. A fire of about 300 meters high swept the area, leaving only 300 people alive.

An extraordinary view from an airplane of the devastated and burning section of Tokyo. (1925). [Image]. Bettmann

Cultural Effects:

The Great Kanto Earthquake give rise to another terrible result. In the following hours and days, nationalist and racist rhetoric swept through Japan. The survivors of earthquakes, tsunami, and fires sought explanations or scapegoats. The target of their anger was ethnic Koreans. Subsequently, on the day of the earthquake, there were reports, and rumors that Koreans unscrupulously set fires. They poisoned wells, looted dilapidated houses, and made plans to displace the government.

Approximately 6,000 innocent Koreans, and 700 Chinese who were mistaken for Koreans, have been hacked, assaulted with swords and bamboo rods, resulting in death. The police and army stood by for three days, permitting vigilantes to conduct those murders in what’s now known as the Korean Massacre. In the end, the disaster in Japan triggered and led to the recognition of values ​​and nationalism. Eight years later, with the invasion and occupation of Manchuria, the country took its first step towards World War II.

Conflagration sweeps the Ginza district of Tokyo. (1923). [Image]. Bettmann

Reconstruction after Quake:

The reconstruction of Tokyo after the Great Kantō Earthquake became a daunting task. Most importantly, government buildings, homes, shops, streets, parks, and bridges that existed on nearly 33 million square feet of land have been destroyed. The rubble needed to be cleared, plenty of surveys, plans were devised.
The Minister of Home Affairs and former Mayor of Tokyo Shinpei Goto was appointed as President of the Bureau for Reconstruction of the Imperial Capital. Goto supervised the implementation of the restoration plan. Although the funding for the plan from the original 1.5 billion yen to 468.44 million yen. But, the plan was successfully implemented, along with being the first to build a metropolis-making plan method.

Resources and Further Reading:

• Tokyo Kanto Earthquake 1923 | JapanVisitor Japan Travel Guide. (n.d.). Japan Visitor. Retrieved June 8, 2021, from https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/history/tokyo-earthquake
• Hammer, J. (2011, May 1). The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/
• Welcome to the Great Kantō Earthquake.com. (n.d.). Great Kanto Earthquake. Retrieved June 8, 2021, from http://www.greatkantoearthquake.com/
• Wikipedia contributors. (2021, June 4). 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kant%C5%8D_earthquake
• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Tokyo-Yokohama earthquake of 1923 | Death Toll & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 8, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokyo-Yokohama-earthquake-of-1923