Tourist sites in Japan's Tohoku and Hokkaido regions are preparing to evacuate visitors, including foreigners unfamiliar with local geography, following Monday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake. Tsunami warnings were issued but later lifted, with an advisory urging readiness for aftershocks until April 27. Staff at key attractions are trained and equipped to guide evacuations.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Japan's Tohoku region and Hokkaido on Monday afternoon, prompting tsunami warnings, advisories, and evacuation orders that were later lifted. An earthquake advisory followed, warning of possible large aftershocks and instructing residents to stay ready to evacuate until April 27.
At Miyako Port in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, foreign tourists disembarked from a cruise ship Tuesday morning. A 40-centimeter tsunami had hit nearby waters from the quake centered off the Sanriku coast, and passengers received danger alerts. Thirteen city interpreters, trained for disasters, greeted them and stand ready to shout "Tsunami is coming!" if needed. Interpreter Kaori Kimura, 66, checked a steep evacuation route and said, "I want to give people proper guidance based on the situation." Paul Egan, 64, traveling with his wife, noted they could sightsee peacefully thanks to the interpreters.
Hakodate's Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse in Hokkaido, a waterfront draw damaged by a tsunami over 1 meter high in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, features English evacuation signs. Foreigners make up over half of visitors on some days. Amid low turnout during cherry blossom peak due to the advisory, general affairs director Hiroshi Kato said, "Although we've had a rough start ahead of the peak season, we want to be fully prepared."
The Tatehana Wharf Morning Market in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture—Tohoku's largest with about 300 stalls by the water on Sundays, drawing 20,000 to 30,000 visitors—plans to operate as usual this weekend. Organizers from the Minato Sunday Morning Market Association will use the PA system to direct people to higher ground and urge car arrivals to evacuate on foot to avoid jams. Chair Haruki Keicho, 74, said, "Many people come from far away. We are prepared for any emergency, so please enjoy yourselves without worry."