September 4, 1596 Earthquake: Beppu Bay, Japan

Reference #414:

1596, September 4 (mistakenly July 22, September 1), 20:00. There was a strong earthquake on the coast of Bungo Strait. There were landslides, and cracks formed in the earth's surface. In Kagoshima Prefecture, strong tremors were felt, which did not cause much damage. The earthquake was rather strong at Kyoto. The source was apparently situated inside Beppu Bay. Oscillations in water level resulted. A strong aftershock was felt on Sept 4.

Reference #3755:

"Earthquake of August 25, 1596 (Julian Calendar). For more than one month before the main shock, many foreshocks were observed. Eighty per cent of Uryu-Jima (small island with an area of 4 x 2.2 km-sq) in the Beppu Bay, located at about 400 to 500 m off the Oita city in Kyushu, sank into the sea, and 708 lives were lost. The population of the Island in those days was reported as 5,000. The coast of Beppu Bay was destroyed by a tsunami."

Lists September 4 (mistakenly July 22 and September 1), 1596, 33.3N, 131.7E, magnitude 6.9.

Reference #1073:

Mistakenly lists July 2, 1596 in Japan several cities made ruins and thousands perished.

Reference #150:

Lists September 4, 1596, 33.3N, 131.7E, magnitude 6.9.

Reference #1055:

Lists September 4, 1596, Kioto, Japan, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts.

Reference #1097:

This earthquake [Bungo] was felt on the fourth of September after a month of more or less continued seismic activity. It came about 7 hours before the celebrated Husimi earthquake which became famous in connection with an incident in the life of the great historical personage Taiko-Hideyosi. In former times there was an island called Uriu-zima situated a short distance off the site of the present city of Oita, and which had an area of 2.3 km. N-S by 4 km. E-W with a population of as much as 5,000. This island is now no more above water, lying as it does some 50-40 fathoms below the surface of the sea. Contrary to what is the experience with most big earthquakes, the destruction was not instantaneous; that is to say, it did not come as a single blow So to speak. In the afternoon of the eventful day a shock was felt that was severe enough to open fissures in the ground and cause damage to buildings. Then quiet reigned for a while, but at 5 p.m. was distinctly heard that ominous, dull roar so characteristic of approaching tsunami. Panic-stricken, the people fled for safety; some to high ground and others to the shore opposite, but 708 persons were unfortunately caught in the on-rushing flood. On the following morning to everyone's amazement, Uriu-zima (island) was found to have subsided to a considerable extent and that three-quarters of its area had been drowned. Needless to say, later subsidences must have added their quota to the reduction of the island to its present plight of submergence under 30 odd fathoms of water, but the denuding action of sea waves and other agencies must also have had their share in the word.

We might add that about a year later, on Sept. 10, 1597, the region was visited by another severe shock when the small promontory of Hisamitti-zima, situated between the above mentioned island and the city of Beppu, vanished under the sea.

Reference #1068:

Lists earthquakes on September 4, 1596, 33 N, 132 E, Oita T. Uryama subsided, 700 deaths; and September 5, 1596, 35 N, 136 E, Huisimi, Japan, 2000 deaths.

Reference #12611:

During this event, known as the 1596 Keicho earthquake, the rupture probably propagated in two or three sequential stages, similar to a series of events that occurred along the North Anatolian fault during 1939-1999.