February 8, 1602 Earthquake: Boso, Japan
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Boso, Japan on February 8, 1602. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- February 8, 1602
- Place
- Boso, Japan
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 35.100° N, 140.500° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000) with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
February 8, 1602. Big shock in Kazusa, Aawa Provinces and flood tide, many persons and beasts killed. (reference #150)
1602, February 7 local time. A landslide came down into the sea from the Boso Peninsula, in Chiba Prefecture. The water retreated 300 m and returned on the following day (?). Many people and animals drowned (Reference #414).
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 1, 1923, Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan
- May 27, 1293, Kamakura, Japan
- November 11, 1855, Tokyo, Japan
- December 30, 1703, Off SW Boso Peninsula, Japan
- November 4, 1677, Off SE. Boso Peninsula, Japan
- November 25, 1930, Idu, Honshu, Japan
- July 29, 1649, Tokyo, Japan
- September 12, 1495, Kamakura, Japan
- March 1, 1633, Odawara, Japan
- March 11, 1853, Odawara, Japan
- May 8, 1974, Nakagi, Japan
- January 14, 1978, Tokkaido, Oshima, Japan
- June 20, 1894, Tokyo, Japan
- September 21, 1931, Honshu, Japan
- January 15, 1924, Sagami, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1602The 1600sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5959.