April 13, 1677 Earthquake: Sanriku, Japan
A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan on April 13, 1677. 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
- April 13, 1677
- Place
- Sanriku, Japan
- Magnitude
- 8.1 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 40.000° N, 144.000° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50) with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) 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.
1677, April 13, about 22:00 [local time]. There was a strong earthquake in Aomori and Iwate Prefectures. There was a catastrophic tsunami on the Sanriku coast. There were 25 shocks during the night at Morioka, although they were all weak and did no damage. Nine shocks were registered at Miyako until morning. Some time after the first shock, a weak tsunami approached the coast, and three large waves were observed from about 24:00 [Local time] for 4 hours. (reference #414)
1677, April 13, 40 N, 144 E, magnitude 8.1.
Hachinohe damaged by shock. (reference #150)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 15, 1896, Sanriku, Japan
- December 2, 1611, Sanriku, Japan
- March 2, 1933, Sanriku, Japan
- February 17, 1793, Sanriku,rikuzen,rikuchu, Japan
- December 6, 1616, Sanriku, Japan
- May 16, 1968, Off East Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- August 23, 1856, Oshima, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- December 28, 1994, Honshu, Japan
- October 12, 1935, Sanriku, Japan
- February 20, 1979, Iwate, Japan
- August 20, 2016, Off East Coast Honshu, Japan
- March 20, 1960, Sanriku, Japan
- May 27, 1928, Sanriku, Japan
- January 29, 1763, Sanriku,mutsu, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1677The 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 1075.