October 22, 1894 Earthquake: Syonai, Japan
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Syonai, Japan on October 22, 1894 at 08:35 UTC. 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
- October 22, 1894
- Time
- 08:35 UTC
- Place
- Syonai, Japan
- Magnitude
- 7 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 38.900° N, 139.800° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
- Deaths
- 726
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 3,858
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.
3,858 houses destroyed. 726 deaths. 2,148 burnt houses by shock. Weak tsunami at Kisagata. (reference #150)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 27, 1611, Aidu, Japan
- December 18, 1828, Sandyo IN Etigo, Japan
- July 10, 1804, Kisakata, Japan
- June 19, 1694, Ugo, Japan
- August 31, 1896, Senhoku, Ugo, Japan
- October 18, 1644, NW. Honshu Island, Japan
- May 26, 1983, Akita, Honshu, Japan
- March 15, 1914, Senhoku, Japan
- December 7, 1833, NW, Honshu, Japan
- September 25, 1810, Oga, Japan
- April 21, 1659, Aidu, Japan
- June 16, 1964, W Coast, Honshu, Japan
- May 1, 1939, NW, Honshu, Japan
- June 13, 2008, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
- December 9, 1802, Sado Island, Ogi, NW Honshu, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1894The 1800sRecent 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 2456.