January 21, 1408 Tsunami: Kumanonada, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake began at Kumanonada, Japan on January 21, 1408. The water rose as high as 2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 2 places.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- January 21, 1408
- Source
- Kumanonada, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7
- Maximum water height
- 2 m (6.6 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 33.800° N, 136.900° E
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Tsunami from Kii to Kamakura; Kumano-Hongu hot spring stopped for 80 days (reference #150). Honda et al. (1908, reference #1897) states: "Jan. 21, 1408. Sea wave recorded, but doubtful."
1408, January 21. There was a strong earthquake in Osaka Prefecture. The epicenter was at sea, at Kumano-Nada. A tsunami was observed on the south coast of the Kii Peninsula, at Kamak'ura and at other places. [The accounts of this and the preceding event of December 1403 are very similar. One surmises that they refer to the same event] (Reference #414).
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Coast of Kii Peninsula | Japan | 107 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Kamakura | Japan | 295 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1408The 1400sTsunamis of JapanThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 131.