September 21, 1510 Tsunami: Osaka Bay, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake began at Osaka Bay, Japan on September 21, 1510. The water rose as high as 2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
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
- September 21, 1510
- Source
- Osaka Bay, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.7
- Maximum water height
- 2 m (6.6 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 34.600° N, 135.400° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
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.
High tide in various inlets. Temples in Settsu and Kawachi destroyed. (reference #150)
1510, September 21. There was a strong earthquake which caused destruction at some places in Osaka Prefecture. There were many aftershocks. A tsunami was observed on the coast of Osaka Bay. At Naniwa (Osaka region) a high tidal wave damaged homes. (reference #414)
Honda et al. (1908, reference #1897)states: "Sept. 21, 1510. Sea waves on the coast of Settsu."
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naniwa (Osaka) | Japan | 14 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1510The 1500sTsunamis 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 154.