September 9, 1616 Tsunami: Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake began at Miyagi Prefecture, Japan on September 9, 1616. Its effects were recorded at 3 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
- September 9, 1616
- Source
- Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7
- Runups recorded
- 3
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 38.100° N, 142.000° E
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million); Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
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.
1616, Sept 9, about 11:00 [local time]. There was a strong earthquake in the Sendai region. A weak tsunami was observed on the coast of this prefecture. (reference #414)
1616, Sept 9, 38.1 142 E, magnitude 7. Numerous deaths at Otsuchi, Unosumai, Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture by tsunami. (reference #150)
1616, Sept 9. Sendai City and vicinity. 38.1 142 E, magnitude 7. The castle of Sendai was partly destroyed by the strong shock, but the tsunami did not cause so much damage. (reference #1065)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamaishi | Japan | 130 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Unosumai (Kamaishi) | Japan | 130 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Otsuchi | Japan | 139 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1616The 1600sTsunamis 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 231.