December 6, 1616 Tsunami: Sanriku, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake began at Sanriku, Japan on December 6, 1616. Its effects were recorded at 4 places. It killed 200 people.
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
- December 6, 1616
- Source
- Sanriku, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.5
- Runups recorded
- 4
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 39.000° N, 144.500° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 200
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.
Dec. 6, 1616. There was a tsunami on the coast of Iwate Prefecture. An earthquake and tsunami occurred during the fair at Yokamachi. Several hundred people died at Kamaishi and Ozuchi. (reference #414).
Dec. 6, 1616, 39 N, 144.5 E. Several hundred deaths in Rikuchu (Kamaishi, Otsuchi and Unosumai). This may be Keicho 16-10-28 [Dec 2, 1611] event. (reference #150)
Dec. 6, 1616. Source Sanriku, Japan, tsunami observation Sariku, Rikuchu. Tsunami and quake occurred at time of a fair in Yokamachi. Several hundred deaths there and in Kamaishi and Otsuchi. Oct 23 date given on Ofunato-shi publication refers to old calendar. (reference #79)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otsuchi | Japan | 227 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 100 | |||
| Kamaishi | Japan | 228 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 100 | |||
| Unosumai (Kamaishi) | Japan | 228 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 100 | |||
| Yokkaichiko | Japan | 549 | 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 233.