February 13, 1708 Tsunami: Tokaido, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake began at Tokaido, Japan on February 13, 1708. Its effects were recorded at 4 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
- February 13, 1708
- Source
- Tokaido, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7
- Runups recorded
- 4
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 34.000° N, 137.000° 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.
Aftershock of 1707 quake. Tsunami damage at Ise Yamada and Mikawa Atsumi, Nagashima (Kuwana), Hachijo Is, tsuanmi. (reference #150)
1708, February 13. There was an earthquake in Mie Prefecture. A tsunami was observed on the coast of Ise and Atsumi Bays and on Hachijo Island. The water rose at Fukiage (region of Ujiyamada) (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukkiura | Japan | 61 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Ise Yamada, Mikawa Atsumi | Japan | 69 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Atsumi | Japan | 83 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Nagashima, Hachijo Is. | Japan | 287 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1708The 1700sTsunamis 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 379.