March 4, 1952 Tsunami: SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan

Name: March 4, 1952 Tsunami: SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan
Start: 1952-03-04
Location: SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan

March 4, 1952 · 6.54 m · 33 deaths · 2,422 houses destroyed · Definite tsunami

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake began at SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan on March 4, 1952 at 01:22:41 UTC. The water rose as high as 6.54 meters. Its effects were recorded at 219 places in at least 11 countries. It killed 33 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.

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

Tsunami warnings in force

Travel times

How long the first wave took to reach each part of the ocean, one line for each hour up to 24, estimated from the source and the depth of the sea.

The travel times are computed in your browser, which needs JavaScript.

1 to 4 hours
5 to 6 hours
7 to 14 hours
15 hours and more

NOAA NCEI’s tsunami travel time map for this event — NCEI’s own map: one line an hour from the source (the star), labeled every five hours. Map: NOAA NCEI.

Computed in your browser the way NOAA’s own travel time maps are: the wave travels at the square root of gravity times the depth, over NOAA’s ETOPO1 depths averaged to a 10 arc-minute grid. Checked against NOAA NCEI’s maps for 21 tsunamis over the first 24 hours, these lines fall within 10 minutes of NCEI’s at half the points compared and within 52 minutes at 9 in 10. They give when the first wave could arrive, not how high it is; bays, harbors and island chains finer than the grid can see it later. Not for use in a warning: see tsunami.gov.

The tsunami

Date: March 4, 1952, 01:22:41 UTC
Source: SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan
Cause: Earthquake
Earthquake: Magnitude 8.1, 45 km deep
Maximum water height: 6.54 m (21.5 ft)
Runups recorded: 219
Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura): 2
Tsunami magnitude (Iida): 2.7
Waters: Ocean
How certain: Definite tsunami
Source location: 42.150° N, 143.850° E

The toll

Deaths: 33
Injuries: Many (about 101 to 1,000); 572 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage: Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Houses destroyed: Many (101 to 1,000); 2,422 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.

Reference #414:

1952, March 4, 10:23 local time. There was a very strong earthquake on the southeast of Hokkaido Island, accompanied by a tsunami of moderate intensity. The source of the earthquake and the tsunami was situated on the shelf near Cape Erimo and was 100 km long.

The tsunami was most intensive on the southeastern coast of Hokkaido Island. On the Sanriku coast the height of the rise of the water varied from 1 to 2 meters. At Kiritappu and other places, the destruction caused by the tsunami was intensified by drift ice picked up by the waves.

The earthquake and tsunami did major damage in Japan; 815 homes were completely destroyed, 1,324 were half destroyed, 6,395 were slightly damaged, 14 were burned, 91 were washed away, 328 homes and 1,621 non-residential buildings were flooded. Many ships were destroyed, and roads and railway lines were damaged. Twenty-eight people died, 5 people were missing and 287 people were injured.

View a calculated tsunami-travel-time map.

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	Measured by	First wave, UTC
Meguro	Japan	44	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:50
Sakiume	Japan	45	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:38
Hiroo	Japan	46	0.9	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:13
Tokachiko	Japan	46	0.9
Shoya	Japan	47	1.6	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:43
Komonbetsu	Japan	48	3.25	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:28
Aiboshima	Japan	49	3.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:45
Chibira	Japan	49	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:50
Hiroo	Japan	51	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Oikamonae-Gyoba	Japan	52	3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Cape Erimo	Japan	54	2.7	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:35
Erimo	Japan	55	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Nakanobanya	Japan	56	3.16	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:20
Yankebetsu	Japan	57	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:43
Aburakoma	Japan	57	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:38
Oshiyorosuke	Japan	57	1.4	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:03
Utaro	Japan	58	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height
Higashiutabetsu	Japan	59	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Hishashi-Utabetsu	Japan	59	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Utabetsu	Japan	59	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:03
Horoizumi	Japan	60	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:30
Otsu	Japan	61	2.67	Eyewitness observation of water height
Satsukotsu	Japan	61	1.7	Eyewitness observation of water height
Fuemai	Japan	63	1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Chikaura	Japan	64	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shimochikaura	Japan	64	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Asahi	Japan	65	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Horoman	Japan	68	1.8	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Ehaoi	Japan	69	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ebaoi	Japan	69	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Atsunai	Japan	72	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:53
Fuyushima	Japan	72	3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Higashi-Fuyushima	Japan	72	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:55
Hirau	Japan	73	1.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:03
Sanushibe	Japan	73	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Samani	Japan	76	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:03
Utoma	Japan	80	1.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:30
Urakawa (Urakawacho)	Japan	88	0.75	Eyewitness observation of water height
Urakawa	Japan	90	1.8	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Shiranuka	Japan	91	2.7	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:46
Chiyonoura	Japan	101	2.3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kushiro	Japan	101	0.45	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 01:58
Kushiro (Kushiro City)	Japan	102	1.4	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kombumori	Japan	105	3.8	Eyewitness observation of water height
Konbumori	Japan	105	5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Mitsuishi	Japan	107	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:59
Harutachi	Japan	112	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:59
Higashishizunai	Japan	117	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:29
Senposhi	Japan	118	6.54	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shizunai	Japan	124	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:49
Monshizu	Japan	126	3.91	Eyewitness observation of water height
Pontomari	Japan	126	2.58	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tokotan	Japan	126	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:58
Akkeshi	Japan	128	6.5
Hidaka	Japan	139	3.3
Chikaura	Japan	142	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Biwase	Japan	142	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:02
Kiritappu	Japan	148	3.2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:55
Hamanaka	Japan	150		Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Mombetsu (Mombetsucho)	Japan	150	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:29
Ochiishi	Japan	177		Eyewitness observation of water height
Hanasaki	Japan	189	2.6	Eyewitness observation of water height
Muroran	Japan	240	0.2	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:00
Oyakawa	Japan	253	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kofunato	Japan	262		Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Okuki	Japan	262	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tanesashi	Japan	262	0.7	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:45
Hakodateko	Japan	262	0.32	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:32
Kawaguchi	Japan	263	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Sameko	Japan	263	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Taneichi	Japan	263	1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:24
Hachinohe	Japan	264	1.9	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Hachinohe	Japan	264	1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:10
Yagi	Japan	265	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:20
Hashikami	Japan	265		Eyewitness observation of water height
Mabuchigawakako	Japan	266	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Momoishi	Japan	267		Eyewitness observation of water height
Minato	Japan	277	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kuji	Japan	278	2.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kuki	Japan	280	2.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Noda	Japan	282	2.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tamagawa	Japan	285	2.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Horinai	Japan	287	3.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shimoakka	Japan	287	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Otanabe	Japan	289	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Akedo	Japan	291	2.3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Hiraiga	Japan	293	2.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:18
Raga	Japan	293	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shimanokoshi	Japan	295	2.3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Aomori	Japan	296	0.19	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:37
Niida	Japan	299	0.3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Furukawa	Japan	299		Eyewitness observation of water height
Omoto	Japan	300	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Moshi	Japan	301	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Taro	Japan	309	1	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Taro (Tarocho)	Japan	311	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Miyako	Japan	319	0.33	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:00
Miyako (Miyako City)	Japan	321		Eyewitness observation of water height
Otobe	Japan	322	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shirahama	Japan	324	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Kanehama	Japan	325	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Takahama	Japan	325	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:29
Yona	Japan	325	1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tsugaruishi	Japan	327	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:15
Yamada	Japan	338	1.8	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:05
Orikasa	Japan	339	1.8	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:13
Funakoshi	Japan	342	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tanohama (Yamadacho)	Japan	342	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Ozuchi	Japan	350	1	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:05
Otsuchi	Japan	351	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Nakano	Japan	354		Eyewitness observation of water height
Ryoishi	Japan	357	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Rikuchu (S.)	Japan	358	2		day 4, 03:10
Kamaishi	Japan	361	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Kamaishi (Kamaishi City)	Japan	361	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kojirahama	Japan	368	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:50
Hongo (Sanriku)	Japan	374	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height
Urahama	Japan	378	1.1	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:13
Shimohorei	Japan	380	0.7	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ryori	Japan	385	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:20
Nonomae	Japan	385	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Akasaki	Japan	386	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ofunatoko	Japan	386	0.5	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Ofunato (Ofunato City)	Japan	388	0.8	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shimofunato	Japan	390	0.7	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ofunato	Japan	391		Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:15
Senhoshi	Japan	392	6.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:48
Wakinosawa	Japan	396	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Utatsuyu	Japan	397	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:53
Hirota	Japan	399		Eyewitness observation of water height
Fuppushi	Japan	400	0.8	Eyewitness observation of water height
N Rikuzen	Japan	402	2
Tadakoe	Japan	404	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kesennuma	Japan	409	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kurauchi	Japan	426	0.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:53
Kesaiso	Japan	426	1	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:58
Isatomae	Japan	429	0.3	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Kanahama	Japan	429	2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Shizukawa	Japan	432	0.6	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:24
Arayashiki	Japan	447	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tsukihama	Japan	447	0.41	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Funakoshi (Okachi)	Japan	448	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Okachi	Japan	451	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:52
Onagawa (Onagawacho)	Japan	459	1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Onagawa	Japan	460	0.55	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:42
Momonoura	Japan	464	0.9	Eyewitness observation of water height
Samenoura	Japan	464	1.35	Eyewitness observation of water height
Tanikawa	Japan	465	1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kozumi	Japan	466	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ooyagawa	Japan	466	1.05	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ishinomaki (Ishinomaki City)	Japan	467	0.4	Eyewitness observation of water height
Oginohama	Japan	467	0.42	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ishinomaki	Japan	469	0.3	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:47
Kobuchi	Japan	471	0.93	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ayukawa	Japan	472	0.2	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:29
Ayukawa	Japan	472	0.8	Eyewitness observation of water height
Ishihama	Japan	484		Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:15
Hanabuchi	Japan	487	0.4	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:04
Shiogama	Japan	490	0.1	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 03:09
Kuzi	Japan	491	2.2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:20
Arahama	Japan	519		Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Onahama	Japan	632	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Same	Japan	638	2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:20
Mito	Japan	705	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:47
Oaraiko	Japan	705	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Choshi	Japan	756	0.08	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:32
Yokohama	Japan	828	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 03:27
Osawa	Japan	840	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:30
Mera	Japan	876	0.09	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 03:07
Ito	Japan	903	0.03	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Komatsushima	Japan	1,213	0.08	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Uwajima	Japan	1,402	0.08	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Tosa-Shimizu	Japan	1,415	0.14	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Attu, Massacre Bay, AK, AK	United States	2,486	0.18	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Adak, Sweeper Cove, AK, AK	United States	3,148	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Apra Harbor, Guam, GU	US Territories	3,184	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Wake Island, UM	US Territories	3,321	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Yap Island, Caroline Islands	Micronesia	3,659	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, AK, AK	United States	3,835	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Angaur Island	Palau	4,021	0.2	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, MH	Marshall Islands	4,380	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Port Allen, Kauai, HI, HI	United States	5,678	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Sitka, AK, AK	United States	5,701	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Pearl Harbor, Oahu, HI, HI	United States	5,846	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI	United States	5,860	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 09:15
Kahului, Maui, HI, HI	United States	6,002	0.3	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI	United States	6,198	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 09:04
Tofino (Clayoquot),british Columbia, BC	Canada	6,649	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 11:50
Neah Bay, WA, WA	United States	6,776	0.1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Crescent City, CA, CA	United States	7,210	0.18	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Sausalito, CA, CA	United States	7,580	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
San Francisco, CA, CA	United States	7,586	0.02	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Alameda, CA, CA	United States	7,600	0.02	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS	US Territories	7,790		Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Port Hueneme, CA, CA	United States	8,070	0.11	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Los Angeles, CA, CA	United States	8,165	0.13	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Long Beach, CA, CA	United States	8,166	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Oceanside, CA, CA	United States	8,268	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
La Jolla, CA, CA	United States	8,298	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
San Diego, CA, CA	United States	8,315	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
San Juan del Sur	Nicaragua	12,227	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Puntarenas	Costa Rica	12,409	0.09	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 19:00
La Libertad	Ecuador	13,742	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Callao LA Punta	Peru	14,841	0.3	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Horiuchi	Japan		2.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Hoshitori	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:59
Ikandai	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:30
Iona	Japan		1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Jyusanhama	Japan		0.6	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)	day 4, 02:44
Kanjo	Japan		0.1	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kirikiri	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:10
Nagafusa	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 02:30
Sakkotsu	Japan		3		day 4, 02:38
Sanboniwa	Japan		2	Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:53
Simochika'Ura	Japan		1.5
Todagoshi	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height
Tomata	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height	day 4, 01:53
Yakawa	Japan		1.2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Nikawame	Japan			Eyewitness observation of water height

Every tsunami in 1952 The 1900s Tsunamis of Japan The earthquake This day in weather history Alerts 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 2026-10-01. NCEI tsunami event 1817.