**January 2nd, 2024, 3:03am JST – Tsunami Warning has been downgraded to a Tsunami Advisory, but Authorities are urging people to be aware and prepared for ongoing tremors through the week. Fires are occurring in areas of Ishikawa and Noto, specifically Suzu City, and buildings have collapsed or are at risk of collapse during another strong tremor. It is possible that strong shaking or other earthquakes will occur through the week, increasing the risk of another tsunami.**
**If you have plans to be in the Noto/Ishikawa area this week, please contact your accommodations to either confirm or cancel your bookings. *Trains may still have delays and closures due to checks for possible damage and the risk of ongoing tremors.* Please be patient with staff, and heed the requests of local authorities in the area at all times. Remember, your personal safety is always far more important than any vacation.**
**Travel Information & Links:**
>- **Flights to and from the area out of Haneda [are suspended for January 2nd](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240101_403/), please contact your airline to make alternate arrangements if necessary.**
>- [**Information on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.**](https://global.trafficinfo.westjr.co.jp/en/h_shinkansen/)
>- [**Information on the Hokuriku Area.**](https://global.trafficinfo.westjr.co.jp/en/hokuriku/)
>- [**Information on JR West’s Limited Express Trains.**](https://global.trafficinfo.westjr.co.jp/en/express/)
>- [**Information on JR East’s Shinkansen.**](https://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/shinkansen.aspx)
>- [**Information on JR East’s Limited Express Trains.**](https://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/chyokyori.aspx)
>- [**Information on Shin’etsu Area Trains.**](https://traininfo.jreast.co.jp/train_info/e/shinetsu.aspx)
>- [**Information on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen.**](https://traininfo.jr-central.co.jp/shinkansen/pc/en/ti99.html)
>- [**Infoirmation on JR Central’s Lines.**](https://traininfo.jr-central.co.jp/zairaisen/index.html?lang=en)
>- [**Information from Hokutetsu**](http://www.hokutetsu.co.jp/unkojoho) – the major local transport provider in Kanazawa and Ishikawa. Currently they have announced all trains and buses on 2 January will be cancelled.
>- **JR East US Official [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C1kLLS8xkuB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=YzZhZTZiNWI3Nw==)** is reporting that the **Joetsu Shinkansen between Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata Stations, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa Stations are undergoing equipment inspection. Shinkansen trains serving those stations will not operate on the morning of Tuesday, January 2, on those sections, and operations may also be cancelled in the afternoon or later depending on the inspection status.** For details, please see the JR East website.
>- **Major highways are closed due to damage/inspection, including Hokuriku Expressway between Maruoka IC and Niigata-Chuo IC, so access to most of Ishikawa and Toyama Prefectures is extremely limited. Please avoid the area in order to allow ongoing rescue and repair operations to proceed.**
**Newscasts & Disaster Information:**
>- **NHK Live Broadcast from the local TV station, translated in English with AI – https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/gtvlive/**
>- **Live News Article feed showing photos of the damage, and updating information in English – https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/2935/**
>- **Further information from Japan Meteorological Agency Bosai Disaster Page – https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#4/34.5/137/&elem=warn&contents=tsunami&lang=en**
>- **Further Disaster Information and Useful Links for Tourists in Japan – https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pdf/disaster_e.pdf**
**Previous Posts:**
>- **January 2nd, 2024** – [**1,400 passengers in halted bullet train cars after quakes.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/2936/) West Japan Railway says four trains remain stranded. The operator says the trains are still powered, the air conditioners are functioning, and employees have delivered food to the passengers by car. The company says it plans to continue the suspension of services between Nagano station and Kanazawa station until around noon on Tuesday.
>- **January 2nd, 2024** – [**M7.6 quake rocks central Japan, triggers major tsunami alert and fire – Kyodo News**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/01/bf8804dd0d65-urgent-m74-quake-rocks-central-japan-large-tsunami-warning-issued.html) The tsunami warning was issued for the Noto Peninsula in the prefecture before being downgraded hours later. It was the first time such a major warning had been issued since the 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan areas and triggered the Fukushima nuclear crisis. The quake, which also shook buildings in central Tokyo, occurred around 4:10 p.m., registering a maximum 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale on the peninsula, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. A tsunami measuring 1.2 meters or higher reached Wajima Port in the region.
>- **January 1st, 2024** – NHK news is reporting a serious earthquake has struck Ishikawa and Noto, and a 5m Tsunami is arriving. Please evacuate to higher ground as soon as possible. Please stay away from rivers, streams and the ocean during this time, and evacuate to higher ground. People in the affected areas must evacuate immediately. Escape to a higher, safe location right away. The time of the tsunami’s arrival is just an estimate. Waves could actually arrive sooner or later. Continue to evacuate as long as the warning is in place.
23 comments
Great informative post
Hello – we are travelling to Kanazawa on the 5th Jan from Nagano. Does anybody have any updates on the damage in Kanazawa (we will go assuming transport is ok and accomodation is not damaged).
Im currently in the ending phases of planning my first trip to japan going from late February to mid march of this year, should i be worried at all?
Thanks for this post! Super helpful.
We purchased a Hokuriku Arch Pass in Osaka during December for use starting January 6. We also reserved seats to Kanazawa for Jan 6, returning Jan 9.
Has anyone had any experience refunding passes if they haven’t been ‘started’. We’re currently in Tokyo and can’t go back to the original ticket office. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!
So I am stuck in Kanazawa? What can I even do at this point I was meant to go to Kyoto by train today
Im heading to Japan on this 6th Jan. Is it still safe to travel to Japan? :/
I am planning to go to shirakawa go on 16 Jan from Kyoto-Kanazawa and Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go by nouhi bus. Is it still safe to go by that route? or should i cancel my bus?
My flight leaves tomorrow morning to Tokyo and planning to also go to Kyoto and Osaka in a week. Is it worth it to go or should I cancel? Or just stay in only Tokyo?
Pacific hotel Kanazawa refunded our stay. We are in Hiroshima deciding what to do instead of Kanazawa plan. I’m wondering if we can use our Kanazawa jr reservation train and get off in Kobe instead of Kanazawa? Stay safe!
[https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20240102-OYT1T50017/](https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20240102-OYT1T50017/)
Shinkansen between Nagano station and Kanazawa station will resume operation after 1pm Jan 2nd (JST).
[https://www.fukuishimbun.co.jp/articles/-/1946727](https://www.fukuishimbun.co.jp/articles/-/1946727)
Thunderbird and Shirasagi Limited Express will resume after noon Jan 2nd (JST).
I’m planning on heading to Osaka/Kyoto in a little under 2 weeks, should I be concerned? I come from a landlocked area with zero earthquakes so I don’t know too much about this situation. Saddened to hear about the damage and loss of life
We’re planning to go to shibu onsen the 15th and day trip Kanazawa the 16th. This is about 2 weeks from today, any ideas on if thats still okay?
Hi everyone,
We’re planning a trip using the hokuriku arch Shinkansen pass that will take us from Tokyo through Toyama, Shirakawago (by bus), Kanazawa and then Osaka. Our first stop at Toyama would be about 2 weeks away on 13th Jan.
As Japan was hit by an earthquake and the west coast is facing tsunami warnings, should we be avoiding Toyama and Kanazawa and replan our itinerary? What other things should we look out for/think about in a situation like this?
TIA!
Planning to be in Kanazawa January 19th-21st. Will things have settled by then? Or should I head somewhere else?
We planned on heading to Kanazawa on 4th-8th but will change our plans now. The hotel said they’re still operating but we might have trouble getting there via transport.
We’re in Ise for a few days and heading to Hokkaido from Tokyo area on 8th. Any recommendations for 4th-8th January between Ise and Tokyo?
I’m planning on landing in Haneda and staying in Tokyo on the 4th, should I be worried?
We were on one of the trains (Shirasagi) that got stopped yesterday afternoon on the way to Kanazawa and ended up laying low at Awaraonsen – the line is starting up service again with Thunderbird trains back and forth, but no Shirasagi service for now looks like.
I have plans to be in Kanazawa and Shirakawago around 26th-28th January, I know this is still a while away but should I be cancelling these plans and looking to visit another part of Japan…
Need advise. I have plans to takayama from Nagoya on 4th Jan, and to shirakawago on 5th jan. After which I will head back to Nagoya.
Are the towns and the roads affected for my 2days trip?
Hi all. Our family planned a trip to hakuba for a skiing trip this Sunday. Just wondering if it’s still a good idea to do so as we heard that there were tremors in hakuba when the earthquake happened ytd.
Hi, would gladly appreciate if someone can advise is it safe to travel to Osaka & Kyoto next week, would there be any disturbance in transportation etc Osaka metro lines or what should I expect? I’m going with my fam and kids just a little paranoid. Thank you all
I was planning on traveling to Tokyo on the 5th for a week, generally it should be fine? Sorry if this question is ignorant, I’m not well read on earthquakes.
Hi,
I am currently in Tokyo but have already bought, and used, the Hokuriku Arch Pass. I was originally planning to go to Kanagawa, then to Kyoto but due to the Earthquake, I have extended my stay in Tokyo.
Does anyone know if it is possible to use the Hokuriku Arch Pass and get discounts for the Hikari Shinkansen to Kyoto? Or to get some fund of a semi-refund?
Also, would it be possible to buy a same-day ticket for the Hikari Shinkansen if I head down to the JR East Service Centre tomorrow?
TIA!