Natural Disasters in Japan

Japan is obviously known for it`s natural disasters but it does surprise me the differing levels of seriousness with which they take happenings/ impending happenings.

Haven`t experienced many earthquakes in recent weeks, but there was a few in my first month here. Of course I remember the first one. I was sitting in the audience of an awards ceremony at a speech contest. It happened. A significant rumble. But, nobody even flinched! Or looked around, or anything!

Typhoons are a different story. They are forecast, and of course 99.99% of the population that live in this country CAN understand Japanese (…that would make sense …) and can therefore prepare for such an event when they hear the forecast. I tend to get told by my teachers at school on the morning of the day it is due to make landfall near Hitachi.

Hey-ho. So far, I have been told of two impending typhoon arrivals however both changed direction and headed back off into the Pacific I assume, because they certainly didn`t reach me! So, I acknowledge that I haven`t yet experienced the full force of a typhoon. However, it does seem that they are perhaps a LITTLE O.T.T. about typhoons. I planned to visit Nikko the day a typhoon was due. My teachers were completely taken aback in shock, that I was not planning to lock myself in my apartment and bring in extra food supplies to ride out the storm. Many other ALTs were put off going to Nikko because of a similar reaction from all of their teachers.

As it goes, I went anyway. And had a fantastic day. The typhoon made a gracious exit from the Japanese mainland, took a bow and a turn, and swept off into the Pacific. Leaving Nikko marvellous weather I might add.