For people living on the east coast of Japan, it’s almost certain they will experience a natural disaster in their lifetime - either an earthquake or a tsunami, or both.

This is a fact of life in Japan, and one the population needs to be prepared for - both practically and psychologically.

Today I visited the Abeno Disaster Prevention Center in Osaka, and I’m really glad I chose this over the usual tourist spots.

These “disaster education centres” exist all over Japan — most major cities have one. They’re not really tourist attractions; they’re also designed to teach locals (especially kids) what to do during earthquakes or tsunamis through hands-on, interactive education.

You can even experience a simulated magnitude 7 earthquake — the same intensity as the 1995 Hanshin quake.

The tour takes about an hour, and it’s completely free. While the guide speaks mostly Japanese, they give you an English brochure that covers all the main points.

I’d recommend this to anyone visiting Japan who wants a thought-provoking and useful experience. And if you’re staying here long-term, you actually need to know this stuff.

Intro film

The tour began with a short film in the theatre. I think it’s just there to set the mood before the educational part - it shows you how quickly a normal day turns into a nightmare.

You watch different people going about an ordinary day — salarymen in the office, a mother cooking at home, her daughter heading out to buy milk.

Then, without warning (just a 2-second alert from their phones), an earthquake hits.

  • The salarymen are trapped in an elevator.
  • The mother is injured as the kitchen crashes around her.
  • The daughter, having escaped the earthquake outdoors, now has to navigate wrecked streets filled with fires and fallen power lines.

It really drives home how suddenly earthquakes strike. It’s so much more sudden than hurricanes, forest fires or even war. With those, you usually have a bit of time to pack and leave your home.

I won’t describe the entire film, but it ends with the daughter finally finding her mother — only to see her mother die when an aftershock hits, bringing down a collapsing billboard.

Remember, this is shown to school kids. I think it would be deemed too shocking in Western countries. But this is the reality in Japan, and after this chilling intro, you’re in the right mood to learn.

They really just scare kids into paying attention for the next 50 minutes of safety drills!

Part 1: At home

You enter a typical living/dining room. There is a stove that’s on, a kitchen and various appliances.

An earthquake is projected on the wall, and you see how the place would be wrecked.

Now what? The first minute after an earthquake is very important. Most of all because the earthquake could trigger fires.

Visitors are asked to perform these actions themselves to practice. This is great for kids.

  1. Turn off all appliances - the stove especially. Move things away from the hot stove.
  2. Turn off the gas supply (find it under the sink)
  3. Turn off the electricity mains

Part 2: Dealing with fires

In the next room, you get to try out a real fire extinguisher.

Except it doesn’t spray anything (that would be messy). Instead, it’s like a game controller - you see it displayed on the screen where the kitchen is catching fire.

Practice using fire extinguishers

It’s a cool experience - I’ve never used a fire extinguisher before. Some other visitors were surprisingly bad at it. They mostly missed the fire and their digital home burnt down!

Part 3: Dealing with smoke

Most victims of fires don’t burn to death - they suffocate from smoke.

In this room, a corridor is filled with real smoke (from smoke machines).

Your task is to crawl on all fours under the smoke while also using one hand to cover your mouth with a handkerchief, tissue, or your t-shirt. It is surprisingly difficult.

Smoke room simulation for fire safety

Part 4: Tsunami

Have you heard of the Nankai Trough mega-quake? It happens every 100-150 years, and we are already overdue for another one.

When it strikes, there will be a Tsunami in Osaka city.

In the Konohana area of Osaka, the water will reach 5 metres in height.

Here’s what 5 metres looks like. It’s 3 floors.

So the fastest way to escape a Tsunami is to get inside a sturdy building with at least 3 floors.

In Japan, Tsunami-proof buildings such as this are marked with a special sign:

There was also a great demonstration of how quickly a Tsunami moves and reaches 5 metres in height.

I’ve seen videos of Tsunamis, but never at street level like this. I didn’t realize it was so fast.

Part 5: Street safety

Next is an exhibit about how dangerous normal streets can become after an earthquake or Tsunami.

  • Signs falling from buildings
  • Fallen power lines
  • Gas leaks

All this turns your own street into a minefield. The street you may be used to walking every day, is suddenly a hostile alien environment.

You also need to be prepared for aftershocks - people die when they think the danger is over.

Part 6: Supplies

In a major disaster, it could take up to 72 hours for emergency services to help you.

You need to be able to survive for at least this time. That’s why most Japanese homes and workplaces will have various supplies stocked up.

What I found interesting was the emphasis on having your favourite food saved up, not just some emergency rations, because the body can reject unusual food in high stress situations.

Final: Experience a magnitude 7 earthquake!

This might be the most “fun” part. It’s like an amusement park ride.

To be honest, the shaking is not that bad for a human, I mean we can move around and absorb it.

The sensation is similar to a very bumpy bus ride, perhaps with the driver suddenly braking to avoid a crash.

But it is scary to imagine an entire building being shaken like this.

Besides the tour, there is also a central room that displays calculations of the areas of Osaka that would be hit by earthquakes or tsunamis, with many different angles and scenarios shown.

It’s impressive to see the extent of government planning and preparation for this, and it’s comforting to know that almost every citizen has had this education and knows what to do in an emergency.

This might sound weird, but if I had to experience an earthquake, I’d prefer to be in Japan. I’d feel much safer in Japan than in any other country.

If you’re looking for a similar experience, most Japanese cities have these centers. Just search the words “disaster center” in Google Maps.

If you’re in Osaka, here are the links for Abeno Disaster Prevention Learning Center: