Earthquake Experience
Here’s a fun, free and educational thing to do in Tokyo right now: experience your own earthquake! In Akihabara the other day I saw this truck carrying an earthquake simulation room parked next to a busy street, offering free “rides” to experience different levels of earthquakes. If my memory is correct, it starts out at a level 3 and then goes up to 4 before hitting it’s maximum level of 7. It looks really fun and I guess most people in Tokyo have never experienced anything above a level 4, and at level 7 it is really shaking quite a bit even as a simulation. The heaviest earthquake I have ever experience personally was a level 5 which was quite scary even being outside and at ground level so I can only imagine anything stronger than that while indoors. Of course the company offering the experience is not altogether altruistic, there was also an interactive exhibit of how they retrofit older timber and stick framed buildings with modern techniques to make them earthquake proof. Being a building nut and having seen a few bad examples of how not to build I spent more time in that part of the exhibition. I wish more countries had trucks for public use like this. Japan is without a doubt one of the best places in the world when it comes to surviving an earthquake but as we have seen in Spain and New Zealand other countries need to raise awareness of this as well. The next time you’re in Akihabara, keep an eye out for this truck!
Interesting tool to teach earthquake safety
Isn’t it? Stay indoors, hide under a table. Most buildings in Japan are strong enough to withstand up to a level 10 earthquake.
I would imagine so, there are a lot of students from Japan coming to Vancouver, Canada to look at our structures too and get ideas
i love the entire idea exchange 
Honestly I had quite enough of earthquakes recently, but as some friends and family are going to visit me soon, I’d like to offer them a “ride”… Could you please share the exact location with us?
Thanks Konni! Yes, me too. But that’s the price we have to pay to live in this wonderful country I guess. It’s easy to spot, use the main JR exit for Denki-town, go out along the short shopping street and then turn right. Walk straight until you see it on your left. It’s on the main Akihabara street (the one that goes all the way to Ueno) so it’s hard to miss. If they still have it there…!
Thanks! (This would be one of those posts that cries for an attached map…)
I’m sure my friends will appreciate the experience. Let’s hope it’ll stay there long enough.
Praise the Google gods, for they gave us Google Streetview!
Here we go: http://g.co/maps/sfc6j
Haha… did you get the GPS coordinates from the photo exif data? Spot on! (^-^)
Watching some local builders here in Kumamoto, I learned some tricks for making an incredibly strong structure. But I wouldn’t want to test it, though that’s also amazing to watch-a building in a simulated jishin!
There was a 5.+ quake in Fukushima again the other day, but no further problems caused.
Construction is getting better and better. I also love to watch builders working…!
Since I live in a place where such things as earthquake or tornado doesn’t exist (thankfully) I’m curios as a cat about that car.
I would try it if I would ever see one!
Haha… you’ll have to come over here and try it out soon Timi! (^-^)
I think they had those things in California too. But we have been through so many that I don’t think I want to go through one of my own free will. They keep talking about the big one, I’m not looking forward to it.
Ah, California! Well, there’s not much you can do to stop them. I hope the next big one is really small!