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I've lived in a lot of places, but never one in which I had to be prepared for the 'big one'. As a Brit, I would add tea to the list and some way of heating the water!

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Tea, of course! I completely agree on that one.

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Aug 19Liked by Gianni Simone

Great writeup!!

“Set of seasonings” I have to say…there could be no more of a Japanese instruction.

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Exactly. They also recommend a 1080 ml bottle of mouthwash and 120 sheets of teeth wipes.

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LOL!! Don’t want to check into your local gym evacuation center with bad breath.

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We live on the 40th floor in a Kawasaki apartment building. When the big one comes, whatever supplies we have on hand are the supplies that will support us, because trekking up that many stories with water and food would be hard, to say the least.

That said, we our apartment is small; we have no more than a week's worth of water, food, emergency toilets, and other supplies.

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I just hope the Big One is not going to catch you inside an elevator!

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The mega-quake and disaster preparation has been on my mind, too.

I experienced the Shindo 5 shake in my region during 3/11, northern Chiba Prefecture, and while it was scary for many minutes, the building and infrastructure - electric, gas, telecommunications - held. Lucky to be far from the epicicenter.

In response to the Mega-quake caution, I moved heavy and breakable glass things away from where I sleep - tall tansu and mirror. And restocked my emergency kit.

A few extra items I put in my bag - cigarettes and lighter, a flask of whisky, a book of short stories I haven't read yet, and a harmonica. Things to calm my nerves and perhaps entertain others if I end up in a shelter.

For the sake of my fellow Chiba residents - Chibarians? - I wrote about the threat of the predicted Nankai Trough and tsunamis - https://elizabethscally.substack.com/p/the-mega-quake-advisory-chiba-and

And I also remind my family and friends living in the Cascadia subduction zone - Vancouver to LA - that they ought to be prepared for a "Big One" that could happen any time. I share with them the quake prep that Japan's taught me.

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Thanks for sharing the link to your very informative piece.

I especially love the contents of your "special bag." Food and shelter are important, but the extras are often the very things that help us not to go insane.

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Well, we definitely live in different worlds, Gianni. My idea of disaster preparedness is straightening my hair and applying lipstick, just incase I need to open the door to my neighbour. Great post, interesting read.

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Haha, I also keep pants/trousers and a t-shirt read, but mainly for mail deliveries.

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Heh ... heh ...

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Aug 19Liked by Gianni Simone

Such a beautiful but dangerous country. Be prepared, Gianni, don't make us worry!

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Grazie Portia. Ganbarimasu!

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deletedAug 19
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Yes, I guess basically you are right. That's why everybody agrees that a big earthquake in Tokyo is matter of "when," not "if." On the other hand, in the last 30 years, we have had disastrous quakes in areas with little or no seismic history that had been deemed safe by the expert.

As for the stockpile list, please note the nice addition of mouthwash and teeth wipes.

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