震

to shake

Kanji 1444

To understand Japan is to grapple with its earthquakes. This essay examines them from all angles, including Haruki Murakami's surprising take on the Kobe quake; possible harbingers of a quake; surveys of the worst disasters and most quake-prone regions of Japan; the Japanese intensity scale, plus older ways of characterizing the levels; earthquake-resistant buildings; and more!