Japan earthquake map: epicentres of M4.5+

What this map shows

Each circle is an earthquake epicentre. Size shows magnitude and colour shows depth. Select a circle for the date, magnitude, depth and source.

Magnitudes are USGS values and may differ from those announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency. For seismic intensity and damage, see announcements from the JMA and local authorities.

'Japan area' includes events for which USGS names a place in Japan as the nearest reference. Some epicentres lie in sea areas outside Japan's territory.

Region names such as Kanto are a rough guide assigned mechanically from the epicentre's latitude and longitude, not administrative areas.

What is an "abnormal seismic intensity zone" (ijo shin-iki)? In very deep earthquakes, shaking can be weak directly above the hypocentre but stronger far away. This happens because the subducted oceanic plate carries seismic waves over long distances with little weakening; around Japan, intensity tends to be larger on the Pacific side. (Source: Japan Meteorological Agency)

The 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake: at 16:27 on 28 July 2026 (JST), a magnitude 7.1 earthquake (JMA) struck the Kumamoto region of Kumamoto Prefecture, with a maximum seismic intensity (shindo) of 7. This map shows the USGS value, M6.8. By 1 August, six earthquakes including the main shock reached a maximum intensity of 5 Lower or above: four on 28 July (the main shock at 16:27, M4.8 at 16:29, M6.1 at 17:08 in the Amakusa-Ashikita region, M4.2 at 19:03), M5.8 at 22:19 on 29 July (Amakusa-Ashikita) and M4.7 at 21:47 on 1 August. All except the main shock had a maximum intensity of 5 Lower. On 24 September JMA said earthquakes would remain more frequent than normal for the time being, while the chance of an earthquake of about intensity 5 Lower or above had fallen. (Source: Japan Meteorological Agency, 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake portal)

The "by region" list below the map counts this map's records over the 30 days up to the latest record (magnitude 4.5 and above, USGS) by region. It is not the same as JMA's count of earthquakes felt at intensity 1 or above, which can be searched by period in JMA's seismic intensity database.

Magnitude vs shindo: magnitude, shown on this map, is the size of the earthquake itself. Shindo is JMA's seismic intensity, the strength of shaking observed at a site, on 10 levels: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Lower, 5 Upper, 6 Lower, 6 Upper and 7. (Source: Japan Meteorological Agency)

Official information in English: the Japan Meteorological Agency publishes earthquake and tsunami information in English on its multilingual site (www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/), and has an English portal for the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake.

Questions and answers

Does this map show seismic intensity or damage?

No. It shows epicentre, magnitude and depth. For intensity and damage, see the Japan Meteorological Agency and local authorities.

When is it updated?

Daily, with events that USGS has reviewed. Preliminary (automatic) events are not shown.

When and how large was the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake?

It struck the Kumamoto region at 16:27 JST on 28 July 2026, at magnitude 7.1 with a maximum intensity of 7 (JMA). This map shows the USGS value, M6.8.

How many Kumamoto earthquakes reached intensity 5 Lower or above?

Six including the main shock: four on 28 July and one each on 29 July and 1 August (JMA, 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake portal).

How long will the Kumamoto earthquakes continue?

On 24 September 2026 JMA said earthquakes would stay more frequent than normal for the time being, while the chance of intensity 5 Lower or above had fallen.

Where can I find official earthquake information in English?

The Japan Meteorological Agency publishes earthquake and tsunami information in English on its multilingual site, www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/.

What is shindo?

JMA's seismic intensity: how strongly the ground shook at a site, from 0 to 7 in 10 levels. Magnitude, shown on this map, is the size of the earthquake itself.