The 1891 Mino–Owari earthquake remains the largest known inland earthquake in Japanese history, with a surface-wave magnitude of 8.0.
Key Facts
- Surface-wave magnitude
- 8.0 Ms
- Moment magnitude
- 7.5 Mw
- Date
- October 28, 1891
- Affected region
- Mino and Owari provinces, Nōbi Plain
- Distinction
- Largest known inland earthquake in the Japanese archipelago
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Japan's Nōbi Plain sits atop active fault systems in the interior of Honshu. In the late nineteenth century, tectonic stress accumulated along these inland faults, setting the stage for a major rupture. The earthquake struck during a period when Japan was industrializing rapidly, meaning dense settlements and infrastructure were exposed to seismic hazard.
On October 28, 1891, in the early morning hours, a powerful earthquake struck the provinces of Mino and Owari in present-day Gifu Prefecture. Registering a surface-wave magnitude of 8.0 and moment magnitude of 7.5, the event caused widespread destruction across the Nōbi Plain, with significant loss of life and extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure.
The earthquake produced many kilometers of visible fault scarps on the Earth's surface, enabling scientists to conduct field investigations that advanced the understanding of fault mechanics and earthquake geology. The disaster prompted improvements in seismological research in Japan and contributed to global scientific knowledge about how inland faults rupture and generate surface breaks.