英語訳
The Tora Year of Kaei 7 (1854)
Regarding the recent great earthquake, thunder, and fires, to inform various places【Left corner】
【Following large frame】
Detailed local investigation through express messengers Great Earthquake Though there are slight differences in each province and region, it was generally an earthquake at the same time and of the same nature
From the 14th day of the 6th month there were earthquakes, on the 21st at sunset there was another shake, at the 8th hour of night another shake - in total, approximately 275 great earthquakes over 8 days
【Following two-column format】
【Upper section】
Yamato Province, Nara
【Illustration of collapsed houses in lower right corner】
On the night of the 14th day of the 6th month at half past the 9th hour, shaking began, both large and small tremors occurred repeatedly. From the 6th hour of morning for about half an hour, great earthquakes shook. Nara's outskirts collapsed here and there as shown in the illustration. At that time, not a single person could remain inside houses; everyone spent the night in fields or at Kofuku-ji Temple and other wide open spaces. To the south, all of Shimizu-dori, about ten houses from Kitsuji crossroads collapsed. The Naruto-cho area was completely destroyed. North-west Kai-dori, North Handa West Town north and south greatly collapsed, Kawakubo-cho, Hosokawa-cho, Kitamuko-cho, North Furo Tsujiko-cho - these areas particularly suffered great collapse. Dead: approximately 130 people, injured: countless.
Koriyama in the same province Dead: approximately 75 people, many injured
From the 8th hour of night on the same 14th day to the 5th hour of morning on the 15th, continuous great earthquakes occurred. Not a single town house remained intact, and of course not a single person could remain indoors. Everyone spent the night in wide open spaces such as fields or in bamboo groves. Not a single person traveled the main roads; everyone closed their gates and it was unclear where anyone had gone. Until evening of the 16th, there were 57 large and small tremors. Every night was spent sleeping outdoors, a sight too terrible to behold. From Yanagi-cho 1st block to 4th block, approximately 75-76 houses collapsed. Other towns suffered similarly.
Furuichi in the same province
【Illustration of houses below】
On the same 14th day at the 8th hour of night, great earthquakes shook repeatedly. From half past the 6th hour of dawn, great earthquakes occurred. Not a single town house remained standing. Some died while inside their houses, some died after reaching their gates - truly pitiful to hear. Some residences and town houses remained, truly a rare and terrifying great earthquake. Dead: approximately 150 adults, 37 children, injured: countless.
Iga Ueno
On the same day at the same time, great earthquakes caused major damage to the castle's main gate entrance. About six-tenths of the city collapsed. Fire broke out from Kagi-no-tsuji to the front of Kuromon, then from a place called Shimanohara to Okawahara, ground fissures created mud seas everywhere, burying those areas - indescribable in writing. By evening of the 16th, there were 57 earthquakes. Dead: approximately over 200, injured: enormous numbers.
Ise Yokkaichi
【Illustration of great fire below】
From the 4th hour of night on the same 14th day, shaking began, with great earthquakes at the 6th hour of dawn. Collapsed houses: approximately over 360. From the 5th hour of day, fires broke out and about 470 houses including collapsed ones burned. Due to great earthquakes plus fires, the number of dead is unknown - approximately over 500 according to local rumors.
【Illustration of lightning above】
On the night of the 20th day of the 6th month, while small earthquakes continued, thunder began after half past evening, both large and small repeatedly. Seven places in the vicinity were struck. The thunder stopped before the 9th hour of the morning of the 21st.
【Lower section】
Settsu Province, Osaka
【Illustration of fleeing people below】
On the 13th day of the 6th month at the 9th hour, earthquakes shook slightly. At the 8th hour of that day, it shook again. On the night of the 14th at half past the 9th hour, great earthquakes began shaking. Osaka's outskirts were damaged here and there, both great temples suffered some collapse and damage. At shrine precincts, stone lanterns and torii gates all collapsed. From about the 5th hour to the 4th hour of morning on the 15th, in the cotton fields near the western Kitano ferry crossing, in flat areas about two houses square, holes about one jo deep opened. Soil fell into them, and muddy black water bubbled up from within. The vicinity became like a mud sea for a while. Everyone was astonished - recording these rare wonders from ancient times to now.
Yamashiro Province, Kyoto
On the night of the 14th day of the 6th month at the 8th hour, great earthquakes shook. The capital was in great uproar, with slight damage to outskirts in all directions. The Higashiyama area and shrines and temples north and south also suffered some damage, but generally similar conditions prevailed. In the vicinity, about seven or eight teahouses on the Takeda road collapsed, and traffic was stopped for a while on the 15th.
From Owari Province's Miya via Saya Highway and also the Nakasendo around Nagoya suffered slight damage. Minojima Bridge, Kiyosu, and areas near Mino Road - the great earthquakes greatly troubled people.
Izumi Province, Sakai: town houses suffered slight damage here and there, about three houses in the outskirts collapsed, about five people died under collapsed houses, some injured. Anryu-cho also suffered slight damage with some injured.
Mikawa Province, Okazaki vicinity
【Illustration of bridge above, labeled Yahagi Bridge in the diagram】
From half past the 7th hour of night on the same 14th day, great earthquakes began shaking. The castle town houses were all devastated, with no one remaining inside houses. Town houses, residences, and storehouses suffered great damage throughout. Outskirts or fields cracked, tens of thousands of people were frightened. Those carrying clothes, gold and silver fled to the great riverbed or wide mountain areas in the vicinity. However, Yahagi Bridge suffered some damage and traffic was temporarily stopped.
Otsu vicinity: at the stone wharf boat landing, large stone lanterns toppled into the lake. The boat station there was similarly affected. Three people died, and over three others were injured, with many damaged locations.
Tanba Kameyama: from about half past the 4th hour of night on the 14th, nearby mountains began roaring, and soon great earthquakes caused houses to collapse violently - a terrifying sight according to people's accounts.
Omi Province Shigaraki: around the same day and time, great earthquakes shook, houses were damaged, particularly storehouses collapsed in great numbers, soil fell and cracked. About 27-28 storehouses toppled, about 250 houses north and south collapsed, injured: countless.
Southern Yamashiro, Kizu
【Illustration of mountain tsunami below】
From half past the 9th hour of night on the same 14th day, black clouds descended everywhere without distinction of direction, stones fell, large rocks and trees blew out from Mount Kasagi. As shown in the illustration, the vicinity became a great flood, with about ten houses at a time collapsing and flowing away. People lost their lives with nowhere to flee, and since this occurred in the middle of the night, it was truly pitiful. The number of dead is still unknown. The water completely receded around the 9th hour on the 15th.
Echizen Fukui
On the 13th day of the 6th month at the 5th hour, fire broke out in Shio-cho and Kajiya-cho areas. Strong winds caused complete burning in all directions, about 200 cho, 100 temples, both Hongan-ji temples burned, about ten nearby places burned. It was subdued at the 4th hour of night. Also from the 8th hour of that night, great earthquakes occurred, fields became mud seas, houses collapsed everywhere. Dead: about 75-76 people. The confusion was truly indescribable. There were repeated great earthquakes until evening of the 16th.