This article is written by a Japanese local.
When a massive earthquake or flood occurs in Japan, the situation that causes the most panic for foreigners is “not knowing where to escape.” Immediately following a disaster, the probability that communication infrastructure will be severed—making internet searches impossible—is extremely high.
Navigating to a safe location relying solely on street signs while facing a language barrier is highly difficult. To prevent fatal behavioral errors caused by panic, this article explains the objective defensive procedures for identifying Japan’s “Designated Evacuation Shelters” during normal times and reliably registering them to your smartphone (Google Maps).
1. Accurately Identifying “Designated Shelters” (The Search Trap)
[Summary] Do not simply search for “Evacuation Shelter” on Google Maps. You must confirm the exact name and address of your assigned “Designated Shelter” on your local ward or city office’s official website.
When preparing for evacuation, searching directly for “Evacuation Shelter” on Google Maps is an unreliable practical procedure. The map may display a mix of temporary gathering points or outdated information.
In Japan, depending on the scale and type of disaster (earthquake vs. flood), the local government officially assigns public elementary/junior high schools or community centers as “Designated Shelters” (Shitei Hinanjyo). The first absolute condition is to visit the disaster prevention page of your local city office (which often supports multiple languages) and objectively identify the “correct shelter name” (e.g., OO Elementary School) assigned to your residential address.
2. Registering on Google Maps and Saving Offline Maps
[Summary] Saving the identified shelter to a Google Maps “List” and simultaneously downloading the “Offline Map” of your neighborhood to prepare for network outages is an essential defensive measure.
Once the correct shelter is identified, you must establish it as infrastructure on your smartphone. Execute the following procedures:
- Save to a List: Search for the target school or park on Google Maps, tap the “Save” button, and create a new dedicated list named “Evacuation.”
- Download Offline Maps: During a disaster, mobile networks (4G/5G) will not connect. Select “Offline maps” from the Google Maps menu and download the map data for a wide area—including your home and the shelter—in advance via Wi-Fi. This ensures that GPS and map functions will operate even without a cellular signal.
3. Physically Walking the Route (Field Verification)
[Summary] Do not just rely on the app’s shortest route. Walk to the shelter during normal times to verify a safe route, avoiding hazards like old concrete block walls or narrow alleys.
The “shortest route” suggested by a smartphone app is not necessarily the safest route during a disaster. Japanese residential areas often feature “old concrete block walls” that easily collapse during earthquakes, or “extremely narrow alleys” where fire trucks cannot enter.
Conduct a field verification by actually walking to the shelter with Google Maps during a bright weekend afternoon. Making the objective judgment to “use a wider main street even if it is a detour because this path is dangerous,” and memorizing that safe route, is the greatest practical defense measure.
4. Practical Q&A (Family Sharing and Office Shelters)
[Summary] It is an objective rule to share the created Google Maps list with all family members’ devices, and to simultaneously register a shelter near your “office (workplace).”
Q. If I get separated from my family, how do we reunite?
A. Phone calls and messaging apps will not function during a disaster. Therefore, establish a clear rule during normal times: “If a major earthquake occurs and we cannot return home, we will meet at the gymnasium of OO Elementary School registered on Google Maps.” It is indispensable to sync the created shelter list to all family members’ smartphones using the app’s sharing feature.
Q. Is it enough to only register the shelter near my home?
A. No, it is insufficient. If an earthquake occurs during a weekday afternoon, transportation infrastructure like trains will completely stop, rendering you unable to return home. Registering not only the shelter near your residence but also the designated shelter near your office (workplace) into Google Maps is an objective defensive procedure for any business person.
Conclusion: Prepare to Break Dependency on Communication Infrastructure
During a disaster in Japan, the assumption that “I will just look it up on my smartphone when it happens” completely collapses. As a roadmap immediately upon relocation, execute the tasks of confirming local government information, pinning the shelter on Google Maps, and downloading the offline map. Securing a reliable escape route that does not depend on communication infrastructure is the ultimate defense measure to protect your life.