Photos from today: Tokyo Earthquake

• Friday, March 11, 2011
• Posted in 2011 Earthquake, Tokyo
• 16 Comments

What a scary day today was for many of us.  I was on the 26th of my office building in Shinjuku.    I have been in Tokyo for a long time and earthquakes are a part of daily life if you live in Japan but this was the scariest one I have ever been in.   Things were flying all over, the giant metal book shelfs were slamming together.   It lasted for such a long time and the building was swaying so with much force.   Everyone grabbed their helmets.  Many hid under their desks.    It was scary to look at out see the building all around you moving.   You can check out the twitter tab on the left of this page to see some of the details as it unfolded.    It took me about 3 hours to walk home tonight.  I’ll be throwing up those pictures shortly so check back.

Thank you to everyone for your calls, SMSs, emails, tweets, etc…  communications are spotty here right now and most of my replies have failed.    Feel free to leave a message here if you want.

A view out of my office building on the 26th Floor in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Piles of change that I had neatly stacked was all over the place.

Books were knocked over….my coat rack actually almost left my office…

 

People start to pile up.  The trains are all shut down and thus begins a mass walking commute for the millions who work in Tokyo.

I had to walk down to the first floor to find the rest of my team.  One wasn’t back from lunch yet and one went out for a smoke.   Smoking might have been good for your health in this instance.

I notice there were paint chips all over the stairs and then noticed that the paint came off all of the weldings on the stairs….

The walls have a ton of cracks in them…

A few of the glass walls on the first floor of our building were shattered….

Groups met outside to account for everyone.   A lot of people also stayed inside.   This is actually the safest place as our building is strong and you can’t get hit from flying debris.

The one thing that was eerie was before each after shock you would see the birds do this…

And then I began my 3 hour trek home… photos coming shortly so check back.

 

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  • January 24, 2012 at 11:51 am, Snowing in Tokyo | ShootTokyo said:

    [...] the next 30 years is 98%.    So the message is basically ‘sooner or later’.   THIS is what Tokyo was like on March 11th last year feeling the shocks of the Tohoku Earthquake that had [...]

  • June 13, 2011 at 11:20 am, Alarmed» Blog Archive » earthquakes with pictures said:

    [...] Photos from today: Tokyo Earthquake | ShootTokyo Mar 11, 2011 … A few shots today from the earthquake that rocked Tokyo and most of Japan. [...]

  • March 18, 2011 at 6:45 am, Nataly said:

    Dave!

    I wish you patience and calmness. We very much worry about all inhabitants of Japan. Very much we sympathize and we pray for you.

    Good luck to you!
    Natalia from Russia

  • March 15, 2011 at 5:48 pm, How animals in Japan acted prior to the EQ and Tsunami | ~II~ THE WATCHTOWERS ~II~ said:

    [...] “The one thing that was eerie was before each after shock you would see the birds do this…” PIC SOURCE [...]

  • March 15, 2011 at 9:16 am, Dave said:

    Thanks for your kind comments John.

  • March 15, 2011 at 8:27 am, Jonathan LaSalle said:

    To Whom it may concern;

    Please be safe, but we thank you for your contribution to the news and for sharing your pictorial collection with us. We have been glued to the TV for updates either through Fox News and/or CNN. This puts a more human outlook to the mood of compatriots knowing that somewhere to the north there has been a caotic and ongoing crisis that will ultimately affect the whole nation and even the world.

    The biggest concern here in Massachusetts is the Nuclear Reactors and the possibility of Radiation coming to America. I leave you now and wish you safety. Take care and be wise. Be well!

    Peace,
    Jonathan LaSalle, Boston, Massachusetts

  • March 12, 2011 at 12:22 pm, Alice&Mark said:

    Thank God you’re o.k.!!!

    We were frantic here in the U.S. =All day!

    We tried calling last night, (your time), but are guessing your communication systems were down. Then we find that our own internet was down=what timing!!!

    We’re glad you have this webcite for commnicating up to date occurrances and pics!

    Our deepest thoughts for your Safety!!!
    We are with you and all those being affected in Japan!!! The Pacific Ring is surely active lately!!! What the ????

    …Thankful for Japanese Architectural engineering!!!!

    U.S. West-Coast structural uilding designs have a lot of catching up to do!!!!

    Be Safe and hugs to everyone!!!

    Your family in the U.S.

  • March 12, 2011 at 7:58 am, Rana said:

    I got this link from Twitter and if you don’t mind I shared it on Facebook. I hope you and your loved ones are all safe. It’s very sad watching this tragedy on the news. My heart goes out to you all.
    Rana
    Egypt

  • March 12, 2011 at 6:20 am, tshepo said:

    hope you guys are safe!!!!! ive been watching news in south africa u are in our prayers

  • March 12, 2011 at 5:05 am, Alicia said:

    WOW, shocking photos! REALLY hit home back here in the states. I was worried about the Tsunami that will be hitting the west coast, mainly San Diego as my son is usually there on base. Fortunately for me he was actually at home in Arkansas on leave when the Tsunami hit the coastline. I’m sure there are many families out there who are experiencing way more grief than I can pahthom right now. So happy that you and your family are safe and together. Prayers and thoughts continue to you and all of Japan.

  • March 12, 2011 at 4:10 am, Dave said:

    Thanks Andrew… Hope all is going well with you and your photography studies…

  • March 12, 2011 at 4:07 am, Andrew Macdonald said:

    Hey Dave,

    I hope you and your family are safe… I have watched all the news footage over here in the UK, and the damage and devastation is almost beyond belief.

    I wish you, your family and all the other people of Japan all the very best.

    Andrew MacDonalt
    United Kingdom

  • March 12, 2011 at 2:26 am, Dave said:

    Thanks so much RJ.

  • March 12, 2011 at 1:46 am, Japan Mega-quake and best wishes | Fighting for Cake said:

    [...] of Chūhai and delving into some epic Halo: Reach Matchmaking, while others, like a blogger over at Shoot Tokyo is busy opening his shutter to record how the earthquakes are currently keeping him awake at [...]

  • March 12, 2011 at 1:24 am, RJ said:

    I hope things are well with you. I will be featuring a link to your photos on my own blog. It’s good to see pictures from today’s events featuring more than death and destruction.

  • March 12, 2011 at 1:12 am, Patty said:

    Glad you’re safe! I’ve been working on checking in with friends and their family, and our colleagues in Japan. Then I remembered to check in with you.