2011 Japan Tsunami - Shimoakka Fishing Port. (Full Footage)

Video footage recorded by Katsuo Sawaguchi. Upscaled video quality and doubled FPS.
The video was recorded from the Shimoakka-oohashi bridge where National Route 45 and the Akka River intersect.
Mr. Sawaguchi came to the bridge after the earthquake.
After low tide, the arrival of the first tsunami is shown by drastic changes in the wave height. In the far north, over Noda Bay towards the Kuji city, the camera captures huge waves breaking on the shoreline in the distance. When the camera points towards the port, large waves approach it. On the south side of the harbor, the waves roll up the embankment.
The big wave comes ashore with great force and crashes into the harbor. All the fishing boats that were in the port are washed away.
Mr. Sawaguchi stops the recording and evacuates to a nearby hill. Taking refuge, he once again begins to record the state of the town. The days after the tsunami, Mr Sawaguchi records the damage occurred in the Noda area.
Another video recorded from the Shimoakka-oohashi bridge: • 2011 Japan Tsunami - S...
Video recorded from the Akka River: • 2011 Japan Tsunami - A...
Duration: 13:39
Format: SD Video
Location: Shimoakkao Bridge, Dai 2 Chiwari Tamagawa, Noda.

[@leatheredlife4861]

5:24 Maybe the most impressive shots i ever saw of a tsunami wave. Here for 1-2 seconds you really get an impression of its size and power

[@SC-jh9qp]

Like some ravening monster coming towards you.

[@TESTDRIVEONBOARD]

Really impressive!!

[@Wayner71]

Yes. That is the rarest footage of all. That immense wall of water is the thing of legend.

[@NowInAus]

That wall of water was terrifying. Amazing how little scouring of the river bed though, as if the pressure just pinned the rocks down.

[@matthewfors114]

@@NowInAus for a split second it almost looks like a great surfing wave, then it crashes and u see its power

[@sharonhutchison5923]

I have watched just about every video there is on this disaster. That wave, acted different in every place it demolished. It was like it had a special treat for each location. Brewing and bubbling. Some places that got hit, the wave was just one big wave. Other places it came in smaller waves, each one deeper than the last. The rise of the ocean coming at you full speed Some, were white water top waves that looked as if they were angry. Jumping and lashing at the coast line. In a hurry to devour. Mass destruction. My heart goes out to those that lived through that horrific day. And my thanks to everyone that helped these people pick up the pieces of what was left of their lives. All countries and nations that offered a hand up was noble and much appreciated by all Im sure. Peace be with you

[@GroovyCODM]

it usually depends on the place it hits, the topography and whether is an harbour ..etc

[@augustgade7084]

@@GroovyCODM and also the refraction around points and whatnot

[@jpmtlhead39]

Actualy there were 2 massive waves that it all the coast line.

[@flaneur5560]

@@jpmtlhead39 The waves aren't important, it's what's behind them - a huge slab of water shifting fast over the earth. Normal waves the water doesn't move.

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@flaneur5560 the waves aren't important,you say. Well,you are very wrong my friend. In 2004 in the Indian Ocean Tsunami,you have several footages,were you can see the tsunami created waves hitting the shore line with such power,that took everyone by surprise. In Sri Lanka were the death toll was the 2nd highest,the shore line was hit,not by 1 or 2,but by 7 massive waves,the sames ones that cause such death toll. You have that 'famous " footage,were you see a Passenger train,completely Wrecked because the railway line os running by the shore line,and in Manny accounts of survivers,everyone Said the same,the train was hit directly by a huge wave But iam gonna tell the difference beetween both Tsunamis ( the 2004 One,and the 2011 One). I know the ocean very well. I was in the navy for 3 years,and i surf for the last 42 years. This to say that the waves on the 2004 tsunami,were Devastating for 2 reasons,1 st there were several waves ( in 2011 in Japan,were only 2 massive waves) hitting the shoreline directly (were in that part of the World the majorety of people lives, then the death toll being just Horrible), and the 2nd reason,its one thing that calls for Continental ocean shelf. In the area of the 2004 tsunami ,the continental ocean shelf its very deep,without obstacles until suddendly its the Reefs and the water rises very high ,and creates massive waves,wich combined with an highly density populated shore line,its the perfect recipie for disaster,wich unfortunably happened. In Japan that doesnt happen,the continental ocean shelf,dont have any osbtacles,dont have any kind of barrier between the ocean and the shore line. Thats the difference between those 2 huge tsunamis. In Japan the rise of the ocean floor made possible for the ocean have Run free and entered the coast line,and far beyond In relation to waves,you say that the water dont moves ...well iam asking you now,when a big waves breaks on the beach,what do you think that happens to all that water?? It just cant Stay there,for sure??? Look i live in Portugal near the town of Nazaré,wich have the biggest waves in the world,rising 30 metera above the ocean. They are realy Monsters . But being there by yourself,its when you realize the true dimenson of those very,very high and Massive waves. And when you see and ear One 25mts high wave breaking,its a very special and Scary fealing . And again,a 25,30mts high wave breaks,and what do you think that happens to all of those millions of liters of water...they dont Stay there,do they ??? And the same applies to any size of wave. So Next time,just tell what you think that happens,and dont say that the water doesnt move,ok man,because its a very "stup.." answer..

[@Moose6340]

This is the first 2011 Tohoku video I've seen that showed a massive breaking wave like that. Most of the others, the water just...appears. And keeps rising. And won't stop. This, you really see the crushing power of that first wave overtopping that seawall like it's nothing. Wow.

[@JohnnyLaps]

Where is it?(time stamp)

[@Moose6340]

@@JohnnyLaps Starting about 5:10 and going on from there.

[@JohnnyLaps]

@@Moose6340 got it.. terrifying

[@amandamorgan2802]

Massive? How big would you say it is? And the seawall?

[@amandamorgan2802]

As the seawall does not look very tall.Nothing to measure it.Thus hard to get an idea.

[@Eltoca21]

To this day, every one of the videos of the tsunami still blow my mind.

[@craigsheffield6546]

7 cubic miles of water was displaced with the thrust of the ocean floor.

[@simonfea2]

It's so bazar to have to wait for disaster. It's so beautiful, waves are relaxing, birds doing bird stuff, then the changes start happening. I've learned a lot from the 2011 tsunamu videos. My area of California is susceptible, so if I hear a warning signal, Im heading up for sure and not taking a stroll at the local marina, or driving over the low San Mateo Bridge.

[@Kraken54321]

Well done the man who filmed this. Recording history. 👏

[@NetzKanal]

Well, but he missed exactly the most interesting moments..

[@SilentKnight43]

@@NetzKanal I look forward to viewing yours.

[@NetzKanal]

@@SilentKnight43 well, if I get the chance...

[@hamonrye9823]

Omg. The initial energy hitting spot was insane. The power of that wave was just crazy to me.

[@deenasmusicbox]

Those breaking waves @5:00 mark are HUGE!!!

[@mikkelhoxer9071]

Yea tsunamies are never a round wave but this one was perfectly round it was kinda satisfying to me

[@Darren-z5l]

What an awesome Coastal perspective from somebody who lives near a different coast! Thank you ever so much. I feel Ive learned much All the best!

[@nitrojunkie9027]

The sheer volume of water that comes in, and then how fast it recedes is mind boggling

[@devoid24]

only for the second wave to come crashing in, as worse as the first!

[@kennyk4134]

And the amount of water it pulls back into the sea is mind boggling too .

[@thefrase7884]

What’s so mind boggling about science?

[@川口順子-y4f]

3.11の地震は日本で起きましたが約1日後、この地震の振動が地球の中を通り、ノルウェーのフィヨルドで1m前後の海面の上昇と下降、異常な潮の流れを起こし、船が流されかける現象が起きました😰（NHKの映像で見ました）地球の自転にも影響を与えたようです。被害が大きくなった理由の1つに1000年に1回という周期の地震だったので文字による記録がほとんど無く津波や地震の痕跡も時と共に消えてしまったからでした😞最近では地震が無い場所でも大規模なダムなどの人工物や人間の活動により局地的に誘発地震が起きる事が知られるようになりました（wikiで中国のダムで起きた、と書かれてました）地震に限らず、自分が住んでいる場所の災害の歴史に関心を持って命や財産を守る事に繋がるように心から願います。

[@davide.b8027]

The ocean is such a scary thing. Silent, moving, powerful and deadly.

[@carrisasteveinnes1596]

I've never seen this footage. Some of the best I've seen so far.

[@rozetcyril8912]

Cela fait 11 ans que cela c'est produit,, toujours aussi impressionnant et effrayant.

[@mandyashley8575]

No matter how long has passed something so tragic and horrific will never lessen in that way.

[@coolkanchu9598]

My three close friends and their whole families including a new born child lost their lives that day.

[@EmmaDee]

So sorry to hear about this. I am fascinated by how the sea or water will pull out then she comes rushing back In

[@vanguard9067]

I am very sorry for your loss. I am sure they leave a big hole in your heart.

[@libertylost8286]

I am glad they ran away from the incoming wave. Does anyone know where to find an other video of this town and the wave that hit it? I can see the water mark along the rocks, so I can assume the wave was that high. The person filming had to run, and was only able to film after the wave started to recede. I would like to see the wave at its highest. It is interesting to see the wave types, throughout all these tsunami videos. As someone pointed out, this is a view of the wave, that didn’t show itself in other places. It didn’t seem to drain the shoreline, as much as it had in other cities, in the beginning, yet the initial wave was huge. It wasn’t until after the first wave, the shoreline emptied out. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@brettlejeune7009]

I haven't seen very many videos where they show you the water receding like that, or the after affect. I lived with hurricanes for all my life and the tidal surge from them is very similar just a little slower coming and going

[@PrimevalDemon]

Oh god seeing it form really puts it in a entirely new context

[@twitteringothers5059]

The scene at the harbour was one of the recurring scenes of the East Tohoku tsunami played by the media in the days following the tsunami. It was definitely ones of the first I saw.

[@GuguSilva.]

Impressionante... A força da água é absurda

[@juttaweise]

un metre cube d'agua pese 1 Ton! La il y a des millions de tons.

[@kyleparker733]

Those birds, at the beginning, were trying to warn them of what they saw coming.

[@mikeshackelford7743]

Thank you for that spot on translation. I was wondering what all their chatter was about.

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

Yeah, they were like "wrah what wrha". Obvious translation 😆

[@Harrier20153]

Caring for life is important. Follow the instructions given. Save yourself, family and children. Always be patient and helpful to others

[@vanguard9067]

Yes, please.

[@martinwhalley3286]

The perspective that close and that height, you can see the massive undulations of the surface

[@tastycake37]

This the 1st time I seen the define shape and size of a tsunami wave! Great video

[@deadmeat_0152]

its amazing that some of that debris is still hitting west coast of America.

[@giseliselzler2738]

Como é triste ver a água destruir tudo que encontra pelo caminho! Com a natureza não se brinca.

[@johnwolf2829]

it would be interesting to see what it looks like today

[@christianengest7283]

First time i heard no sirens warning about a tsunami Erie silence so spooky

[@Beemer917]

Whenever I watch these, I always think at the beginning of the video before the wave hits oh, okay 18,000 people are still alive, and then when the video is over I think and now they're all gone. These videos are so sad but at the same time it makes me think of the 120,000 gone in Ukraine. I think we could do a lot more as human beings.

[@123danvc]

I KNOW FROM FILMING AS BAD AS THE FOOTAGE MAY APPEAR, IT’S NOTHING COMPARED TO THOSE THAT WITNESSES IT IN PERSON! THE JAPANESE ARE TRULY A STRONG PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH A CATACLYSMIC EVENT LIKE THIS AND TO GO ON AND REBUILD THEIR COUNTRY AND PERSEVERE WITH THEIR LOSSES. PRAYERS TO COUNTRY OF THE RISING SUN.

[@dennisnickoloff1723]

Imagine seeing almost everything you know obliterated in an instant

[@melodiefrances3898]

Ikr? 🥺😱💔

[@c.f.pedraza4057]

Supposedly, when the 2004 Indonesian earthquake struck, the island closest to ground zero had a 100' wave that blot out the sun. The aftermath photos and pics of before and after were shocking. No footage was recorded of that wave, nothing came out of that area except a few survivors. I just can't imagine a tsunami wave bigger than the 5:20 wave.

[@jakemoeller7850]

What a horrifying event!

[@Jdwify]

Don't underestimate the power of the ocean.

[@ronfullerton3162]

For all the things we have accomplished as humans, we are still at the mercy to Mother Nature. We have somewhat learned to live with some of her fury, but she still rules.

[@cryingforbread]

Ive never seen the first part before

[@nikoflow_fm9541]

yeah same the first two minutes is new

[@2011JapanTsunamiArchives]

Yes, the first part I think was a few days before the tsunami.

[@MVCvevasI]

Or the last one

[@GorgyPorgy65]

Are the birds normally that noisy ?

[@louielouiepks]

Notice how it went from choppy to flat calm.

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

Shit got real! You could feel the energization of the sea in the moments crescendoing in crash crash.

[@joejohnson3988]

I've watched a lot of this tsunami video and i am always left feeling the same; a sense of awe about how cruel nature can be and how resilient humans are.

[@hugolafhugolaf]

Yet humans can be cruel and nature resilient!

[@Gfysimpletons]

“The ocean,,,,,,she was angry that day”

[@TheDudeV1]

Wish these videos had sub titles or that I knew Japanese

[@chadhOneAtl]

The power displayed. You think it will eventually stop but it just keeps coming and rising and it won’t stop.

[@b.murenthaler]

Amazing Natural Power ! 👍

[@frankcanzanella6753]

Maybe Japan can explore the sea bed to find where the possible landslides could happen. If the landslides could be triggered prematurely then maybe a more serious tsunami can be avoided.

[@vanguard9067]

The tsunami was a result of the 9.0 Tōhoku (Great East Japan) Earthquake. While there may have been subsea landslides as a result, the earthquake provided nearly all of the energy to cause the tsunami. Given Japan’s location on the Ring of Fire, more large earthquakes are inevitable. The only solution appears to be moving people out of the tsunami zone. Seawalls are likely cost prohibitive. I found this on Wikipedia in case you’re interested: “The earthquake moved Honshu 2.4 m (8 ft) east, shifted the Earth on its axis by estimates of between 10 cm (4 in) and 25 cm (10 in), increased Earth's rotational speed by 1.8 µs per day… Initially, the earthquake caused sinking of part of Honshu's Pacific coast by up to roughly a metre, but after about three years, the coast rose back and then kept on rising to exceed its

[@fiodarkliomin1112]

The Japanese are a great nation !!! They are withstanding after such a horrific disaster !

[@moiracneill6478]

The thing is they expected a meter high tsunami. I think so many did because the slumping of land, created a massive underwater wave, which deflected by the ocean topogrsphy, into extra ordinary water forms. Totally out of the blue disaster.

[@kwazimokava]

When that first wave came in the sucked it right back out...i knew there was a more devastating one to follow but this footage only showed the first wave...

[@kellyjoiner4418]

That was crazy weird 🌞

[@kwazimokava]

@@kellyjoiner4418 yes very much so👍

[@kellyjoiner4418]

@Kwazimo Kava Forgive the rambling, cuz I know I do it.. The wave comes in, and keeps going, as far as it can possibly be pushed. And stops. Then takes the exact same path back to where it came from. It seems to have a purpose. It's just kinda "bugga bugga" to me, if you know what I mean. I'm not crazy, although you're probably thinking that 😆 just sayin is all. 🌞

[@kwazimokava]

@@kellyjoiner4418 no its ok...its good to hear other peoples opinions as it helps create questions👍😊

[@kellyjoiner4418]

@Kwazimo Kava I've never looked at it that way, thanks for that. Enjoy your weekend. If it is actually the weekend where you're at. 🌞

[@donramonramirez5141]

En minutos lo perdieron todo ... Pobre gente 😢😢 Aunque viendo el video, el desastre fue menor a otros sitios ... 😞😞😞🇦🇷

[@martinwhalley3286]

If you have the ability to zoom into this recording, you can see the 100s of bodies left as the water came to an outgoing trickle

[@kyleatkinson978]

If you think you are high enough, go higher.

[@SantiMoreno-qk3gk]

5:25 that wave is huge

[@andybrown6981]

how tall you reckon that first wave? I reckon 18-20 feet when it was curling ...

[@fiodarkliomin1112]

The Japanese are a great nation !!! They are withstanding after so a horrific disaster !

[@so.0428]

Thank you for your kindess.12 years have passed since then. Although there's a long way to go, people of the affected areas are doing best to rebuild their town, and it has so progressed. We Japanese thanks for the support and kindness form people all over the world since then! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXKkkKpsg5Jjidk

[@ahmadyoung1732]

Is this place far away from the epicentrum ? The tsunami not too huge.

[@TheOnlyKontrol]

I watch this ever so often thinking what some of use in the Pacific north west will most likely need to deal with one day. Hopefully not anytime soon…

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

Pffft. Can't be soon enough in some cases. 🤣

[@denickite]

I think Aberdeen would be a mess to get out of and all the little towns like Ocean Shores. The traffic would be a impossible to get to safety.

[@starcrib]

Better have a REAL PLAN- THE GEOGRAPHICAL RECORD KNOWS IT'S PRECISELY OVER DUE- 👌🏻 THIS IS REAL .

[@juttaweise]

@@starcrib I just saw a video of the main offices of the red cross Japan. As the earth was shaking like mad, they were preparing already for the aftermath. It was incredible to see. There was an army of people preparing everything for all the victims to be! Very impressive.

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

So what is the update on the aftermath?

[@misaeire]

The sea gulls /birds ,were sounding the alarm fir a ling time before any human alarms

[@kenholt8297]

For some reason you kept focusing on the sky, why? All the action was in the water!

[@patosullivan8391]

Too sad ❤

[@Shogun459]

He dropped the Camera at the height of the waves. They all seem to do this.

[@dannyh8288]

I remember this even though I was a kid. Very tragic. I never did find out if any Americans were killed. I hope not.

[@lostfound9264]

Funny you can hear the birds but there are no sirens for the latest oceanic events 🙄

[@drew65sep]

4:59 mark...Bigfoot peeking at you hiding in the rocks.

[@hamanncorporation1993]

I know the moment where I had seen the Tsunami in TV Live 2011. I was shocked and my thoughts were at peoples like the Kids and Old Peoples...It makes me so sad...We all can only hope, that never happen this again!!! I had listened experts said, this extrem happen in all 500-1000Years!

[@hollybosworth7652]

The footage on this film says right on it 2011 which I thought that that was correct cuz I've seen them all

[@karenholladay2612]

I heard no sirens or warnings of any kind. 🙁

[@JLange642]

I also thought, "Where are the tsunami warnings and sirens?" Nothing like the many other videos I have seen.

[@Idkwhtpsipto]

4:55

[@vanguard9067]

So peaceful, then complete destruction.

[@TheMusicHeals.kjhjhhg]

shaky cameras make me wanna throw up. why focus on rock instead of the GIANT wave coming in?

[@cliveocnacuwenga4615]

I SAY AGAIN, there is NO NEED for houses to be overtopped by the TSUNAMI nor is there any need for the massive EVACUATIONS. There will be another TSUNAMI soon, will you be ready and will the new houses be overtopped?

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

Noda..?

[@IInvictus]

The sea was angry on that day.

[@sanchopancho9536]

10m or 15m?

[@dukai8350]

4:31 you can see what's coming

[@ken244]

I had a weird thought, what if this is mother nature saying stop pillaging her oceans

[@cliveocnacuwenga4615]

GIVE me a contract to build one residentiaI facility. I would gladly remain in it during the occurrence of the TSUNAMI.

[@frankorobinson1540]

Mother nature is a force,to all the Japanese souls lost and i prey for the survivors and there loss.

[@vwgolf9826]

Surfs up boys.

[@zumurudlilit]

There is one thing I don’t understand. I mean Japanese people know they have tsunamis. The hills are just about. I know it is easier to built on the flat terrain but - seriously? Port is one thing but homes schools and so on should be built on hills.

[@ahad2k11]

Look up San Francisco and get back to me

[@vincenthalas7055]

One of the rare days when whales were safe in Japanese waters.

[@briantones5993]

The start of this video was great, then it went everywhere, up in sky all Shakey , really disappointing video

[@bubismaa1797]

wenn sich seevögel anders verhalten als gewohnt, wäre ich schon alarmiert und würde den höchsten berg erklimmen !!!

[@lakelandpiper8400]

Every person who has/had family in Nanking China during the Japanese orgy of rape, torture, and murder is smiling watching this footage. Two thumbs up for Karma and Mother Nature.

[@Benji-jj2bg]

Noone affected by this wave had anything to do with that idiot.

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

Are you seriously that imbecillic? Nature had nothing to do with the evils perpetrated by previous generations, and "karma" is BS. 🙄🙄🙄

[@cryingforbread]

almost none of those people that did those horrible things are alive today, and even if some are alive, theyd be living in another part of japan. this is iwate, having a coast filled with villages with people that couldnt even get out because it was surrounded by mountains.

[@隆二野呂田]

撮影者さん何で逃げないのかな。こういう津波には慣れてた？ならいいけど。

[@ikhlaspasrah4749]

Sangat sedih

[@gatorshd]

Sad sad day

[@olegschwarz6856]

Стороннему зрителю сразу-то и не понять - ну море и море, вроде ничо особенного. А японцы-то они уже глаз пристрелявши. Сразу схватывають. Корэ-ва фукудзасу дэс. Маэ кара о-мэ-ни то омоттэ имасита... Ну, в смысле, валить надо, пока не поздно.

[@elainekayes8087]

All that pollution 😢

[@mariof.3711]

Y el mar le cobró a Japón sólo un poco del inmenso daño que le han hecho a la vida marina en el mundo.

[@geiser2391]

Surfers would fucking die for waves like that oops probably the wrong word to describe that my bad do my my....

[@mariadelahuertavegahita5660]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@titanium8601]

Bro I could surf that 5:24

[@lesliesanderson1300]

🙏

[@laakona8381]

Only YOU, can stop Plate Tectonics!

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

🤣🤣🤣

[@vikkimcewen]

I wonder how tall was that 1st wave

[@dwightmcqueen5771]

Lol he has no respect for his majesty

[@jeffstewart8966]

❤❤

[@patriley9501]

Clandestine warfare 🤔

[@yassassin6425]

No, something called nature.

[@patriley9501]

@@yassassin6425or the nature of man.

[@davidbrothers3788]

Ask them if they feel like a threat to the planet this week

[@craigb8228]

WE WILL REBUILD TO POLLUTE AGAIN.