The 1923 Kanto earthquake (M_J=7.9) has great significance for seismic hazard assessments of the Tokyo metropolitan area, because it caused extensive damage to the area. To deepen our understanding of the strong ground motion of the Kanto earthquake, this paper reviewed studies on its observed strong ground motion and found that 1) seismic intensity VI on the Japanese scale (IX or X on the M. M. scale) was widely distributed in an area of approximately 8,000 km², which is equivalent of that of the 2011 M9 Tohoku earthquake, 2) strong effects of soil amplification on ground motion were suggested by the correlation of the damage distribution with surface geology, 3) the restoration of the scaled-out seismogram indicated that the ground motion at the upland of Tokyo would be roughly 50 cm/s for maximum velocity and 50 cm for maximum displacement, and 4) the ground motion in the epicentral area is unclear, but would be roughly twice or more as strong as that at Tokyo.

1. [1] M. Takeo and H. Kanamori, “Simulation of Long-Period Ground Motions for the 1923 Kanto Earthquake (M ≈8),” Bulletin of the Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Vol.67, No.4, pp. 389-436, 1992.
2. [2] H. Nagahara and S. Midorikawa, “Re-evaluation of Strong Motion Generation Area of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake Based on Detailed Damage Distribution,” Proc. of the Annual Meeting of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering, pp. 292-293, 2005 (in Japanese).
3. [3] T. Kakimi, Y. Kinugasa, and M. Kimura, “Neotectonic Map Tokyo,” Geological Survey of Japan, 1973 (in Japanese).
4. [4] A. Imamura, “The Great Kwanto (S. E. Japan) Earthquake of Sept. 1, 1923,” Report of the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee, No.100-D, pp. 21-65, 1925 (in Japanese).
5. [5] Japan Meteorological Agency, “Seismic Intensity Database” (in Japanese). https://www.data.jma.go.jp/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html [Accessed March 1, 2023]
6. [6] Central Meteorological Observatory, “Isoseismal Maps of Large Earthquakes,” Earthquake Observation Methods, pp. 9.1-9.5, 1952 (in Japanese).
7. [7] H. Miura and S. Midorikawa, “Destructive Ground Motion Areas Based on Isoseismal Maps of Damaging Earthquakes after the 1995 Kobe Earthquake,” J. of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering, Vol.16, No.1, pp. 64-73, 2016 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.5610/jaee.16.2_64
8. [8] K. Suyehiro, “Engineering Seismology, Note on American Lectures,” Proc. of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol.58, No.4, 110pp., 1932.
9. [9] T. Morioka, “The Ground Motion of the Great Kwanto Earthquake of 1923,” Trans. of Architectural Institute of Japan, No.289, pp. 79-91, 1980.
10. [10] A. Imamura, “Diary on Great Earthquake Survey,” Earthquake Lectures, pp. 135-291, 1924 (in Japanese).
11. [11] A. Imamura, “Note on Our Seismometrical Improvements,” Bulletin of the Earthquake Research Institute, Vol.1, pp. 7-25, 1926 (in Japanese).
12. [12] S. Midorikawa and H. Miura, “Seismogram of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake at Hongo, Tokyo by One-Magnification Strong-Motion Seismograph,” Proc. of the Annual Meeting of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering, Paper No.B-5-5, 2020 (in Japanese).
13. [13] H. Yokota, S. Kataoka, T. Tanaka, and S. Yoshizawa, “Estimation of Long-Period Ground Motion of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake,” J. of Structural and Construction Engineering (Trans. of AIJ), Vol.401, pp. 35-45, 1989 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.3130/aijsx.401.0_35
14. [14] S. Midorikawa, H. Miura, and M. Yamada, “Interpretation of Ewing Seismogram of the 1923 Kanto, Japan Earthquake at Tokyo,” Proc. of the 17th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, Paper No.1d-0025, 9pp., 2021.
15. [15] S. Midorikawa, H. Miura, and M. Yamada, “Analysis of Seismogram of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake at Tokyo by Ewing Strong-Motion Seismograph Part 2 Examination of Characteristics of Seismograph and Estimation of Ground Motion,” J. of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering, Vol.22, Issue 1, pp. 16-35, 2022 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.5610/jaee.22.1_16
16. [16] T. Kashima, S. Koyama, and I. Okawa, “Strong Motion Records in Buildings from the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake,” Proc. of the Int. Symp. on Engineering Lessons Learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, pp. 297-304, 2012 (in Japanese).
17. [17] F. Omori, “Investigation on the 1894 Great Nobi Earthquake,” Bulletin of the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee, Vol.28, pp. 75-95, 1899 (in Japanese).
18. [18] N. Mononobe, “General Reports on the Damage to Public Civil Engineering Works Caused by the Great Earthquake,” Report of the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee, No.100-D, pp. 1-65, 1925 (in Japanese).
19. [19] S. Nakamura, “On the Earthquake Occurred in the Bay of Sagami and Destroyed Tokyo, Yokohama and their Vicinities on September 1st., 1923,” The Seismological Bulletin of the Central Meteorological Observatory of Japan, Vol.1, No.4, 66pp., 1925 (in Japanese).
20. [20] M. Miyano, “Some Investigations on the Seismic Intensity Supposed from Overturning of Gravestones, Damages of Wooden Houses and Others,” Proc. of the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers, No.319, pp. 33-42, 1982 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.2208/jscej1969.1982.319_33
21. [21] S. Nakamura, “Future Earthquake in Kanto Seismic Zone,” Min-yusha Press, 154pp., 1924 (in Japanese).
22. [22] Y. Abe, “A Personal Experience of the Great Earthquake in the Village of Kugenuma Near Kamakura,” Report of the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee, No.100-A, pp. 333-338, 1925 (in Japanese).
23. [23] O. Nakamura, “Great Kanto Earthquake and Fujisawa,” Fujisawa-city Source Book 36, Fujisawa-city Record Office, pp. 2-20, 2012 (in Japanese).
24. [24] C. Ito, “Damage of Buildings under Special Protection,” The 1923 Great Earthquake and Fire Magazine, pp. 120-123, 1924 (in Japanese).
25. [25] S. Midorikawa and H. Miura, “Upthrow of Objects during Recent Earthquakes in Japan,” Proc. of the 5th Int. Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, pp. 217-222, 2010.
26. [26] K. Fujimoto and S. Midorikawa, “Empirical Method for Estimating J.M.A. Instrumental Seismic Intensity from Ground Motion Parameters Using Strong Motion Records during Recent Major Earthquakes,” J. of Institute of Social Safety Science, Vol.7, pp. 241-246, 2005 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.11314/jisss.7.241