M4.6 Earthquake 7 km SE of Shimotsuke, Japan — July 29, 2023
2023-07-29 10:34:12 UTC (2023-07-29) · approx. 7:34 PM UTC+9 local
Felt by 36 people across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.8 mainshock.
On July 29, 2023 at 10:34 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck 7 km SE of Shimotsuke, Japan, at a depth of 84.3 km and coordinates 36.3664°, 139.9253°. This earthquake was detected by 93 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 339, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.8 mainshock that occurred 4 days ago 4 km N of Toride, Japan. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in Japan, a region characterized by the intersection of four tectonic plates — Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American — creating multiple subduction zones. The nearest mapped fault system is the Japan Trench. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 36 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
139.9253°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Shimotsuke, Japan?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 7 km SE of Shimotsuke, Japan on July 29, 2023 at 10:34 UTC had a depth of 84.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.3664°, 139.9253°, which is 7 km SE of Shimotsuke, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.8 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.8 mainshock that occurred earlier 4 km N of Toride, Japan. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Has Japan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Japan was the M9.1 Tohoku earthquake of March 11, 2011. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000kwhi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, July 29, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 7 km SE of Shimotsuke, Japan — July 29, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kwhi/