Igniready

Growing some of your own food: containers, community gardens and soil safety | Igniready

2026-11-01T20:40:00+09:00

Growing some of your own food: containers, community gardens and soil safety | Igniready

Starting with containers (sun, drainage, potting mix, watering), community gardens and Japan's citizen farms, testing garden soil for lead and EPA's advice by lead level, and not planting toxic look-alikes such as daffodils next to chives.

Cooking for a crowd: planning and food safety for big batches | Igniready

2026-11-01T20:30:00+09:00

Cooking for a crowd: planning and food safety for big batches | Igniready

USDA's volunteer guide to cooking for groups, the current safe minimum temperatures, the 2-hour and 1-hour rules, cooling, reheating and transport, plus Japanese disaster-cooking numbers for how much rice to cook and what not to serve.

Choosing a campsite: flash floods, dead branches, wind and rockfall | Igniready

2026-11-01T20:20:00+09:00

Choosing a campsite: flash floods, dead branches, wind and rockfall | Igniready

Where to pitch and where not to, from the National Park Service, NOAA and Japan's river authorities: dry washes and sandbars, hazard trees, rockfall, wind and lightning, a five-direction check, the three knots for pitching, and drying your tent before storage.

Sleeping warm: sleeping bag temperature ratings and sleeping pad R-values | Igniready

2026-11-01T20:10:00+09:00

Sleeping warm: sleeping bag temperature ratings and sleeping pad R-values | Igniready

What the comfort, limit and extreme ratings on a sleeping bag mean (ISO 23537-1), how pad R-values are tested (ASTM F3340) and why stacked pads add up, how altitude lowers the temperature, Japan's shelter bed lessons, and avoiding low-temperature burns.

Disaster camping: Japan's habit of practicing a night without power, water or gas | Igniready

2026-11-01T20:00:00+09:00

Disaster camping: Japan's habit of practicing a night without power, water or gas | Igniready

Japanese schools and families practice for disasters by spending a night on camping gear and stored supplies. What those programs do, how the idea fits Ready.gov and Red Cross advice, how to start with a few hours, a one-night checklist, and the safety rules.

Disaster drills as games: ShakeOut, CERT, kids' preparedness games and Japan's disaster sports days | Igniready

2026-11-01T12:20:00+09:00

Disaster drills as games: ShakeOut, CERT, kids' preparedness games and Japan's disaster sports days | Igniready

Preparedness sticks better when people practice it. The Great ShakeOut earthquake drills, CERT's disaster simulation, FEMA and Red Cross games for kids, folk games for tsunami awareness in Viet Nam, and Japan's disaster-prevention sports days and PLAY BOSAI program, where bucket relays, blanket stretchers and smoke crawls become team events.

Play and sport after disasters: what the Red Cross, UNICEF and the research say | Igniready

2026-11-01T12:10:00+09:00

Play and sport after disasters: what the Red Cross, UNICEF and the research say | Igniready

Shared activities, from games to sport, help people cope after disasters. What the Red Cross Red Crescent psychosocial centre and UNICEF say about play and child-friendly spaces, what a 2026 systematic review found on sport-based interventions, and how Japan encourages gentle exercise in evacuation shelters.

Mölkky: the Finnish throwing game that brings all ages together, and how Japan used it after the Noto earthquake | Igniready

2026-11-01T12:00:00+09:00

Mölkky: the Finnish throwing game that brings all ages together, and how Japan used it after the Noto earthquake | Igniready

Mölkky is a simple Finnish throwing game: knock down numbered wooden skittles and hit exactly 50 points. Official rules from the International Mölkky Organisation, why it suits mixed ages, and how towns in Japan's earthquake-hit Noto region have used tournaments and community salons to bring people together.

1. What organized camp is | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:50:00+09:00

1. What organized camp is | Igniready

What makes a camp an 'organized camp': the American Camp Association's definition, how voluntary accreditation differs from state licensing, what ACA standards cover, and what ACA's research found campers gain. With Japan's equivalent definition for comparison.

2. A short history of organized camping | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:40:00+09:00

2. A short history of organized camping | Igniready

How organized camping began and grew: the Gunnery Camp in 1861, the first YMCA and Scout camps, ACA's founding, Outward Bound in 1941, NOLS in 1965 and Project Adventure in 1971, with Japan's early camps for comparison.

3. Leave No Trace and campfires | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:30:00+09:00

3. Leave No Trace and campfires | Igniready

Why camps aim for minimal impact, the themes of Leave No Trace's seven principles, and how to think about campfires as both culture and hazard.

4. Risk management (1): planning | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:20:00+09:00

4. Risk management (1): planning | Igniready

Risk management for camp leaders: why the goal is control, not zero risk; near misses and root causes; Heinrich's 1:29:300 triangle and its critics; ACA supervision ratios and staff ages; and emergency action plans.

5. Risk management (2): on site | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:10:00+09:00

5. Risk management (2): on site | Igniready

Safety during camp: lightning (When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors), constant supervision around water, allergies and epinephrine, who may give medications, and a step-by-step response when something goes wrong.

6. Understanding campers and including everyone | Igniready

2026-11-01T11:00:00+09:00

6. Understanding campers and including everyone | Igniready

Good programs start with the campers: matching activities to age and experience, general developmental tendencies, and including campers with disabilities under the ADA's individualized-assessment principle.

7. The leader's roles, communication and child protection | Igniready

2026-11-01T10:50:00+09:00

7. The leader's roles, communication and child protection | Igniready

The camp leader's two roles, counseling and operations; communicating clearly (and what Mehrabian's 7-38-55 numbers really mean); and child protection, using CDC's six components and ACA's screening practices.

8. Group development and growth | Igniready

2026-11-01T10:40:00+09:00

8. Group development and growth | Igniready

How camp groups change over time, from Tuckman's forming-storming-norming-performing (and adjourning) to practical leader moves; the Johari window for feedback; and why the comfort-zone model is best used as a metaphor.

9. Observing and recording | Igniready

2026-11-01T10:30:00+09:00

9. Observing and recording | Igniready

Why camp staff keep records, four ways of writing them, principles such as confidentiality, what to observe, and three common record forms.

10. Camp and environmental education | Igniready

2026-11-01T10:20:00+09:00

10. Camp and environmental education | Igniready

Camp as a foundation for environmental education: the Tbilisi Declaration's goals, NAAEE and EPA definitions, the 1972 Stockholm conference, the SDGs, and Earth Overshoot, with ideas for 'think globally, act locally' at camp.

11. Claims to check before you repeat them | Igniready

2026-11-01T10:10:00+09:00

11. Claims to check before you repeat them | Igniready

Popular camp-leadership claims to check before repeating: '7% words', Heinrich's exact ratio, the 'first' camp, the comfort-zone 'model', how many studies Tuckman reviewed, and old statistics.

Home preparedness checklist: monthly, twice a year and yearly (printable) | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:50:00+09:00

Home preparedness checklist: monthly, twice a year and yearly (printable) | Igniready

A printable checklist for keeping your home ready: test smoke alarms monthly, practice your escape plan twice a year, replace stored water every 6 months, check CO detectors, extinguishers, fuel, furniture straps and your kit every year. Each item links to the article with its source. Nothing you check is saved or sent.

Hiking water calculator: body weight × hours × 5 | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:40:00+09:00

Hiking water calculator: body weight × hours × 5 | Igniready

How much water to drink on a hike, from a simple formula published by Japan's Hokkaido Government: water (ml) = body weight (kg) × hours of activity × 5. Enter pounds or kilograms. With a worked-examples table; everything is calculated in your browser.

Emergency toilet bag calculator (people × uses per day × days) | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:30:00+09:00

Emergency toilet bag calculator (people × uses per day × days) | Igniready

How many emergency toilet bags and toilet paper rolls to keep, using Japan's government guideline of 5 to 6 uses per person per day for 7 days. With a worked-examples table. Everything is calculated in your browser.

Carrying a knife in Japan: the 6 cm rule and what counts as a legitimate reason | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:20:00+09:00

Carrying a knife in Japan: the 6 cm rule and what counts as a legitimate reason | Igniready

Knives are among the Ten Essentials, but Japan restricts carrying them. Its weapons law bans carrying a blade over 6 cm without work or another legitimate reason, and a separate law covers concealed blades of any length. Self-defense, convenience or fashion don't count. What police say about camping, and how to transport a camp knife.

Treating water in the backcountry: boiling, filters, chemicals and UV compared | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:10:00+09:00

Treating water in the backcountry: boiling, filters, chemicals and UV compared | Igniready

Even a clear mountain stream isn't safe to drink untreated. What each method does against bacteria, viruses and parasites according to CDC and NPS: boiling kills everything, most filters stop parasites but not viruses, chemicals miss some parasites, UV needs clear water. And why filtering then disinfecting is the next best thing to boiling.

Sun and UV outdoors: the UV Index, sunscreen that works, and why snow and altitude matter | Igniready

2026-11-01T09:00:00+09:00

Sun and UV outdoors: the UV Index, sunscreen that works, and why snow and altitude matter | Igniready

Protect your skin whenever the UV Index is 3 or higher. CDC and EPA guidance on broad-spectrum SPF 15+ (NIOSH says 30+ for outdoor workers), reapplying every 2 hours, shade and clothing, plus how much more UV you get at altitude and on snow, from both U.S. and Japanese sources.

Stinging insects and venomous snakes: prevention and first aid, U.S. and Japan | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:50:00+09:00

Stinging insects and venomous snakes: prevention and first aid, U.S. and Japan | Igniready

About 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the U.S. each year, and about 5 die. CDC's do's and don'ts for snakebite (no tourniquet, no cutting, no sucking), what to do around bees, wasps and hornets, and how Japan's advice differs, from hornet-safe clothing to Okinawa's habu.

The Ten Essentials and a trip plan: what to carry, who to tell, and what to do if you're lost | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:40:00+09:00

The Ten Essentials and a trip plan: what to carry, who to tell, and what to do if you're lost | Igniready

The National Park Service's Ten Essentials (navigation, sun protection, extra clothing, light, first aid, fire, repair kit, food, water, shelter), why your phone isn't a substitute, how to leave a trip plan with a trusted contact, and NPS's steps if you get lost: stop, retrace, stay put, call, signal.

Campfire safety: build it right, put it out cold, and how Japan's new fire warnings work | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:30:00+09:00

Campfire safety: build it right, put it out cold, and how Japan's new fire warnings work | Igniready

Most wildfires are started by people; NPS says nearly 85%. Check restrictions, keep tents at least 15 to 25 feet away, never leave a fire, and put it out with Drown, Stir, Drown, Feel instead of dirt. In Japan, bonfires are the top cause of forest fires, and since January 2026 a forest fire warning can make outdoor fire use illegal.

Emergency food supply: what to stock, how much, and balancing nutrition | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:20:00+09:00

Emergency food supply: what to stock, how much, and balancing nutrition | Igniready

Ready.gov says to store at least a several-day supply of food your family will actually eat; FoodSafety.gov says at least 3 days; Japan says at least 3 days and preferably a week, with protein, not just rice. What to buy, how to store it, how to heat canned food safely without power, and the foods to avoid.

Camp stove and fuel canister safety: propane, butane and Japan's cassette stoves | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:10:00+09:00

Camp stove and fuel canister safety: propane, butane and Japan's cassette stoves | Igniready

Fuel canisters explode when they overheat or leak. NPS rules for single-use propane cylinders, how propane behaves, a 2025 recall of 201,000 butane camp stoves, and what Japan's fire department and product safety agency teach about butane cassette stoves: no oversized pans, never two stoves side by side, store below 40°C, use canisters within about 7 years.

Wild game meat: why bear, boar and deer need thorough cooking | Igniready

2026-11-01T08:00:00+09:00

Wild game meat: why bear, boar and deer need thorough cooking | Igniready

Most U.S. trichinellosis now comes from wild game such as bear. CDC says to cook wild game to 165°F, and that freezing may not kill the worms: in a 2022 outbreak, bear meat frozen for 45 days still made six people sick. Plus brucellosis precautions for hog hunters, chronic wasting disease testing, and Japan's 75°C-for-one-minute rule for deer and boar.

Fish you catch: parasites, histamine, and keeping your catch cold | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:50:00+09:00

Fish you catch: parasites, histamine, and keeping your catch cold | Igniready

Three risks for anglers who cook their own catch: Anisakis worms (killed by cooking or by specific freezing conditions, not by vinegar or salt), scombroid poisoning from histamine that cooking can't remove, and why the first hours on ice matter most. With CDC, FDA and NOAA guidance and Japan's experience.

Foraging safely: wild mushrooms and plants | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:40:00+09:00

Foraging safely: wild mushrooms and plants | Igniready

California's 2025-26 death cap outbreak sickened 39 people and killed 4, many of whom had foraged similar mushrooms in another country. Why cooking doesn't help, why symptoms are delayed, what poison centers advise, and Japan's rule for wild plants and mushrooms: don't pick, eat, sell or give away anything you can't identify with certainty.

Walking home after a quake in Tokyo: stay put for three days first | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:30:00+09:00

Walking home after a quake in Tokyo: stay put for three days first | Igniready

After the 2011 earthquake, about 5.15 million people were stranded in the Tokyo area, and many walked home. Today Tokyo asks people to stay at work or school for three days so rescuers can move. The ordinance, support stations for people walking home, and how to prepare your route, shoes and legs.

Active kids: 60 minutes a day in the U.S. and Japan, and why play matters | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:20:00+09:00

Active kids: 60 minutes a day in the U.S. and Japan, and why play matters | Igniready

U.S. guidelines ask children 6 to 17 for 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily, with muscle- and bone-strengthening on 3 days a week; preschoolers should be active throughout the day. Japan sets a 60-minute daily target even for preschoolers, built around varied play. What counts, and how camping and outdoor play help.

Water competency: the swimming skills that keep you alive, and Japan's 'float and wait' | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:10:00+09:00

Water competency: the swimming skills that keep you alive, and Japan's 'float and wait' | Igniready

About 11 people drown in the U.S. every day. The Red Cross water competency skills, CDC's prevention advice (swim lessons, life jackets, buddies), 'Reach or throw, don't go', how to escape a rip current, and the Japan Coast Guard's advice to float and wait when you can't reach land.

Balance training and fall prevention for older adults | Igniready

2026-11-01T07:00:00+09:00

Balance training and fall prevention for older adults | Igniready

Falls caused over 43,000 deaths among adults 65 and older in 2024, and 1 in 4 older adults report falling every year. CDC's numbers and risk factors, NIA's balance exercises (about three sessions a week), and why the Physical Activity Guidelines ask older adults for balance training, plus how to plan an evacuation around mobility.

Lifting and carrying water, gear and go-bags without hurting your back | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:50:00+09:00

Lifting and carrying water, gear and go-bags without hurting your back | Igniready

Preparedness means heavy things: water jugs, fuel, firewood, a packed go-bag. What NIOSH's lifting research says (the 51-pound load constant applies only under ideal two-handed conditions), the practical rules for lifting and carrying, and how Japan's 40%-of-body-weight guideline compares.

Typhoons in Japan: when they come, what shuts down, and the Safety tips app | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:40:00+09:00

Typhoons in Japan: when they come, what shuts down, and the Safety tips app | Igniready

Most typhoons form between July and October, and only about three a year make landfall on Japan's four main islands. What to expect (planned train suspensions, closures), how Tokyo tells residents to prepare, the warning levels in English, and the government's free 15-language Safety tips alert app.

Japan's tsunami warnings explained: Major Tsunami Warning, Tsunami Warning, Tsunami Advisory | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:30:00+09:00

Japan's tsunami warnings explained: Major Tsunami Warning, Tsunami Warning, Tsunami Advisory | Igniready

The three levels JMA issues about three minutes after a quake, the heights each one means, the damage expected and the action to take. Why an Advisory still means getting out of the water, why you keep climbing, and why you don't go back until the warning is cleared.

Earthquakes in Japan: what to do where you are, and how Earthquake Early Warnings work | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:20:00+09:00

Earthquakes in Japan: what to do where you are, and how Earthquake Early Warnings work | Igniready

Japan's tourism agency answers 'where are you now?' for hotels, stations, trains, elevators, the coast and rental cars. Plus what JMA says Earthquake Early Warnings can and can't do: seconds of notice, and sometimes none near the epicenter.

Making water safe in an emergency: boil, disinfect, store | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:10:00+09:00

Making water safe in an emergency: boil, disinfect, store | Igniready

CDC's guidance on emergency water: store at least 1 gallon per person per day for 3 days (2 weeks if possible), boil for 1 minute (3 above 6,500 ft), bleach drop amounts, and what boiling can't fix. Compared with Japan's 3 liters a day and its advice on storing tap water.

Hypothermia and frostbite: warning signs and first aid | Igniready

2026-11-01T06:00:00+09:00

Hypothermia and frostbite: warning signs and first aid | Igniready

Hypothermia can happen even above 40°F when you're wet from rain, sweat or cold water. CDC's warning signs, what to do (and what not to do) for hypothermia and frostbite, and how to stay dry and warm at camp and in a winter power outage.

Ticks: repellents, tick checks and safe removal | Igniready

2026-11-01T05:50:00+09:00

Ticks: repellents, tick checks and safe removal | Igniready

CDC guidance for hikers and campers: EPA-registered repellents and permethrin-treated gear, showering within two hours, a full-body tick check, drying clothes on high heat, and how to remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers (and what not to do).

Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and a home escape plan | Igniready

2026-11-01T05:40:00+09:00

Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and a home escape plan | Igniready

You may have less than 2 minutes to get out once a smoke alarm sounds. U.S. Fire Administration and Ready.gov guidance on where to put smoke alarms, how to test and replace them, when (and when not) to use a fire extinguisher with the PASS method, and how to plan two ways out of every room.

Disaster preparedness for pets: evacuate together, two kits, and a buddy system | Igniready

2026-11-01T05:30:00+09:00

Disaster preparedness for pets: evacuate together, two kits, and a buddy system | Igniready

If you're told to evacuate, your pet should evacuate too. Ready.gov's guidance on pet-friendly destinations, a buddy system, microchips, and two pet emergency kits (a large one for sheltering in place and a light one for evacuating), with a checklist.

Floods: Turn Around, Don't Drown, and what to do before, during and after | Igniready

2026-11-01T05:20:00+09:00

Floods: Turn Around, Don't Drown, and what to do before, during and after | Igniready

Floods are the most common disaster in the U.S. Six inches of moving water can knock you down, a foot can sweep a car away, and two feet can carry off SUVs and trucks. Ready.gov and NWS guidance on driving, evacuating, being trapped and returning home, plus how Japan's alert levels decide when to leave.

Power outage preparedness: before, during and after | Igniready

2026-11-01T05:10:00+09:00

Power outage preparedness: before, during and after | Igniready

Ready.gov's guidance for power outages, organized into a plan: power banks and medical devices before; fridge and freezer rules, generator safety and carbon monoxide during; food and medicine decisions after. Plus how Japan's product-safety agency approaches the same risks.

Printable go-bag checklist (Ready.gov list plus what Japan adds) | Igniready

2026-11-01T04:30:00+09:00

Printable go-bag checklist (Ready.gov list plus what Japan adds) | Igniready

An interactive, printable emergency kit checklist: Ready.gov's basic kit and suggested additions, plus items Japan's government checklist adds, such as helmets, slip-on shoes and elder-care supplies. Nothing you check is saved or sent.

Strength for the trail: training to avoid falls and slips | Igniready

2026-11-01T03:20:00+09:00

Strength for the trail: training to avoid falls and slips | Igniready

In Japan, falls on the trail (19.2%) and slips from heights (17.3%) made up over a third of 2025 mountain accidents, and people 60 and older were nearly half of those involved. What U.S. and Japanese guidelines say about strength and balance, and a simple training plan for hikers.

Food safety at camp and in shelters: clean, separate, cook, chill, and what Japan adds | Igniready

2026-11-01T03:10:00+09:00

Food safety at camp and in shelters: clean, separate, cook, chill, and what Japan adds | Igniready

How to avoid food poisoning when you cook without a kitchen, at camp or after a disaster. FoodSafety.gov's four steps, the 2-hour rule, what to do when there's no running water, and Japan's guidance for shelter cooking, including the rice-ball rule.

Hiking in Japan: what the mountain accident statistics say, and why you should file a trip plan | Igniready

2026-11-01T03:00:00+09:00

Hiking in Japan: what the mountain accident statistics say, and why you should file a trip plan | Igniready

Japan recorded 3,122 mountain accidents involving 3,623 people in 2025, with 332 dead or missing. Getting lost was the top cause (30.9%), then falls (19.2%) and slips from heights (17.3%). Solo hikers were far more likely to die. How Japan's trip-plan system works and how to file one.

Exercising in the heat: WBGT, heat illness signs, and Japan's heat alerts | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:50:00+09:00

Exercising in the heat: WBGT, heat illness signs, and Japan's heat alerts | Igniready

Why hikers and outdoor workers should watch WBGT, not just temperature. Japan's five-step exercise guideline (at WBGT 31 or above, exercise should be stopped except in special cases), Japan's Heat Stroke Alert at WBGT 33, and the NWS guide to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Fitness for readiness: U.S. and Japanese activity guidelines side by side | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:40:00+09:00

Fitness for readiness: U.S. and Japanese activity guidelines side by side | Igniready

The U.S. says 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle strengthening on 2 days; Japan says about 60 minutes of walking-level activity a day (about 8,000 steps). How the two compare for adults, older adults and kids, and how to turn them into the strength to walk, carry and climb in an emergency.

Bag cooking (pack cooking): Japan's one-pot method for power outages and camp | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:30:00+09:00

Bag cooking (pack cooking): Japan's one-pot method for power outages and camp | Igniready

Japan's agriculture ministry recommends 'pack cooking': seal food in heat-resistant high-density polyethylene bags and simmer them in one pot. Fewer dishes, less water, several dishes at once. The six steps, choosing bags, the safety points, what to cook first, and how it fits camping.

Food safety in a power outage: 4 hours for the fridge, 48 for a full freezer | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:20:00+09:00

Food safety in a power outage: 4 hours for the fridge, 48 for a full freezer | Igniready

How long food stays safe when the power goes out, what to throw away, when you can refreeze, and how to prepare beforehand, from FoodSafety.gov and CDC, compared with Japan's agriculture and health ministries, which are more cautious about refreezing.

Bear safety for hikers and campers: NPS basics, and how Japan's advice differs | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:10:00+09:00

Bear safety for hikers and campers: NPS basics, and how Japan's advice differs | Igniready

Avoid surprising bears, store food properly, never run. The U.S. National Park Service's guidance on encounters, food storage and bear spray, what to do if attacked by species, and why Japan's Ministry of the Environment advises something different.

Lightning safety outdoors: U.S. and Japanese guidance compared | Igniready

2026-11-01T02:00:00+09:00

Lightning safety outdoors: U.S. and Japanese guidance compared | Igniready

When thunder roars, go indoors. What counts as safe shelter, staying safe inside, last-resort tips if you're caught outside, the myths that get people hurt, and how the National Weather Service's 30-minute rule compares with Japan's guidance on trees and 'protected zones'.

Never use stoves or heaters inside a tent: carbon monoxide at camp | Igniready

2026-11-01T01:50:00+09:00

Never use stoves or heaters inside a tent: carbon monoxide at camp | Igniready

Camp stoves, lanterns, charcoal and generators inside tents, campers or cars can kill. CDC's rules and numbers, Japanese test results (a campfire inside a two-room tent passed 200 ppm CO in about 9 minutes; a stove in a closed solo tent in about 15), symptoms, what to do, and how to stay warm without flame.

Japan's Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171 and web171: a guide for English speakers | Igniready

2026-11-01T01:40:00+09:00

Japan's Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171 and web171: a guide for English speakers | Igniready

How to leave and check safety messages after an earthquake in Japan: dial 171, press 1 to record and 2 to play back, keep it under 30 seconds. The voice prompts are Japanese only, so practice on the 1st or 15th of any month. Plus web171, which works from overseas, and a family plan.

Secure your furniture before an earthquake: lessons from Tokyo | Igniready

2026-11-01T01:30:00+09:00

Secure your furniture before an earthquake: lessons from Tokyo | Igniready

In Tokyo Fire Department surveys, 30 to 50 percent of people injured in recent earthquakes were hurt by furniture tipping, falling or sliding. The three dangers, how to secure furniture (L-brackets first), a room-by-room plan, what Ready.gov recommends, and what to do during and after the shaking.

Japan's five alert levels explained: evacuate by Level 4 | Igniready

2026-11-01T01:20:00+09:00

Japan's five alert levels explained: evacuate by Level 4 | Igniready

How Japan's evacuation alerts work, in English: Level 3 Evacuation of the Elderly, Etc.; Level 4 Evacuation Instruction, when everyone in danger should leave; Level 5 Emergency Safety Measures, which you should never wait for. Plus the 2026 change to weather warnings and what 'evacuate' means in Japan.

Emergency kit vs. Japanese go-bag: what Ready.gov and Japan's checklists include | Igniready

2026-11-01T01:10:00+09:00

Emergency kit vs. Japanese go-bag: what Ready.gov and Japan's checklists include | Igniready

Ready.gov's basic disaster supplies kit compared with the Japanese government's go-bag checklist: the shared basics, what Japan adds (helmets, slip-on shoes, period and elder-care items), how heavy a go-bag should be, where to keep kits, and how to maintain them.

Finding a CPR and first aid class (and how Japan trains ordinary people) | Igniready

2026-11-01T00:00:00+09:00

Finding a CPR and first aid class (and how Japan trains ordinary people) | Igniready

CPR and AED skills are learned with your hands, not from a page. Where to find hands-on classes in the U.S. (American Red Cross, American Heart Association), how Japan's fire departments and Red Cross train the public in 3-hour and 4-hour courses, and how to find an AED.

Rolling stock: how Japanese households keep emergency food without forgetting it | Igniready

2026-11-01T00:00:00+09:00

Rolling stock: how Japanese households keep emergency food without forgetting it | Igniready

Japan's agriculture ministry recommends the 'rolling stock method': buy a little more of what you already eat, use the oldest first, and replace it. How it works, how much to keep (3 days to a week, longer for some families), the four steps, a food-group checklist, water and heat, storage tips, and how it compares with Ready.gov.

Household water and food calculator (U.S. and Japanese guidance) | Igniready

2026-11-01T00:00:00+09:00

Household water and food calculator (U.S. and Japanese guidance) | Igniready

How much water to store for your household, by U.S. guidance (one gallon per person per day) and Japanese guidance (3 liters per person per day), plus the number of meals. Runs in your browser.