[Prayers and Cheers for 1.17] 31 Years Since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. 2026 Edition: 'Effortless Disaster Prevention' Phase-Free Utilization Guide

Saturday, January 17, 2026. How should we spend this day, 31 years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake? We will explain the new disaster prevention concept of 'Phase-Free,' smartphone disaster settings you can do right now, and recommended disaster prevention goods that blend into daily life.

1.17, 31 Years Later. Updating Past Lessons for 'Today's Life'

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Saturday, January 17. It is past 4:00 PM.

Are you taking a break at a cafe after a late lunch? Or are you thinking about dinner plans while waiting for your child who is taking an entrance exam to come home?

Today is a day of mourning, marking 31 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and at the same time, it is also the first day of the 2026 Common Test for University Admissions.

At Higashi Yuenchi Park in Kobe, many people offered prayers at 5:46 AM. Meanwhile, at exam venues across the country, 18-year-olds who only know about the earthquake from history textbooks are running their pens to carve out their future.

The silence of remembering the past and the tension of heading toward the future. A special Saturday afternoon where these two intersect. That is precisely why, shall we take a moment to think about preparations to protect the daily life we take for granted right now?

Even if memories fade, the lessons must remain vivid, and we need to keep updating them to match the current 2026 lifestyle.

My Uncle's Memory: 'I was thrust upward with a boom, and my body floated in the air'

My uncle lived in Nada Ward, Kobe City, at the time. I still vividly remember the words he told me about that day.

In the pitch-black darkness caused by the power outage, he felt his way outside, and in the cold, tense air of the early winter morning, he said the strange smell of gas was everywhere. He could see the distant sky burning red, and from somewhere, he could hear voices crying, 'Help me,' or 'Is anyone there?'

Back then, there were no smartphones. There was no social media. Information relied solely on the radio and analog word-of-mouth networks. My uncle recalls, 'The fear of having no information was just as terrifying as the shaking itself.'

We now live in an era where we can confirm safety, request relief supplies, and grasp the extent of damage with a single device in the palm of our hand. The evolution of technology has dramatically changed the form of disaster prevention.

'Disaster-stricken areas' are not far away

However, there are things that do not change. That is the fact that disasters occur suddenly as an extension of daily life.

Every time I hear my uncle's story, I think about it. Until the night before, the place where he was sleeping was in the midst of a peaceful daily life, just like ours, where we believe without doubt that a 'normal tomorrow' will come.

What if an earthquake early warning alarm rang out from your smartphone right now?

The homes that students taking exams right now will return to, the sofa you are sitting on at this very moment, and the contents of your refrigerator you plan to eat tomorrow—all of these can turn into a 'disaster-stricken daily life' in an instant. Maintaining that imagination is the first and greatest form of disaster preparedness.

The 2026 way of preparing that lies beyond 'fear'

When we hear the word 'disaster preparedness,' feelings of 'fear,' 'hassle,' and 'expense' inevitably come to mind. 'I need to prepare an emergency bag,' 'I need to buy water by the case'—aren't you putting it off while thinking these things?

That is precisely why we in 2026 need to shift toward effortless disaster preparedness. The keyword is 'phase-free.'

1. What is 'phase-free' that blends into daily life?

Phase-free is a concept that eliminates the distinction between 'daily life (always)' and 'emergency situations (if)' by making the products and services you use every day useful during disasters as well.

Instead of buying 'disaster-only' goods and hiding them in the back of a closet, the goal is to use them as everyday interior decor or household items, so that you are naturally prepared. This allows you to increase safety without strain.

For those who want to know more specifically, this book will be your bible. It is packed with ideas that can be incorporated without changing your current lifestyle, and it will change the way you look at your home from the day you read it.

Please use this checklist to see if you are practicing 'phase-free' in your current life.

✅ Use camping gear in daily life

Do you use outdoor lanterns as bedside lighting or utilize sleeping bags as guest bedding?

✅ 'Eat while preparing' with rolling stock

Instead of special emergency food, do you have a cycle of buying extra retort curry or pasta sauce you like, eating them in order of expiration date, and replenishing them?

✅ Always carry a mobile battery

Smartphones are now a lifeline. A dead battery means being cut off from information. It is a 'lifeline' as important as water.

✅ Do you have enough toilet supplies?

When the water stops, the most troublesome issue that leads directly to health problems is the toilet. This is an area where it is worth stocking up on 'specialized products'.

With this, there is no stress of 'going out of your way to prepare.' Improving your quality of life while becoming more resilient to disasters as a result. This is the 2026 standard.

2. Updating Digital Disaster Preparedness

Just as important as physical preparations is 'information preparation.' To avoid repeating the experience of my uncle who suffered from an information vacuum 31 years ago, let's proceed with preparations using the smartphone in our hands right now.

✅ Downloading offline maps: When communication is cut off, can you search for a route to the evacuation center? (You can save areas in advance using Google Maps, etc.)
✅ Diversifying communication methods with family: When LINE is not connecting, have you decided on 'second and third communication routes' such as the Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) or SNS DMs?
✅ Saving important documents to the cloud: By uploading photos of your bankbook, insurance card, and ID to a secure cloud, reissuance in case of loss becomes smoother.

Even just reviewing your smartphone settings for 5 minutes before going to bed tonight is a worthy disaster preparedness action.

To you who do not know the earthquake, what I want to convey

If you are a generation that does not know the earthquake. Or if you are a parent with small children.

Please, talk about it not to 'scare them' but to 'protect them'.

Showing tragic footage from that time is not the only way to pass on the legacy. 'If an earthquake comes, let's protect our heads in the pill-bug pose.' 'This is the evacuation site, shall we go there on our walk?' Mixing wisdom to protect lives into such daily conversations. That is the best baton that we who experienced it can pass on to the next generation.

Tonight, before you turn off the lights

Today, 1.17, the 'Light of Hope' is lit in Kobe. A moment of silence is also scheduled to be held later at 17:46.

We are not powerless. The power of nature is immense, but with wisdom and preparation, there is definitely sorrow that can be reduced.

'Not forgetting' does not mean just looking back at the past and shedding tears. It means taking concrete action so that you can protect your own life and the lives of your loved ones in a 'what if' situation.

If you are concerned tonight about whether your stockpiled water has expired, please check it tomorrow. If you notice that furniture in your bedroom looks like it might fall over, please try to go buy fixing equipment next weekend.

That is how you connect the memory of that day to the future.

May the quiet and peaceful Saturday night continue tomorrow and beyond. And may all the examinees who will face their second day tomorrow be able to give their all safely.

Summary of article points (Preparations for January 17, 2026)

• What is 1.17?: 31 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. In 2026, it coincides with the first day of the Common Test.

• Phase-Free: A concept of 'effortless disaster preparedness' where items used in daily life are also useful in emergencies.

• Essential Actions:

  • Furniture anchoring (preventing tipping)

  • Keeping a mobile battery on hand

  • Securing emergency toilets

  • Cloud backup for digital data

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about 1.17 and Disaster Preparedness

Q. How many years has it been since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 2026?

A. January 17, 2026, marks 31 years since the disaster occurred.

Q. What exactly is Phase-Free?

A. It is a concept that does not distinguish between 'daily life' and 'emergencies,' utilizing products and services you use regularly during disasters as well (e.g., using camping gear in daily life, rolling stock of retort food, etc.).

Q. How should we pass on the memories of the earthquake?

A. Rather than instilling fear, it is important to pass on 'wisdom for protecting life'—such as the 'pill bug' pose or confirming evacuation sites—through daily conversation.

Q. What time is the 1.17 silent prayer?

A. It is generally held at 5:46 AM, the time the earthquake occurred, and at 5:46 PM, when the '1.17 Gathering' concludes.

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