The western Japan city of Kobe observed 30 years since the Great Hanshin Earthquake devastated it and other parts of Hyogo Prefecture, with ceremonies including early-morning prayers and candle-lighting.
The magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck at 5:46 a.m. on Jan. 17, 1995, taking 6,434 lives. Below is a selection of photographs from Kyodo News showing the memorial ceremonies and the destruction brought by the earthquake three decades ago.
Attendees at a memorial ceremony for the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake observe a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m., the precise moment the quake struck, in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
Attendees mark a moment’s silence at 5:46 a.m., the precise moment that the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck 30 years earlier, in a ceremony in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
Bamboo lanterns with messages inscribed inside them are lit in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025, to mark 30 years since the Great Hanshin Earthquake. (Kyodo)
Lanterns are placed to form the Japanese word “yorisou,” which means being together, and the date “1.17” at a park in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
People pray in front of lit bamboo lanterns in Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
File photo shows a section of the collapsed Hanshin Expressway in Kobe in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, on Jan. 17, 1995. (Kyodo)
File photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows fires in Kobe in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin Earthquake on Jan. 17, 1995. (Kyodo)
Composite photo shows a shopping street in Kobe (top) on Jan. 18, 1995, a day after the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and (bottom) how it has been restored since, as pictured on Oct. 16, 2024. (Kyodo)
Composite photo shows (top) a section of the Hanshin Expressway toppled by the Great Hanshin Earthquake on Jan. 17, 1995, and (bottom) the same area on Nov. 3, 2024, bordering Kobe and Ashiya. (Kyodo)
Composite photo shows (top) relief workers and evacuees crowding a national highway in Ashiya on Jan. 18, 1995, a day after the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and (bottom) the same road on Nov. 6, 2024. (Kyodo)
A man prays for the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
A mourner touches a plate showing the name of a victim of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, in Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)
The sun rises over Kobe on Jan. 17, 2025, the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that devastated the city. (Kyodo)
Trusted source for breaking news and journalism.
Avice News Trust is a leading media organization dedicated to delivering reliable news coverage and journalism. As a digital news platform, we focus on breaking news, current events, and in-depth news reporting. Our commitment to media trust ensures our audience receives accurate and timely updates. Explore a wide range of news articles and stay informed with Avice News Trust, your dependable news network.
