English translation

When heaven and earth are not in harmony, yin energy fills the underground and erupts all at once. On land this is called an "earthquake," at sea a "tsunami," and when it occurs in the mountains, caverns collapse — all the result of disruptions in wind and rain, a truly fearsome calamity. In the winter of Ansei 2 (1855), the Year of the Rabbit, around the hour past four at night (past 10 PM) on the second day of the tenth month, the eastern provinces were struck by such violent trembling that all seemed as fragile as a candle flame before the wind. First, the record of places burned within the Gofu-nai (Edo city proper): from Senju to Tsukahara, there was nowhere the earthquake did not reach. Buildings collapsed in an instant, and lives were lost without exception. Senju-juku was mostly destroyed, Sanya-bashi collapsed entirely, and around Imado-bashi dozens of houses burned. In Shin-Yoshiwara, all five blocks burned without remainder, and the number of those who perished in the fire was staggering. Fires also consumed parts of Ta-chō 1-chōme and 2-chōme, Yamakawa-chō, Asakusa Takemon, Koman-dō, Shōden-yokochō, Shibai-chō and the three surrounding blocks, from Kita-Yaninaka-Tani no Morimoto-in south through Michi-dō to Hanakawa-do — roughly half a block burned. From Yama-no-shuku-chō through the Sugiki area, everything collapsed without exception. Fire broke out from the middle of Komagata-chō; Suwa-chō and Kurofune-chō collapsed. The stables and Shōden-chō also collapsed. Sensō-ji itself was unharmed, but the Thunder God statue at Kaminari-mon shook, and the tree-lined boulevard area also collapsed. The fire was stopped at the riverbank. The area around Okuramae, Dairoku-ten-chō, Tomisaka-chō, and Morishita suffered severe damage. To the east, near Kikuya-bashi, Shin-tera-chō and Shinbori both burned slightly. From Daion-ji through Minowa and Kanasugi, buildings collapsed. In Sakamoto, the third block burned. Yamazaki-chō, Higashi-zaka, and the front of Kōtoku-ji also collapsed. In the household of Yamamoto Jintayū, many retainers perished and every building collapsed. Damage and losses to other temples were immense. In Yanaka, Misaki, Sendagi, and Nishikatakomi, the collapse was severe. Most of Nezu Monzen collapsed. From Ike-no-hata through the border of Kaya-chō 2-chōme, from across the Inari shrine through 1-chōme, Okikiriya-chō suffered catastrophic collapse. The eastern side of the alley collapsed from the middle to the corner of Itō Matsu-zakaya, stopping at the gate threshold. Below Kiridōshi slope was total collapse; in Naka-chō one side of the block suffered heavy damage, and both sides were covered in soot. From Ueno-chō to the Chōja-machi area, fires broke out. From Okachi-machi through Shamisen-bori and Nana-magari, even the estates of feudal lords collapsed, though the losses varied. Onari-dōri collapsed, and the Kanda-shita area sustained heavy damage. Kanda's townhouses suffered relatively little collapse. Yushima Tenjin sustained minor damage. Monzen-chō had extensive collapse, while Tsuma-koi-chō was entirely unscathed and the Inari shrine was unharmed. The Hongō area sustained little damage beyond its immediate vicinity. From Suji-kai Gate through Nihonbashi-dōri, both sides of the Kanda area east and west suffered extensive collapse. In Ogawa-chō, the estates of Matsudaira Kii-no-kami, Itakura, and Toda burned. Inside Kanda-bashi, the estate of Sakai Uta-no-kami, the residence across from it, the Morikawa Dewa-no-kami estate at the corner of Tatsu-no-kuchi, and further down, the estates of Uemura Tajima-no-kami and the Inshū lord along the Yayosu riverbank were all affected. Inside Wadakura Gate, the estates of Matsudaira Higo-no-kami and Matsudaira Shimōsa-no-kami burned, nearby areas collapsed, and throughout the Marunouchi district, many daimyō residences suffered heavy damage. The Nabeshima estate was entirely destroyed. Inside Saiwai-bashi, the estates of Matsudaira Kai-no-kami, Itō, and Yoshii all burned, as did the Banshū estate. Inside Yamashita Gate, the Awa lord's residence also collapsed. From Atago-shita onward, the residences of various lords mostly collapsed. The Kuroda watchtower survived. The Nagata-chō, Mikasa, and Kōji-machi areas suffered severe collapse. Yotsuya, Ichigaya, Ushigome, Kohinata, Koishikawa, and Banchō also saw widespread destruction and many deaths. Akasaka, Aoyama, Azabu, Shibuya, Shirokane, Shinagawa, and Takanawa sustained only minor collapse. Akabane, Mita, Iikura, and Azabu-Kubo had extensive collapse. Zōjō-ji and surrounding temples also suffered severe damage and loss. From Hōon-ji-bashi, in Honjo, the Nakagō estate of Matsudaira Suō-no-kami burned, and the entire vicinity suffered catastrophic collapse with fires breaking out in numerous locations. In the same area, Bamba-chō and Benten-kōji also burned. From Okuramae-chō through Izumi, Yanagawa-chō, Rokken-bori, and Morishita-chō to Takahashi, townhouses burned. Kameido-chō burned in two locations. Along the Tate-kawa canal, Kiryū-chō, Midori-chō, Mitsume, and Hana-chō also burned. From the boat moorings and the lower reaches, from Fukagawa Aikawa-chō through Yawae-chō, Ōshima-chō, Hamakuri-chō, and Eitai-ji Monzen-chō, the fire was halted at the torii gate of the Hachiman shrine. Across Otome-bashi, the southern Ōkawa-bata area burned slightly. Throughout Honjo and Fukagawa, the earthquake was exceptionally strong, and the number of dead was staggering. From Nihonbashi southward, both the main streets and the riverside roads on the east and west suffered catastrophic collapse. From Minami Denma-chō 2-chōme and 3-chōme along both riverbanks to Kyōbashi and the canal road, fires consumed everything. Kobiki-chō, Sakurada, Kubo-chō, and below Atago had extensive collapse, while Shiba-guchi-dōri sustained only slight damage. Myōjin-chō and Mishima-chō experienced catastrophic collapse with many injuries. The Shinmei Shrine was unharmed, but the Hikite estate was entirely damaged. Monzen, Kata-monzen, Hamamatsu-chō, Kanasugi, Hon-shiba, and Rogetsu-chō collapsed, and Shibai-chō burned. The Shinmei area sustained only minor collapse, and from Tamachi through Ōkido toward Shinagawa, there was no notable damage. Aftershocks continued from the third day through the seventh, but caused no further significant damage, and calm gradually returned. For the relief of the common people, rescue shelters were established in three locations by order of the authorities. There was no one who did not receive with gratitude the benevolent grace of the nation. Truly, this was a thing to be thankful for. However, although fires were extinguished in sixteen locations, where they did burn, the land was reduced to open fields. Let all take heed: be vigilant with fire.

Translation 天地の気が調和せず順わないときは、陰の気が地中に満ちて、一気に噴き出す。これを地上では「地震」と言い、海上では「津波」と言う。山中で発するときは洞窟が抜け落ちるためである。すべて風雨不順のなせるわざであり、恐るべき大事である。 ここに安政二年（1855年）乙卯の冬、十月二日の夜四つ時（午後十時）過ぎのころ、東国においては肉声も絶えるほどの激震が襲い、まさに風前の灯のごとくであった。 その中でまず御府内（江戸市中）の焼亡の地を記す。千住から塚原まで地震の届かぬところはなく、一時に金坊を崩し、人命も残らず失われた。千住宿は大半が崩れ、山谷橋は残らず崩れ、今戸橋際では数十軒が焼けた。新吉原は五丁とも残らず焼け、焼死人はおびただしかった。 田町一丁目・二丁目、山川町、浅草竹門、小万道、聖天横町、芝居町三町、北谷中谷の守院南、馬道から花川戸にかけて半町ほどが焼けた。山の宿町から杉木辺りは残らず崩れた。駒形町の中頃から出火し、諏訪町・黒船町は崩れた。御馬屋・聖天町も崩れた。浅草寺は無事であったが、雷門の雷神像が揺るぎ、広路の並木辺りも崩れた。 河岸にて焼け止まり、御蔵前・第六天町辺り、富坂町・森下辺りは大破した。東の方では心菊屋橋際の新寺町・新堀ともに少し焼けた。大音寺から三ノ輪・金杉辺りが崩れ、坂本は三丁目が焼けた。山崎町・東坂・広徳寺前も崩れた。また山本仁太夫の家来のうち死人が多く、家は残らず崩れた。その外の寺院も大破・損亡おびただしかった。 谷中・三崎・千駄木・西片込は崩れがひどく、根津門前は大半が崩れた。池の端・茅町二丁目の境から稲荷の向こうより一丁目にかけて、御記屋町は大崩れとなった。小路の東側は中程から伊東松坂屋の角まで、木戸際にて留まった。切通しの坂下は大崩れ、仲町は片側の町が崩れ多く、両側ともすすけて広がった。 上野町から長者町辺りが焼け、御徒町近辺から三味線堀・七曲がりにかけては大名方の記屋敷とも崩れたとはいえ、多分の損失であった。御成通りが崩れ、神下は破れが多かった。神田の町家は崩れが少なく、湯島天神は崩れが少なかった。門前町は崩れが多く、妻恋町は少しも崩れず、稲荷の社は無事であった。本郷はその辺りの破損は少なかった。 筋違御門から日本橋通りの左右、神田の東西ともに崩れが多かった。小川町・本郷の松平紀伊守様・板倉様・戸田様の屋敷が焼けた。神田橋内の酒井雅楽頭様、同じく御向かいの屋敷、龍之口角の森川出羽守様、また一つ下ると八代洲河岸の植村但馬守様、因州様の御屋敷などであった。 和田倉御門内は松平肥後守様・松平下総守様が焼け、近所も崩れ、その外丸の内の御大名方の所は崩れが多かった。鍋島様の御屋敷も残らず大きな損害を受けた。幸橋内の松平甲斐守様・伊東様・良井様ともに焼けた。藩州様の屋敷も焼けた。残らず焼けた山下御門内の阿波様のところも崩れとなった。 愛宕下から諸家様は大半が崩れ、黒田様の御物見が残った。永田町・三笠家・麹町辺りは崩れがひどかった。四ツ谷・市ヶ谷・牛込・小日向・小石川・番町辺りも荒れて横死した者が多かった。赤坂・青山・麻布・渋谷・白金・品川・高輪・台町ともに崩れは少なかった。赤羽根・三田・飯倉・麻布久保は崩れが多かった。増上寺辺りも外の寺院の損亡が甚だしかった。 法恩寺橋から本所は中の郷の松平周防守様が焼け、この辺りは大崩れにて所々から出火があった。同所の番場町・弁天小路も焼けた。御蔵前町から泉・八名川町・六間堀・森下町・高橋にて町家が焼けた。亀戸町は二ヶ所焼けた。また竪川通りは桐生町・緑町・三ツ目・花町も焼けた。また船留りから下口は深川相川町から柔江町・大島町・浜栗町・永代寺門前町で、八幡宮の鳥居際にて止まった。また乙女橋向こうの南大川端は少し焼けた。 本所・深川はなべて地震が強く、死亡者はおびただしかった。 日本橋から南の東西中通りも河岸通りも共に大崩れであった。南伝馬町二丁目・三丁目の左右河岸から京橋・川通りまで焼けた。木挽町・桜田・久保町・愛宕下は崩れが多く、芝口通りは少しであった。 明神町・三島町は大崩れで怪我人が多かった。神明宮は恙なく、松手御屋敷は残らず傷んだ。門前・片門前・浜松町・金杉・本芝・露月町が崩れ、柴井町が焼けた。神明辺りは崩れが少なく、田町・大木戸から品川方面は格別の崩れはなかった。 羽生（はぶ）より三日から七日、揺れが続いたが、格別のことはなく、追々静穏に及んだ。 下々へは御救いをと、御救い小屋を三ヶ所にお立てになり、御仁徳の国恩を拝謝し奉らぬ人はなかった。まことにありがたきことである。ただし、出火が止められたのは十六ヶ所であったが、焼けたところは原のごとし。火の用心すべし。