The author of the chapter was excited to document the bustling energy of Tokyo's massive cityscape using his camera. He had just surfaced from Tokyo's Metro system, at the Shinjuku Station, which ranks as the busiest train station worldwide. While trying to buy a ticket to Nagoya, he felt a barely noticeable loss in ground stability. People around him ignored it, assuming it to be the vibrations from a subway train under the station. Suddenly, a violent tremble ensued, causing panic and chaos. An old man near him confirmed his fear: it was an earthquake.
In response, the author sprinted for a nearby park amidst intense ground shaking, making it difficult to run straight. Arriving outside, he was daunted by the noise of creaking skyscrapers swaying in rhythm to the earthquake tremors. Although he wished to distance himself from the towering structures, finding an open space in packed Tokyo was challenging. Taking his camera, he captured pictures of the scene around him, which included the shaking buildings and evacuating people.
He stayed at the park for approximately two hours along with many others, even as tremors continued, though less intensely. It was only later that he discovered that the earthquake had measured 8.9 - the largest ever recorded in Japan's history.
Reactions among the crowd ranged from visible distress and tears to a calm and relaxed demeanour. His return to his hotel turned out to be a treacherous journey, as public transportation was halted and roads were jammed.
Upon reaching his hotel and tuning into the news, he learned about the extent of the catastrophe the earthquake had caused. Coastal regions, especially in Northern Japan, were affected the worst, suffering significant damage from the tsunami.
As he penned down his experience, aftershocks continued to reel the city, causing a feeling of seasickness. He concluded by summarizing the frightening experience as a permanent memory of witnessing hundred-story buildings moving like palm trees due to the intense shaking of the earth beneath.
