Typhoon 15 struck the Kanto region from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, causing numerous fallen trees across Tochigi and surrounding prefectures [1, 2].
This event is significant because it represents a rare meteorological pattern. Meteorologist Go Yazawa said the storm was the first typhoon on record to make landfall in Ibaraki Prefecture [2].
The storm, described as a "reverse-track" typhoon, hit Ibaraki on Aug. 11 [1, 2]. While Tokyo experienced wind and rain, reports indicate the intensity was not as severe in the capital as it was further north [1].
Tochigi Prefecture bore the brunt of the wind damage. In Utsunomiya, a tree measuring more than 10 meters tall fell in front of the JR Utsunomiya Station [1]. At the Tochigi Prefectural Comprehensive Sports Park, a fallen tree reached approximately 30 meters in height [1]. Additional damage was reported along national routes in Nikko City [1, 2].
Experts believe the high volume of fallen trees in Tochigi resulted from a combination of the typhoon's wind direction and the local topography [2]. Despite the scale of the debris, officials confirmed there were no injuries resulting from the fallen trees [1].
By early Wednesday morning, Typhoon 15 moved across the Sea of Japan and weakened into a tropical depression [2].
During a broadcast, caster Daijiro Enami said it was fortunate that no one was injured, noting that his wife, who was visiting her hometown in Tochigi, felt her house shake during the storm [1].
“The storm was the first typhoon on record to make landfall in Ibaraki Prefecture.”
The historic landfall in Ibaraki underscores the unpredictability of 'reverse-track' typhoons, which deviate from standard seasonal paths. The concentration of damage in Tochigi suggests that local geography can significantly amplify wind risks, highlighting a need for region-specific infrastructure reinforcement even when the storm center is not directly overhead.
