The resilience wasn't just proverbial. During the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake (magnitude 7.3), many modern structures failed, but historical wooden buildings using traditional *miyadaiku* joinery suffered far less damage, validating centuries-old techniques. This joinery, using complex interlocking wood pieces like puzzle joints, allowed structures like the 7th-century Hōryū-ji Temple to sway and dissipate seismic energy. However, the story evolved after disasters like the 1923 Great Kantō Ear

Today marks the 31st year since the Great Hanshin–Awaji Earthquake (January 17, 1995), a disaster that profoundly reshaped Kobe and Japan as a whole. The quake struck before dawn, taking over 6,400 lives and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced. Entire neighborhoods collapsed in seconds, highways fell, and fires spread through the city. Beyond the physical destruction, it exposed gaps in emergency response and disaster readiness—but it also gave rise to something enduring. In the days that fo