You should have a subset of supplies compact and light enough that you can easily grab and carry it with one hand. If the quake is that bad you’ll be evacuated, and you need to grab and go. The above list is pretty good, but separate it out into critical and useful sets. Put the critical stuff in a bag or knapsack with a pullstring that you could theoretically use to retrieve it. Copies of identification should go in there, along with flashlight, gloves, basic food for a day or two, first aid kit, and maybe max 4 liters of water (aside from the 20 you already have); remember a pullaway kit needs to be light enough that if you break an arm you’ll still be able to lift it.

One modification, use iodine tablets instead of bleach. They are much easier to use safely.

In a big quake, your bookcases and tall furniture WILL fall over if you haven’t secured them properly. Heavy items WILL “walk” out of high shelves, open drawers and doors, and smash themselves on the floor, and you if you’re underneath them. Avoid storing heavy items up high, and secure your tall furniture with L clamps and screws– especially bedroom furniture. Ask at your local hardware store, they’ll know what you’re talking about.

Your prefecture or city publishes an earthquake preparedness guide. Almost all are available in English (or at least Engrish) these days. Read it and take it to heart.

Bob Doyle
Shelf Companies Inc

J.

Also I think you need more duct tape, it’s the handyman’s tool. ‘Silence is Golden, Duct Tape is Silver’.

Of course you could replace it once a month but that’s a pain in the ass.

And adding on to the film comments above, perhaps a camera that does not require a battery to take pictures (one that just uses it for the light meter.) My old Minolta XD-11 and Himatic9 both fit that bill.