Why you will find flashlights in hotel rooms across Japan

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While traveling around Japan for two weeks, I spotted flashlights in almost every place I stayed. It’s something I’ve never seen before in a hotel room, but I later learned that they are there for emergencies. Since earthquakes are common in Japan, light bulbs are there in case the power goes out. Something is loading.

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I’ve discovered everything from miniature sewing kits to hotel picnic gear around the world.

So I was glad I found something new during my first hotel stay in Japan – a flashlight.

At the BnA Art Hotel in Tokyo, a small flashlight is installed on the wall near the light switches. I thought it was used to avoid running into a wall during a late night trip to the bathroom. Or maybe it was an easy way to sift through a bag without turning on the light and waking everyone else in the room.

After a few days, I checked out of one hotel and another. Sure enough, I found another flashlight near the bed. Later, while staying at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, I discovered another little highlight. Throughout the rest of my trip, there was a small wall-mounted flashlight just about everywhere.

The more flashlights I spotted, the clearer it became that they weren’t just flashlights used to navigate midnight bathroom trips.

Instead, I learned that they are there for emergencies like earthquakes.

Another flashlight in a Tokyo hotel room. Monica Humphries/Insider Light bulbs are there in case of an earthquake

Japan is located where many continental and oceanic tectonic plates meet, which means earthquakes are common, according to the USGS. In fact, the same source indicates that Japan has the highest number of earthquakes in the world.

“Since earthquakes occur regularly in Japan, preparing for earthquakes is something that is ingrained in Japanese daily life,” Andres Zuleta, founder of luxury travel boutique Japan, told Insider.

“Japanese hotels have flashlights in their rooms as part of earthquake preparedness,” Zuleta said.

If an earthquake occurs, it may affect the infrastructure of the area, which means that electricity and light may go out.

A flashlight is placed in each room so that people have a source of light to help them out of the hotel in an emergency.

After checking in and out of a few accommodations in Japan, not only did I find the lights an easy light to read at night, I felt relieved by their greater purpose and kept my fingers crossed that I wouldn’t need them in a couple of weeks. Country.

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