[Sayama City, Saitama] Experience Life-Saving Earthquake Shelters! Exhibition Held at City Hall until May 28

Sayama City in Saitama Prefecture is hosting an exhibition at City Hall until May 28, 2026, aimed at promoting the use of residential earthquake shelters to reduce damage caused by building collapses during earthquakes.

Earthquake shelters are gaining attention as a practical disaster mitigation measure, allowing residents to secure a safe space within a room without the need to reinforce the entire house. This exhibition is the first in Saitama Prefecture to simultaneously showcase two different types of shelters: a metal earthquake-resistant bed type and a wooden shelter type.

Recognizing that high costs and long construction periods often hinder full-scale seismic retrofitting, Sayama City is focusing on these shelters as an effective supplementary measure. From April 2026, the city will launch a new subsidy program, utilizing national grants to provide up to 50,000 yen per unit installed. Additionally, the city is expanding existing subsidies for seismic diagnosis (up to 100,000 yen) and retrofitting construction (up to 400,000 yen) to strongly support residents' preparedness for earthquakes.