A disaster-preparedness backpack is something to take with you to an evacuation site in the event of a disaster.
Also called an “emergency go-bag,” it is recommended that you pack food and supplies to get you through two or three days at your evacuation site.
However, even if you know you need to prepare one before a disaster strikes, you may not know how to get started and end up putting it off.
When I looked into it, I found that Kurashiki City had published an “Emergency Go-Bag Checklist” to help people put together a disaster-preparedness backpack. It seemed like a good opportunity, so I used the checklist as a guide and put together my own backpack.
Here’s how I put together my disaster-preparedness backpack, with advice from staff at the Regional Disaster Preparedness Promotion Division of the Kurashiki City Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Office.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in September 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About disaster-preparedness backpacks
A disaster-preparedness backpack is an emergency backpack packed with items needed during a disaster. When a disaster such as an earthquake or flood occurs, you can quickly put it on and head to an evacuation site. It helps protect your life and support you while you are at the evacuation site.
There are two types of evacuation sites: “designated emergency evacuation sites” and “designated evacuation shelters.”
- Designated emergency evacuation sites
Places opened as temporary emergency evacuation sites when there is an imminent danger from a disaster. They are used as places to evacuate to protect lives. - Designated evacuation shelters
Places, such as schools, opened as living spaces for disaster victims when they are unable to return home for an extended period due to the effects of a disaster.
If you think of a disaster-preparedness backpack as something to prepare in order to get through two or three days at a “designated emergency evacuation site,” it will be easier to plan what to pack.
The contents of a disaster-preparedness backpack vary depending on gender, age, and family composition, so it’s a good idea to customize the contents to suit your individual circumstances.
Putting together a disaster-preparedness backpack using Kurashiki City’s checklist
The “Disaster Supplies” page on the Kurashiki City website provides detailed information about emergency supplies to keep at home and items to pack in a disaster-preparedness backpack.
I got started right away and put together a disaster-preparedness backpack using the emergency go-bag checklist as a guide.
Food and drinking water
The first things I prepared were food and drinking water.
Depending on the type and scale of a disaster, meals may not be distributed at designated emergency evacuation sites. You will need to prepare your own food for the few days until you can return home.
Emergency food for disasters is sold in the disaster-preparedness sections of home improvement stores and large variety stores. The shelves were stocked with a wide variety of emergency foods, including Japanese, Western, and Chinese meals, rice, pasta, and snacks, making it fun to choose.
I also packed compact, energy-rich sweets such as yokan and caramels. I was personally surprised to find that isobe mochi and pasta could be eaten just by adding water.
There were so many things I wanted to try that I ended up buying too much, but I put a carefully selected three days’ worth of meals and sweet snacks into a sealed bag. I’ll keep the other emergency food at home as emergency stockpiles.
For drinking water, I prepared one 500 ml bottle that can be stored long-term and two standard 2-liter bottles sold at supermarkets. I plan to reuse the 500 ml bottle as a water bottle after I finish drinking the water.
According to the checklist, one person needs 3 liters of water per day, but honestly, I felt it would be difficult to carry any more than this.
The drinking water I bought was not intended for stockpiling, but since it had a shelf life of about two years, I decided to buy regular drinking water.
Finally, although they weren’t on the checklist, I also packed vitamin supplements.
In an emergency, it may not be possible to eat fresh vegetables and other foods. I’m concerned about not getting enough vitamins, so I plan to supplement my nutrition with vitamins.
Hygiene supplies
Next, I prepared hygiene supplies.
I packed the following items:
- Wet wipes (alcohol-based)
- Paper soap
- Makeup remover wipes
- Body wipes
- Cotton swabs
- Toothbrush and floss picks
- Tissues and handkerchief
Many women may be wearing makeup when they evacuate, so it may be reassuring to pack makeup remover wipes. I chose a type that doesn’t require face washing, as I also wanted to use them instead of washing my face.
I don’t wear glasses or contacts, so I didn’t pack any, but if you do, be sure to include spare contact lenses or glasses.
I also packed one lightweight towel that could come in handy in a variety of situations.
I also packed menstrual products.
Although they were lightweight, they took up more space than I expected, so I bought slim ones this time. I thought that hygiene products such as diapers would also take up a lot of space.
Seasonal changes of clothes
Next, I prepared three days’ worth of changes of clothes.
Since I was planning for a summer evacuation, I prepared three short-sleeved T-shirts for tops, and one pair each of shorts and long pants. I chose comfortable clothes that would be easy to relax in, such as pajamas or workout clothes.
Supplies for emergencies
The supplies were the most difficult part of putting together my emergency backpack. I think how much to prepare depends on each person.
Here are the 18 items I prepared.
First, electrical devices that require batteries.
Just in case, I packed their instruction manuals as well.
- Flashlight (handheld type)
- LED light (hook-on type)
- Portable radio
It’s reassuring to check that the devices work properly before packing them, including making sure you know how to operate them. Also, to prevent leaks and battery drain, remove the batteries before storing the devices.
I bought my flashlight on sale at an electronics store, but I’ve heard that a headlamp that leaves both hands free is useful in a disaster.
Next, I also prepared some things that I personally thought “might come in handy.”
- Thermal blanket
- Raincoat
- Portable toilet (one use)
- Compact towel that expands in water
- Air mattress
- Earplugs and eye mask
- Work gloves
- Emergency water bag
- Face masks
- Plastic bags
- Disposable chopsticks
I bought everything except the thermal blanket, plastic bags, and disposable chopsticks at a 100-yen shop. I bought the thermal blanket at an outdoor shop, but it’s also sold at 100-yen shops.
I never imagined you could even find an air mattress at a 100-yen shop. 100-yen shops are a great help when putting together an emergency backpack. Some stores have a disaster-preparedness section, so be sure to check it out if you get the chance.
I also prepared the writing supplies and notebook from the checklist. As a precaution, I wrote my family’s emergency contact information and address in the notebook with a permanent marker.
The emergency whistle was also bought at a 100-yen shop.
It came with an ID card for identification, so I wrote my name and contact information on it and put it inside the whistle.
Imagining a situation where the ID card might come in handy is a little depressing, but it’s an important part of disaster preparedness. Attach it somewhere easy to reach so you can use it right away in an emergency.
Since it was summer when I put together my emergency backpack, I also packed a hand fan. I chose a paper fan, but a folding fan might also be a good option since it doesn’t take up much space.
I put items to help beat the heat in my emergency backpack because I put it together in the middle of summer, but I realized I would need to add hand warmers and cold-weather gear once summer was over.
It seems best to check the contents twice a year, when changing over seasonal clothes.
Once I added a phone charger and portable battery, my emergency backpack was finally complete.
Trying on the completed emergency backpack and heading to the planned evacuation site
The backpack I used for my emergency supplies was a 46-liter hiking backpack.
The backpack I had originally planned to use was much smaller, but nothing fit, so I had to switch to a hiking backpack at the last minute.
I put it on right away and was surprised by how heavy it was.
When I weighed it, it came to a whopping about 11 kg. Even for me, someone confident in my physical fitness, it seemed heavy enough to make walking difficult.
“Will I be able to evacuate carrying a backpack this heavy?”
I wondered, so I tried walking to the evacuation shelter with the backpack on. The roughly 15-minute walk felt much farther than I expected. I made it there safely, but I started to worry that “I might not be able to evacuate easily with this much weight.”
However, even though I wanted to lighten the backpack, I had only packed items I thought I needed. I had only packed 4.5 liters of drinking water, enough for a day and a half.
How could I make my emergency backpack lighter from here…?
To get some advice, I took my emergency backpack to the Community Disaster Prevention Promotion Division of the Kurashiki City Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Office.
I also asked them about various questions I had regarding evacuation.
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