On January 17, 1995, the Great Hanshin earthquake, estimated at magnitude 6.9, struck the city of Kobe in Japan. The quake caused massive destruction, killing over 6,400 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. The event was a major shock to Japan, which had not experienced such a devastating urban earthquake in decades. The disaster led to significant improvements in Japan's disaster preparedness, building codes, and emergency response systems.

The 1995 Kobe earthquake inspired a great deal of contemporary Japanese poetry and literature, as writers sought to process the trauma and loss. The event is a key subject in modern Japanese disaster literature, exploring themes of urban vulnerability, community resilience, and the relationship between humans and the built environment. The earthquake has influenced a new generation of Japanese poets and writers, who continue to grapple with its legacy in their work.