In 734 CE, an earthquake struck the Kinai region of Japan, which included the capital cities of Nara and Kyoto. This event is recorded in the imperial chronicles and was a significant disaster for the early Japanese state. The earthquake caused damage to the capital and its surroundings.

The 734 Kinai earthquake is recorded in Japanese historical chronicles and is part of the literary tradition of the Nara period. The event was interpreted as a divine omen and contributed to the themes of impermanence and divine will that appear in the poetry of the Man'yōshū. The earthquake is a part of the historical background for the literature of the Nara period, where the power of nature is a frequent theme.