Retrograde in History · 1896
1896 Sanriku earthquake
On June 15, 1896, Mercury was mid-loop — retrograde in Gemini, tracing backward through 17°32′ of the sign.
WhenJune 15, 1896♊︎Gemini 17°32′Rx windowMay 29 – Jun 22, 1896
The record
On 15 June 1896 an 8.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Iwate Prefecture generated tsunami waves reaching a then-record height of 38.2 metres, killing at least 22,000 people and destroying about 9,000 homes.
Born inside this same window
Coincidence, not causation: the date is real and ephemeris-based, but a retrograde window is observed, never blamed. For entertainment, not navigation.