William I live in a house which my wife’s uncle built. Long ago, I had to pull up the tatami to install a satellite cable to my TV and found that he built like this: a frame atop multiple stones rather than atop a complete concrete floor. This allows the building to flex during an earthquake rather than collapse. All of the older shrines in your neighborhood likely incorporate the same principle: that’s why they are old. Our ancestors had that knowledge. Consider it when buying or renting a house. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/06/style/japan-earthquake-architecture-dfi-hnk/index.html