In a blackout at night, there are no streetights and you have only flashlights to fall back on. Even these only bring temporary relief, because it would take several days to restore electricity supply and flashlights will run out of batteries and become useless.
Long-lasting sources of light cannot be easily found in an earthuake disaster. I realized that we had a wedding candle that we used used at our wedding reception. I finally found it in my upturned storage cupboard and was able to make use of it.
(Female, aged 26,higashinada Ward)

It was difficult to do any sewing under the light from a flashlight or candle. The thread may unravel and it becomes difficult to thread it through the needle. If this happens, use a piece of hair. Push both ends of the hair into the needle from the same direction. This will leave you with, a big loop. Put your thread through this loop. Then pull both ends of the hair so that the thread gets through the needle. This is an easy way to thread the needle.
(Male, aged 61,Kita Ward)

Fire Deperment Advice
Here we describe how to make a temporary lamp using tempura deep-frying oil. Fill a metal ashtray or empty can with about 2 cm depth of water. Top this with another 2 cm of cooking oil. (Because oil is lighter than water, this will result in two layers, the oil on top of the water.) Twist a thin piece of scrap material and make it into a kind of candle-wick by piercing a piece of aluminum foil the size of a 10-yen coin. Float this on top of liquid. Set alight using a lighter.This will provide you with light for abut 10 hours. If you can cleverly hollow out the empty can, you have an oil lamp with a windshield.
However,these lights using naked flames must be used carefully in view of the danger of aftershocks knocking them over. Also please be very careful of gas leaks.