Local variation of inundation, sedimentary characteristics, and mineral assemblages of the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami on the Misawa coast, Aomori, Japan

► The tsunami run-up height and depositional features are affected by local topography. ► The tsunami deposit is thick only behind eroded dunes and decreases rapidly inland. ► The tsunami deposit originated from the coastal dunes. ► At coastal sites the sediment was deposited out of traction flow. ► At inland sites it was deposited out of suspension.