From Kumamoto Castle to One Piece

Today marked the first full day in Japan, and we had a trip planned right from the start: It was to Kumamoto.

Since this and other trips in the coming days are planned by train, we purchased a Japan Rail Pass valid for seven days. Of course, this means we must fit in as many trips as possible during this time to make the pass worthwhile.

So I quickly reserved a seat on a train leaving at around half past eleven. However, I managed to book the train that arrives at half past eleven instead of the one that departs at that time.

Alright – then we had to rush and head to the station. Picking up the reserved tickets on site took a bit longer than expected, and there was a moment when it got quite tight to catch the train. In the end, we made it, and this marked the start of our first ride on the Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train – off to Kumamoto.

The ride was very pleasant and surprisingly quiet. The conductors are indeed as polite as one often hears: Upon leaving a carriage, the conductor bowed slightly towards the passengers every time.

Upon arriving in Kumamoto, we were greeted with the best weather. Although we had started in good weather, it felt like spring here: about 15 degrees and brilliant sunshine. So far, we have really been blessed with fantastic weather on this trip – and I hope I haven’t jinxed it by saying that.

First, we visited Kumamoto Castle. It is currently still partially under reconstruction as it was severely damaged during the 2016 earthquake in Kumamoto. However, one can admire the damaged buildings in a way:

To reach the castle, we followed an elevated wooden walkway around the grounds, from which we could admire various buildings and the old walls from the outside. At the end of the path, we passed through the masonry ('Kuragari Tsuro') to the square in front of Kumamoto Castle.

There stands a large ginkgo tree surrounded by an old legend. According to tradition, it once foretold a devastating fire – although this is of course not verifiable and falls more into the realm of myths. However, the fact is that in 1877, during the Satsuma Rebellion, there was indeed a large fire that destroyed large parts of the castle and also claimed the then ginkgo tree as a victim of the flames.

The tree that stands there today is a descendant of this original ginkgo, which was actually planted by the then lord of the castle, Katō Kiyomasa – which is why Kumamoto Castle also bears the nickname “Ginkgo Castle”. The charred stump of the old tree has been preserved to this day and serves as a reminder of the destruction, but also that new life has grown from it.

This and many other pieces of information about the castle – its history, its construction, and the key historical events – can be found inside the complex. There is a museum dedicated to Kumamoto Castle and the settlement that once formed around the castle.

With so much new knowledge in tow, we set off for lunch. Following another recommendation, there was a very meat-heavy dish today: beef from the region known as Akaushi, which is apparently considered a specialty here.

Afterward, coffee was of course a must. We ended up at a small roastery where the beans were displayed unroasted. Once a variety was chosen, it was freshly roasted right on the spot and could then be taken home.

And now for the actual reason we originally wanted to go to Kumamoto:

The statue of Monkey D. Luffy. For those who don't know him: Luffy is the protagonist of One Piece, a manga and anime (Japanese comic and cartoon) about pirates, illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. Oda was born in Kumamoto and donated money for the reconstruction of the region after the severe earthquake in 2016. In gratitude, and in honor of his most famous characters, several statues have been erected in the prefecture.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to visit all the statues as they are scattered across the entire Kumamoto prefecture. However, we did manage to visit a second one: Chopper, the doctor of the pirate crew.

It was actually planned to also visit the botanical garden and the zoo nearby. However, due to the advanced time of day, that unfortunately didn't work out.

As it was getting late and dark, we took the streetcar back to the station – the left-hand traffic here in Japan still confuses us a little. From there, we took the Shinkansen back to Fukuoka and finally back to the hotel to prepare for onward travel.

Because tomorrow we are heading off again – to Osaka!