From a mere tourist spot to a place that brings tears. My 30-year journey of 'emotional distance' with Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle and my journey

I believe the first time I visited Kumamoto Castle was for a middle school field trip.

It was included in our travel itinerary because it was a historical building, and I walked through the designated route with my classmates without having any particular interest in it.

I just remember taking photos with that vague, middle-school-specific vibe of 'How rare!' or 'That's hilarious!'.

I have a hazy memory of rushing to the top floor without looking closely at the castle's features, and feeling more excited about the atmosphere of the souvenir shop after leaving the main keep.

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The second time was during my vocational school days.

I stopped by with some close friends after we decided to take a trip to the neighboring Kumamoto Prefecture.

About six years had passed since middle school, but our tourist mindset hadn't changed much.

Rather than visiting because I had a strong interest in Kumamoto Castle, it was more like,

'Since we've come all the way to Kumamoto, we might as well visit the classic tourist spots!'

It was that kind of casual attitude.

At this time, I didn't even take many photos with my own camera or phone.

I was in that generation transitioning from 19 to 20 years old. I have memories of laughing foolishly at trivial things and just having fun without any deep meaning.

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The third time was when I had just started dating my wife. We visited as a group of four with a couple who are still our friends today.

This time, too, the reason was 'Since we're sightseeing in Kumamoto,' but following my wife's pace, who was interested in historical buildings, I looked closely at the stone walls, wells, and various traps prepared for enemy attacks inside the castle for the first time.

I also carefully read the explanations about Kumamoto Castle posted inside the main keep.

I cannot deny that I had the ulterior motive of wanting to look cool in front of my new girlfriend, but being led by her, it was the third time I finally took an interest in and appreciated the structure of Kumamoto Castle.

I remember it was crowded with many tourists at the time, and it was difficult to time our photo in front of the main keep so that others wouldn't get in the frame.

As an aside, a TV show was filming at the time, and former Morning Musume members Yuko Nakazawa and Rika Ishikawa were visiting.

Being a bit of a celebrity fan, I was easily excited by the sight of them. Because it was such a rare event, it still comes up often as a shared memory with my wife, which makes me both happy and nostalgic.

A wounded symbol and overflowing tears

These three visits up to this point are my memories from before the earthquake.

After that, the Kumamoto earthquake occurred, and I learned from the news that Kumamoto Castle had suffered significant damage.

I believe that for everyone affected, especially those living in or from Kumamoto, the fact that Kumamoto Castle—a symbol of the region—was wounded must have been a truly massive shock.

Even for me, living in Kagoshima and having only visited three times, it was very sad news.

My fourth visit to Kumamoto Castle.

It was about two years after the Kumamoto earthquake.

I visited the area to attend the wedding of a friend living in Kumamoto City.

By that time, the city's main functions had recovered, and the celebration was very lively with a wonderful ceremony.

However, the effects of the disaster still remained vividly visible on the outskirts of town and in smaller areas.

The morning after staying at a hotel my friend had arranged for me.

I woke up before 6:00 AM and walked to Kumamoto Castle by myself. Since I had arrived by Shinkansen, it was nearly a 30-minute walk from the hotel to the castle, but the desire to see its current state with my own eyes won out, and before I knew it, I was walking.

The state of Kumamoto Castle at that time was still quite tragic.

I could only enter the plaza in front of the castle, and the original form of the main keep was lost. The surrounding shrines were also inaccessible.

Even so, toward reconstruction, the collapsed stone walls were neatly lined up in the restricted plaza, with each one numbered.

While shocked by its wounded appearance, I remember being deeply moved by the sight of the people involved, who were working little by little, but surely, toward reconstruction, and I ended up crying a little by myself.

It was also a moment when I felt a strange sense of discomfort at finding myself so sentimental about a place I had not been particularly interested in the past.

A reunion on the 10th anniversary, and looking toward the future

And, the fifth time.

In March 2026, 10 years after the Kumamoto earthquake, I visited Kumamoto Castle for the first time in a while. It had been about eight years since my last visit.

The reconstruction of the castle tower was completed in April 2021, and public tours and entry had resumed.

The direct reason I stopped by was to participate in the 'ONE PIECE' 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Exhibition being held nearby. However, this time, I parked my car about four hours before the event, acting with the clear intention of wanting to see the reconstructed Kumamoto Castle with my own eyes! myself.

For the first time since the earthquake, seeing Kumamoto Castle up close, I noticed that a new walkway for visitors had been built.

The path to the castle tower that I once walked with friends and my wife is now restricted due to the danger of falling rocks. The memory of walking along the path sandwiched between stone walls in the past, touching those very stones, flashed through my mind.

The castle tower, where entry had resumed, had regained its appearance as a beautiful and powerful symbol.

The exhibits inside the castle had also been renewed and made easier to view, creating a wonderful structure where the characteristics of a historical building coexist with the latest technology, incorporating the latest seismic-resistant structures.

Just like when I visited with my wife for the third time, this time I took the initiative to carefully look at the exhibits and explanatory notes by myself.

Looking around, I was also struck by the fact that there were overwhelmingly more inbound (foreign) tourists than when I had visited in the past.

Although the castle tower has made a magnificent comeback, the surrounding buildings are still in the midst of reconstruction work.

The entire reconstruction project is expected to be completed around 2052. The road ahead still seems long.

In Japan, a country prone to earthquakes, there is no guarantee that a major earthquake will not strike again in the future.

Even so, I was moved once again by the sight of people working together and powerfully engaging in reconstruction efforts.

From here on, for the sixth and seventh time, I will come with my wife, children, and friends.

Or, perhaps, by myself again.

Depending on my age and state of mind at the time, I would like to come and see the ever-changing appearance of Kumamoto Castle.

This time, I have written down the trajectory of my heart.

Thank you very much for reading until the end.