Kumamon Pilgrimage: Kumamon Square, Kumamon Port Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Castle & More

Kumamon Square in Kumamoto City has a 360-degree stage surrounded by audience seating. On days when Kumamon appears, visitors can watch dances and lively talks full of gestures. At Kumamon Port Yatsushiro, a harbor park welcomes visitors with 84 Kumamon statues, including a giant one about 6 meters long.

Kumamon serves as Kumamoto Prefecture’s sales manager and happiness manager. This guide introduces eight destinations across the prefecture, from his performance hubs and statues at stations and the airport to the historic streets of Yamaga.

Sources: Kumamon Land — Profile (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Kumamon profile (in Japanese)

Kumamon’s eight places in Kumamoto City, Yatsushiro, at the airport, and in Yamaga

1 Kumamon Square | A home base with stage appearances almost every day

Kumamon Square opened in July 2013 as Kumamon’s home base for sharing information about Kumamoto products and tourism, in response to fans in Japan and abroad asking, “Where can I go to meet Kumamon?” It is on the first floor of Tetria Kumamoto Building (the East Wing of Tsuruya Department Store) in Tedorihonmachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City. Many visitors come from overseas, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, and Thailand. Attendance passed 1,000,000 in April 2016, 2,000,000 in June 2018, and 3,000,000 in August 2020, reaching 4,500,000 on June 5, 2026.

At the heart of the facility is a 360-degree stage surrounded by seating. Kumamon appears here almost every day, showing off sharp dance moves and animated talks with plenty of gestures. His monthly appearance schedule is posted on the official website.

For example, in October 2026, he appears once on weekdays—Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday—from 2 to 2:30 p.m. On Saturdays there are two shows, 11:30 a.m.–noon and 4:30–5 p.m.; Sundays also have two, 11:30 a.m.–noon and 2–2:30 p.m. Tuesdays are his day off.

At the June 5, 2026, ceremony marking 4,500,000 visitors, Kumamon appeared in a white tuxedo and gave the first performance of a special multilingual version of “Come On! Kumamon!” The dance song had been announced in six language versions that March.

When Kumamon is away, three augmented-reality games are available on the stage. “Kumamon Mischief Photo” lets visitors take a commemorative picture with him on screen using one of six frames. In “DJ Kumamon Rhythm Game,” players jump in time with the music to score points. “Find Kumamon” asks players to spot the illustration that matches the prompt on screen. All three activities are played directly on the stage, where visitors take part in the action rather than simply watching a show.

The facility also has a photo spot where visitors can pose beside a lifelike Kumamon statue, plus a cafe serving parfaits made with Kumamoto strawberries, melons, and dekopon citrus, among other local fruit, and drinks with Kumamon latte art.

The shop sells original merchandise, including a Kumamon Square plush toy (¥3,980) and plush key chain (¥1,980) created by character company San-X for Kumamon’s 15th anniversary; a commemorative T-shirt (¥3,800) and full-color face towel (¥1,800) for the 13th-anniversary event “Fan Festival! Kumamon Is So Cute It’s Over”; and trading cards (¥660), sold in packs of three selected at random from a set of nine designs.

The facility’s symbol combines a rainbow, representing hope for the future of Kumamoto and Kumamon, with a star, representing Kumamon shining as a global star and bringing happiness. It expresses the wish that he will become a bridge of hope connecting Kumamoto and its people with people throughout Japan and around the world.

Rules for watching the stage, revised on May 31, 2024, prohibit lining up late at night or early in the morning, reserving places with chairs or belongings, and sitting on the stage. Staff begin organizing the venue one hour before a show. Seats near the stage are reserved for children and families with children. Photos and video may be taken at eye level using a smartphone or compact camera; cameras with legs, such as tripods, are not allowed.

Location

1F Tetria Kumamoto Building, 8-2 Tedorihonmachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

Home base with stage appearances almost every day; opened July 2013

Hours

10 a.m.–7 p.m.; venue organization begins one hour before each stage show

Access

About 17 minutes by tram from JR Kumamoto Station; get off at Suidocho stop

Sources: Kumamon Square — How to enjoy the facility and appearance schedule (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Access (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — 4.5 million visitors (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Stage-viewing rules (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square official online shop (in Japanese)

2 Kumamon Village | Sunday 1 p.m. show at SAKURAMACHI Kumamoto

Kumamon Village is on the second floor of SAKURAMACHI Kumamoto, a mixed-use complex with a bus terminal in Sakuramachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City. It opened in September 2019 as “Kumamon Square Satellite in Sakuramachi”; Kumamon Village is its nickname.

The facility’s concept is “Find Your Treasure.” Its three areas—exhibits, shopping, and a stage—are designed as a place to discover personal treasures connected to Kumamoto and Kumamon. At the entrance, a monitor shows tourism videos of Kumamoto, and a plush-toy lottery guarantees a prize. A new photo area was added in October 2023.

The shop offers tax-free shopping and accepts major credit cards, electronic money, and QR-code payments. On the fifth floor of the same SAKURAMACHI Kumamoto complex is the Kumamon Furusato Center, which supports relocation to Kumamoto and UIJ-turn employment.

The Kumamoto International Tourism and Convention Association lists Kumamon’s show as every Sunday from 1 to 1:30 p.m., though it may be canceled. Check with Kumamon Village before your visit for the latest admission and viewing procedures. Its operating website is temporarily unavailable.

Location

2F SAKURAMACHI Kumamoto, 3-10 Sakuramachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

Satellite facility with exhibits, shopping, and a stage; Sunday shows at 1 p.m.

Hours and viewing procedures

Confirm current hours and admission procedures with the facility before visiting. The Sunday 1 p.m. show may be canceled.

Sources: Kumamoto Prefecture Kumamon Land — Kumamon Village (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese) / Kumamoto International Tourism and Convention Association — Stage schedule (updated August 5, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Access (in Japanese)

3 Kumamon Port Yatsushiro | Port park lined with 84 Kumamon statues

Kumamon Port Yatsushiro is a major international cruise-ship hub in central Kyushu, located at Yatsushiro Port in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture. It was completed in March 2020 through a public-private partnership among the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Kumamoto Prefecture, and U.S.-based cruise line Royal Caribbean Cruises.

The port was selected in January 2017 for the national program to develop international cruise hubs through public-private partnerships and designated as an international passenger-ship hub that July. Kumamoto Prefecture and Royal Caribbean signed an agreement in February 2018, and a public naming contest selected “Kumamon Port Yatsushiro” in August 2019. The government-built cruise berth, including a section reinforced for earthquakes, extends up to 410 meters and is 10 meters deep. It can accommodate 220,000-ton-class ships, among the world’s largest, year-round.

Around the passenger terminal built by Royal Caribbean (about 6,000 square meters in site area and 3,500 square meters of total floor space, with 20 immigration counters, 10 customs counters, and a duty-free shop) is Kumamon Park, a 2.4-hectare welcome area. The park has 84 Kumamon statues, including the giant, approximately 6-meter-tall Big Kumamon; the 54-member Kumamon Choir arranged in a fan shape; the Twelve Zodiac Kumamon in animal costumes; and statues soaking in a hot spring or standing along a bamboo path. The statues give the park a welcoming Kumamon theme throughout its grounds.

The grounds also feature a Japanese garden, a small shrine, a multipurpose lawn, an art wall painted by local students, and a shopping area where 10 Kumamoto businesses set up special shops when cruise ships call. Beside the park is a circular parking area of about 4.4 hectares built by Kumamoto Prefecture, with space for up to 150 buses and 120 cars or taxis. This arrangement provides space for tour buses as well as cars and taxis arriving at the port.

Admission and parking are normally free, except during private events. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., when all gates are locked; it closes every Wednesday (or the following weekday if Wednesday is a holiday) and during the New Year holidays. The inside of the passenger terminal is an immigration facility and cannot be visited except when an international cruise ship is in port. Because it serves as an immigration facility, the terminal is not a public sightseeing area when no ship is docked.

At about 4:27 p.m. on July 28, 2026, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, with its epicenter in the Kumamoto region. Maximum seismic intensity 7 was recorded in Uki and Hikawa. The disaster, called the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, caused damage including collapsed buildings, especially across the Yatsushiro Plain. Kumamon Port Yatsushiro closed temporarily on July 31 for inspections and safety measures; on August 5, officials announced an extension of the closure. As of October 2026, no reopening date had been announced.

Location

Yatsushiro Port, 1-25 Shinkocho, Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

International cruise hub with an adjoining park featuring 84 statues, including the approximately 6-meter Big Kumamon

Regular park hours

9 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Wednesdays; free admission and parking

Current status

Temporarily closed since July 31 because of the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake on July 28; as of October 2026, no reopening date has been announced

Sources: Kumamon Port Yatsushiro — Facility overview and visitor information (in Japanese) / Kumamon Port Yatsushiro — Temporary closure extended (in Japanese) / Japan Meteorological Agency — July 28, 2026 earthquake (in Japanese) / Weathernews — Damage across the Yatsushiro Plain (in Japanese)

4 Kumamoto Castle | Spring Kumamoto Castle Festival, where Kumamon debuted in March 2010

According to the Kumamon Land timeline, Kumamon debuted at the Spring Kumamoto Castle Festival in March 2010, a year before the Kyushu Shinkansen opened along its entire route. That July, the Kumamon team held its formation ceremony at Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens and began its activities.

Kumamoto Castle was built by Kato Kiyomasa, renowned as a master castle builder. According to the castle’s official updates, restoring the main keep and reopening it to visitors after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake took about five years. The July 28, 2026, earthquake damaged part of the stone walls and temporarily closed the paid-access area. After safety inspections, the castle reopened to the public on August 13. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.); admission is ¥800 for high school students and adults and ¥300 for elementary and junior high students. It closes December 29. The seasonal July–August extension applies to visiting hours, with last entry one hour before closing.

Location

1-1 Honmaru, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

Kumamon debuted at the Spring Kumamoto Castle Festival in March 2010

Hours and admission

9 a.m.–5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.; open until 7 p.m. in July and August); ¥800 for high school students and adults, ¥300 for elementary and junior high students; closed December 29

Current status

Closed after the July 2026 earthquake; reopened to the public on August 13

Sources: Kumamon Land — 2010 timeline (in Japanese) / Kumamoto Castle — Visitor information (in Japanese) / NHK — Kumamoto Castle reopens to the public (August 13, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamoto City — Planned reopening announcement (August 10, 2026) (in Japanese)

5 Kumamon Station at Amu Plaza Kumamoto | Sunday show in a stationmaster uniform

This Kumamon hub opened in May 2022 inside Amu Plaza Kumamoto, the station building at JR Kumamoto Station. Every Sunday from 10:30 to 11 a.m., Kumamon appears in a stationmaster’s uniform for a stage show that introduces towns and local specialties along the rail line and invites visitors on a train journey.

The current venue is the Umakamon Terrace food court on the sixth floor of Amu Plaza Kumamoto. The location can change; check the official “Kumamon Today” site for updates. Admission is free.

Location

3-15-26 Kasuga, Nishi Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture (Amu Plaza Kumamoto, JR Kumamoto Station)

Connection to Kumamon

Sunday stage show with Kumamon dressed as a stationmaster, 10:30–11 a.m. (opened May 2022)

Venue

Umakamon Terrace food court on the sixth floor (venue may change)

Sources: Kumamon Land — Kumamon Station (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — 2022 timeline (in Japanese)

6 Kumamon Airport at Aso Kumamoto Airport | Saturday show in a pilot uniform

This hub opened at Aso Kumamoto Airport in March 2023. Every Saturday from 1 to 1:30 p.m., Kumamon welcomes travelers with a stage show in a pilot’s uniform. The venue is the event space on the first floor of Sora Yoka Dining at the airport. Seating is unreserved and admission is free.

Photos and videos are allowed, but visitors are asked to avoid capturing people around them. Entry may be restricted if the venue reaches capacity.

Location

Aso Kumamoto Airport, 1802-2 Oaza-Koya, Mashiki, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

Saturday stage show with Kumamon in a pilot’s uniform, 1–1:30 p.m. (opened March 2023)

Venue

Event space on the first floor of Sora Yoka Dining; free admission and unreserved seating

Sources: Kumamon Land — Kumamon Airport (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — 2023 timeline (in Japanese)

7 Kumamon Base at JR Higo-Ozu Station | A black, red, and white secret base on the way to the airport

Higo-Ozu Station on the JR Hohi Line is nicknamed “Aso Kumamoto Airport Station.” Inside the station, Ozu Town Visitor Center was renovated and reopened on March 19, 2023, as Kumamon Base, a secret hideout for Kumamon. Its interior and exterior are themed in his signature colors: black, red, and white.

The official website describes the center as the aerial gateway to Kumamon Land. Kumamon is busy and is not always there, but, as the website playfully notes, he may sneak in between jobs. The visitor center is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Location

Inside Higo-Ozu Station, Ozu Town Visitor Center, Muro, Ozu, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

Renovated as Kumamon’s secret hideout on March 19, 2023

Hours

6 a.m.–10 p.m. (inquiries: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Source: Kumamon Land — Kumamon Base (in Japanese)

8 Fuzen Kaido in Yamaga | Yamaga Project lanterns, flags, and Kumamon footprints

Yamaga is home to Yachiyoza, a playhouse designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and Fuzen Kaido, known as a route used by feudal lords traveling to Edo during the Edo period. The area also has hot springs. On February 2, 2023, the Yamaga Project began adding Kumamon designs throughout the historic district, with an opening ceremony at Yachiyoza.

Kumamon lanterns hang from the eaves along Fuzen Kaido, and flags feature colors inspired by Yamaga’s locally grown Japanese chestnuts and Kahoku tea. Kumamon footprints have also been recreated in five places along the street. Visitors can stroll through the old town and look for them.

Location

Along Fuzen Kaido around Yachiyoza, Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture

Connection to Kumamon

The Yamaga Project began February 2, 2023, installing lanterns, flags, and footprints at five spots

Source: Kumamon Land — Yamaga Project (in Japanese)

Kumamoto’s sales manager, born with the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen

Kundo Koyama and Manabu Mizuno, Kumamon’s creators

Kumamon’s official profile says he was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, celebrates his birthday on March 12—the day the Kyushu Shinkansen opened along its full route—and is “not a male animal, but a boy!” His age is “a secret (the rumor that he is five is an urban legend).” He is “mischievous and full of curiosity”; his special skills are surprises, finding happiness, and dancing. His job is “more or less a civil servant”: he serves directly under the governor as Kumamoto Prefecture’s sales manager and happiness manager, and as leader of the Kumamon team. He does not speak aloud, but expresses his feelings with quick jumps and gestures from his small arms and legs.

Kumamon’s creators are broadcast writer and screenwriter Kundo Koyama, who is from Amakusa, Kumamoto, and art director Manabu Mizuno of good design company, who designed the character. After Kumamon won the 2011 Yuru-Chara Grand Prix with more than 287,000 votes, he and members of the Kumamon team visited the creators’ two Tokyo offices on December 8 to report their victory.

At Koyama’s office, Kumamon thanked the staff who helped produce the surprise film “Waiting for You in Kumamoto” over tea in yunomi cups. At Mizuno’s office, Mizuno himself welcomed the group. Kumamon reported, “I’m so happy you designed me to look cool!”

Sources: Kumamon Land — Profile (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Curious and full of challenges (in Japanese) / Kumamon official — Victory report (December 8, 2011) (in Japanese)

From his Kumamoto Castle debut to handing out 10,000 business cards in Osaka

In February 2010, Kumamoto Prefecture launched the public campaign Kumamoto Surprise! to prepare for the Kyushu Shinkansen’s full-route opening the following spring. At the press conference unveiling the campaign logo, Manabu Mizuno proposed Kumamon as an “extra” to accompany it. Kumamon first appeared in March at the Spring Kumamoto Castle Festival. In July, after a formation ceremony at Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens, the Kumamon team set off on its activities.

His first major assignment was promoting Kumamoto in the Kansai region, newly connected by Shinkansen. Kumamon made his first business trip to Osaka in August 2010. In October, Governor Ikuo Kabashima appointed him “Kumamoto Surprise Special Ambassador,” and Kumamon took on the challenge of handing out 10,000 business cards across Osaka Prefecture.

In November, Kumamon was lured by the bright lights of downtown Dotonbori during a business-card distribution campaign and briefly “went missing.” Governor Kabashima held an emergency press conference asking the public to report sightings—another promotional stunt. Applications to use Kumamon illustrations opened that December, and in January 2011 the first licensed product, a Kumamon altar made by a Buddhist altar shop in Kumamoto City, went on sale.

After the Kyushu Shinkansen opened along its full route on March 12, 2011, Kumamon received his appointment as a local public servant from the governor on September 30: Kumamoto Prefecture Sales Manager. He won the Yuru-Chara Grand Prix in November. In 2013, he received the Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Award and a Good Design Award. That October, during the imperial couple’s visit to Kumamoto (they are now the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita), he performed the Kumamon Exercise at the prefectural office. In January 2014, his title became “Kumamoto Prefecture Sales Manager and Happiness Manager.” In July, he visited Akita and completed appearances in all 47 prefectures.

In March 2015, Kumamon was demoted to Deputy Sales Manager after supposedly failing to lose weight from eating too much chocolate, then returned to his sales-manager role in June. He has also expanded his activities in Japan and abroad, trying bungee jumping, playing cymbals with an orchestra, attending the opening ceremony of Kumamoto Prefecture’s Shanghai office in China, and appearing at Japan Expo in Paris.

“Kumamon’s Secret,” a 2013 paperback by Team Kumamon, a group of Kumamoto Prefectural Government staff, looks back on the campaigns from this period, including the business-card promotion and the “disappearance” in Osaka.

Sources: Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Curious and full of challenges (in Japanese) / Gentosha — Kumamon’s Secret (in Japanese)

Economic impact and ¥1 trillion in product sales from the sales manager’s work

In December 2013, the Bank of Japan’s Kumamoto Branch estimated that Kumamon generated an economic impact of ¥124.4 billion (1,244 units of ¥100 million) and publicity worth ¥9 billion for Kumamoto Prefecture over the two years from November 2011 through October 2013. The prefecture’s annual tally of sales from products using Kumamon illustrations has continued to rise since the first survey in 2011, when sales were about ¥2.5 billion, surpassing ¥1 trillion cumulatively through 2021.

Source: Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese)

From “Waiting for You in Kumamoto” to “Kumamoto, Forever”

On July 1, 2026, Kumamoto Prefecture released “Kumamoto, Forever,” the third short film in its series made with Kundo Koyama. It is the first new film in about 10 years since the second, “Forever in Our Hometown,” released in 2016, and 15 years since the first, “Waiting for You in Kumamoto,” in 2011. In May 2015, the series was also screened as part of the official program at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

In the third film, Kumamon revisits people he met in earlier installments and reflects on the happiness found in everyday life in Kumamoto. Kundo Koyama wrote the screenplay and served as executive producer; Kumamoto Prefecture produced the film.

Sources: Kumamon Land — Release of the third short film (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese)

About 300 official illustrations and a notification-only exception for disaster support

Kumamoto Prefecture’s official PR character illustrations can be used free of charge for three purposes: promoting Kumamoto Prefecture, expanding sales channels for products made in the prefecture, and promoting its industry, culture, arts, education, and sports. Permitted uses include packaging for processed foods and agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, merchandise, and signs.

About 300 official illustrations are currently available. Online applications and in-person applications at the Kumamon Illustration Licensing Office in Kumamoto City’s Chisui area are accepted in four categories: regular applications for manufacturing and selling products or promotional items; notices and records of Kumamon appearances; use in television, magazines, and similar media; and overseas use (opened to foreign companies in January 2018). The application process lets businesses and organizations select the category that matches their intended use.

On July 29, the day after the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, Kumamoto Prefecture introduced a special notification-only system allowing all published illustrations to be used without prior approval—but only for fundraising and charity events supporting affected communities. Altered illustrations, images made with generative AI, and photographs of Kumamon are excluded. Users must include the copyright notice “©2010 Kumamoto Prefecture Kumamon #KumamotoSupport.” The measure replaces prior permission with a notification to the prefecture, but only for the stated recovery-support purpose.

Sources: Kumamon Land — Illustration-use application (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Illustration use for support activities (July 29, 2026) (in Japanese)

Summer 2026 | The stage reopens, and “Niji” returns

Square reopens two days after the earthquake; stage shows return August 21

On the day of the July 28, 2026, earthquake, the official Kumamon Land site announced a temporary pause in Kumamon team activities to allow people to stay alert for aftershocks and remain safe. Kumamon Square closed the next day. After safety checks were completed, the shop and cafe reopened on July 30, but Kumamon’s appearances on the 360-degree stage remained suspended for the time being. The facility itself resumed ordinary shop and cafe operations first, while the live stage program remained on hold.

Kumamon returned to the Square stage about three weeks after the earthquake, on August 21. At the 2 p.m. reopening show, staff first expressed their sympathy to those affected and gratitude for support sent from across Japan; then Kumamon appeared.

Staff told Kumamon that many messages had arrived from around the country during the pause, asking “Is Kumamon okay?” and saying “We’re cheering you on.” He nodded emphatically and expressed his thanks on a placard. He then performed “Niji — Kumamoto Support Version,” combining dance and sign language to show his feelings for the recovery of affected communities and the people who supported them.

During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, which occurred 10 years earlier in April, Kumamon also paused activities on the day of the quake. He returned three weeks later, on May 5, Children’s Day, and visited evacuation centers in Nishihara and Mashiki, where he hugged children.

Kumamon’s creators Kundo Koyama and Manabu Mizuno launched the recovery-support initiative FOR KUMAMOTO PROJECT. In June that year, they introduced “Ganbaruken! Kumamoto-ken!” as a symbol of recovery. Starting in November, the “Thank You from Kumamoto!” project sent Kumamon across Japan to thank people for their support; he completed visits to all 47 prefectures in March 2018 in Shimane. After the July 2020 heavy rains, he also visited affected nurseries and other sites in the Hitoyoshi and Kuma area.

“Niji,” performed at the reopening show, was released in 1991, with lyrics by Toshihiko Shinzawa and music by Hirotaka Nakagawa, and has long been sung in kindergartens and preschools throughout Japan. During the 2016 earthquake, Kumamoto-born entertainer Korokke sang “Niji — Kumamoto Support Version” to wish for recovery. In 2017, a music video was made of Kumamon, elementary school students from Mashiki, and residents of “Minna no Ie,” a community hall in temporary housing, performing a sign-language dance together. The rainbow in Kumamon Square’s symbol echoes the song’s motif.

Beginning September 1, 2026, Kumamon Square and its official online shop began selling original charity merchandise, with part of the proceeds donated to Kumamoto Prefecture to support people affected by the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake and the prefecture’s recovery. Items include a unisex size-L charity T-shirt (white or light blue, ¥3,800) featuring “Rainbow of Hope,” Kumamon, and the message “Thank you for supporting Kumamoto”; a 76-mm tin magnet (¥600); an acrylic key chain (¥600); and a postcard (¥200).

Sources: Kumamon Land — Kumamon team activities (July 28, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Kumamon timeline (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Stage reopening report (August 22, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Charity merchandise (September 1, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square official online shop — Charity merchandise (in Japanese)

The Fan Appreciation Festival moves to one event a year from fiscal 2026

Since 2018, Kumamon Fan Appreciation Festival had been held every year in both Tokyo and Osaka. From fiscal 2026 onward, the format has changed to one event per year, alternating between the two cities. In its September 28, 2026, announcement, Kumamoto Prefecture explained that rising event-management costs and the need to secure recovery budgets after repeated disasters made it necessary to sustain the event long-term while maintaining its quality and giving fans around Japan a chance to show their appreciation. The prefecture said alternating the host city each year would make it possible to continue meeting fans over the long term.

For fiscal 2026, the Kumamoto Prefectural Government’s Tokyo Office is hosting “Kumamon Fan Appreciation Festival 2026 in TOKYO: Kumamon School Festival” free of charge at Kameido Clock in Tokyo on November 7 and 8. In October 2026, an appearance at the “Kumamoto Mon × Osaka Umeda” event in Osaka and collaboration merchandise with the Hanshin Tigers were also announced for the Kansai area.

Sources: Kumamon Land — About the Fan Appreciation Festival (September 28, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Land — Dates and venue for the 2026 Tokyo festival (October 9, 2026) (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square — Osaka Umeda event information (in Japanese)

A vision that imagines the whole prefecture as “Kumamon Land”

In December 2021, Kumamoto Prefecture announced its Kumamon Land concept, envisioning the entire prefecture as a theme park for Kumamon. Its official site introduces hubs around the region. Kumamon Station at Kumamoto Station (⑤), Kumamon Airport at Aso Kumamoto Airport (⑥), and Kumamon Base at Higo-Ozu Station (⑦) serve as gateways. The Yamaga Project in Yamaga City (⑧) is one of the Kumamon LOCAL initiatives that pair local attractions with Kumamon.

Source: Kumamon Land — Kumamon LOCAL (in Japanese)

Kumamon’s journey from his debut to the 2026 reopening

1. February 2010Proposed as an extra to the Kumamoto Surprise! campaign logoKumamon
2. March 2010Kumamon debutsKumamon
3. November 2010Briefly “goes missing” in Osaka; governor holds an emergency press conferenceKumamon
4. March 12, 2011Kyushu Shinkansen opens along its full route; Kumamon’s birthdayKumamon
5. 2011Wins the Yuru-Chara Grand PrixKumamon
6. July 2013Kumamon Square opensFacility
7. December 2013Bank of Japan’s Kumamoto Branch announces ¥124.4 billion in economic impactKumamon
8. 2016Kumamoto Earthquake; “Niji — Kumamoto Support Version” is createdSong
9. May 5, 2016Resumes activities three weeks after the Kumamoto EarthquakeKumamon
10. 2017Music video for “Niji” is producedSong
11. Fiscal 2018Fan Appreciation Festival begins annual events in Tokyo and OsakaEvent
12. September 2019Kumamon Village (Square Satellite) opensFacility
13. March 2020Kumamon Port Yatsushiro is completedFacility
14. May 2022Kumamon Station opens at Kumamoto StationFacility
15. October 2023Photo space opens at Kumamon VillageFacility
16. March 2026Six-language versions of “Come On! Kumamon!” are announcedSong
17. June 5, 2026Kumamon Square reaches 4,500,000 visitorsFacility
18. July 1, 2026Third short film, “Kumamoto, Forever,” is releasedVideo
19. July 28, 20262026 Kumamoto Earthquake; Kumamon team activities temporarily pausedEarthquake
20. July 31, 2026Kumamon Port Yatsushiro closes temporarilyFacility
21. August 21, 2026Stage shows resume at Kumamon SquareFacility
22. November 7–8, 2026Kumamon Fan Appreciation Festival 2026 in TOKYO held in KameidoEvent

Sixteen years after his debut in March 2010, Kumamon’s story has grown alongside Kumamoto’s recovery from disasters. It includes both his work traveling around Japan and overseas to meet people and the permanent hubs in Kumamoto where visitors can come meet him.

Research Institute note | A business perspective: grow the number of businesses that use the character and create places to meet him

Kumamoto Prefecture has opened use of Kumamon illustrations for promoting the prefecture and expanding sales of local products, making about 300 designs available to choose from. Instead of buying character exposure with advertising budgets, the prefecture has expanded the character’s reach by increasing the number of people who use his art. The day after the earthquake this summer, it quickly introduced a special notification-only option for support activities.

The two Kumamon meeting places in Kumamoto City publish appearance schedules, helping visitors from far away plan their itineraries. The decision to change the Fan Appreciation Festival’s frequency is also a useful example for other local-government mascots: it is a way to keep activities going while balancing disaster response.

Sources

Kumamon Land (in Japanese) / Kumamon Square (in Japanese) / Kumamon Village (in Japanese) / Kumamon Port Yatsushiro (in Japanese) / Japan Meteorological Agency — 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake (in Japanese)