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A cleanup program based on the spirit of hospitality, to learn about the history of Kumamoto Castle and pass it along to the future as the community recovers from earthquake damage

Saturday, December 11, 2021

From Kumamoto Castle to Ninomaru Park

 A cleanup program based on the spirit of hospitality, to learn about the history of Kumamoto Castle and pass it along to the future as the community recovers from earthquake damage

Overview

After cleaning up in the vicinity of Kumamoto Castle, touring the castle and learning about its history


For the first time since the earthquake five years ago, Kumamoto Castle was opened to the public on a special basis and tourists are being welcomed back to the castle. This activity was intended to clean up the area around Kumamoto Castle so that tourists could see the beautiful castle in all its splendor. With an emphasis on the history of the castle keep, Kumamoto Castle has been opened to the public in a way that makes it easy to understand its history, from when it first was built through the damage caused by the Kumamoto Earthquake and subsequent restoration. This helps to deepen understanding of the castle as an important cultural heritage in the community.

Partner organization Kumamoto Castle General Office
Contact JTB Corp. Call Center, Sales Division Attn.: Nakaguma, Iizuka Tel.: 096-300-8200 Closed: weekends, holidays Hours: 8:45 am - 5:15 pm

Comments from participants

・ Participating in this cleanup activity at Kumamoto Castle made me feel like I was playing a part in welcoming visitors who came to tour the castle. It also proved a valuable experience to see sights that could only be seen in the restoration process. (From a male participant in his 50s)

・ During the cleanup activity I focused completely on finding litter, but as I looked at the view from the castle keep afterward and saw the scars that still remain from the earthquake I felt deeply moved to be able to play even a small part in helping to restore the castle. (From a male participant in his 40s)

・ This was my first time to participate in this project. It was a very meaningful experience, and I was happy to have the chance to meet employees from other sections of the company while cleaning up in the castle vicinity and to play even a small part in preserving this historic cityscape. (From a female participant in her 30s)

・ This was my first time in a few years to participate in the JTB Brighter Earth Project. Through meeting and talking with other participants, I came to feel a bit closer to Kumamoto Castle, which is being restored gradually.

 I am grateful for the opportunity to experience the attractions of Kumamoto’s history and culture firsthand. (From a female participant in her 20s) 

Comments from the partner organization

We were overjoyed to hear that the number of participants was nearly double what had been expected at first. It must have been tough work to clean up amid all the fallen leaves after the fall foliage season had peaked. Thank you so much for your enthusiastic participation in this cleanup activity.

Comments from the staff member responsible

Previously, the JTB Brighter Earth Project has featured preemptive "Aso No Wachigiri". This was the first time it involved cleanup activities at Kumamoto Castle. We planned this program out of a desire to help in some way the restoration of Kumamoto Castle, since we can see the steady progress being made on the restoration from day to day from the windows of our new office. A total of 95 people took part, ranging in age from three years old to those in their sixties. It was an excellent opportunity to think about what it means to protect cultural heritage, since even though we have come to see Kumamoto Castle as a regular sight in the background of our daily living we have had few chances to learn about its history. Thank you very much to all who participated.

Scenes from the program