2025 Kikuchi District Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in June)

A journey to visit the 'ONE PIECE' statues scattered throughout Kumamoto Prefecture was a dream-like experience where you could truly feel the world of the series. These statues were installed as part of the reconstruction support after the Kumamoto earthquake, with each character placed in different locations across Kumamoto, blending their charm with the unique features of each region. The first stop was the statue of Luffy at the Kumamoto Prefectural Office. His powerful pose with a raised fist symbolized 'hope for reconstruction,' and his presence was overwhelming. It was heartwarming to see locals taking commemorative photos in front of the statue, feeling Luffy's support for Kumamoto's recovery. Next, we visited the statues of Zoro, Sanji, and Nami. Zoro is located in Ozu Town, Sanji in Mashiki Town, and Nami in Nishihara Village. Each character's individuality harmonized beautifully with the atmosphere of their respective locations. Sanji's statue, in particular, was placed in a food-related area, perfectly matching his love for cooking. It was also an opportunity to learn about the characteristics of each region, making it an enjoyable sightseeing experience. Additionally, Chopper's statue is located within a zoo and botanical garden, where it was delightful to see children happily taking photos. The statues of other crew members like Franky, Usopp, and Robin were also crafted with poses and expressions that showcased their personalities, making it an exciting experience even for non-fans. This statue tour, where you can enjoy the world of 'ONE PIECE' along with Kumamoto's rich nature and cityscape, is a special experience not only for fans of the series but for many people. As a symbol of Kumamoto's recovery and a tourist attraction, it is a wonderful spot that many should visit.

I went on a trip to Kumamoto to see the bronze statues of One Piece! The statues were erected as part of the reconstruction efforts at various tourist spots, near souvenir shops, and inside the Kumamoto Earthquake Museum, so I was able to visit spots I had never been to before! Near the Kumamoto Earthquake Museum, where Robin's statue is, is the "former Tokai University Aso Campus." After the glass broke, the building was still leaning and cracked, giving a renewed sense of the horror of the earthquake. My trip to Kumamoto was a really good one. I'll be going to see the One Piece statues soon, which I haven't been to yet!

Looking for information on the internet, I mostly book Grandvrio Resort when I come to ASU to play football. But somehow I have been unable to order for some reason, so I found this one after searching. The course is beautiful, not difficult to hit, the fairways are well maintained, but the greens are a little less, more divot unrepaired. However, the greens are fast and have to be pushed very carefully. The hotel attached to the stadium is ok, we booked breakfast and dinner, it was quite a surprise, playing football and including lunch, really three meals a day at the club 🤣 The hotel's hot springs♨️ are great, with indoor and open-air hot springs, and the spring water is very smooth, in short, it's great Of course, the price is quite affordable, playing ball including a night hotel plus three meals of coffee for two people is about 550,000 yen 😆 #Japanese golf trip

Ozu Town, Kumamoto. JR Higo-Ozu Station is accessible in 15 minutes by the Airport Liner bus to Kumamoto Airport. The station is also called Aso Kumamoto Airport Station. Higo-Ozu Station is called the Ozu Town Visitor Center. The attached tourist information center has a face-in panel that says "Welcome to Kumamon Base" and seems to play a role as a base for disseminating tourist information about Ozu Town. In the waiting room at the station, the Ozu Town Detour Walking Map and tourist information and pamphlets are available. Not only the Airport Liner to Kumamoto Airport, but also the Ogunigo Community Bus departs and arrives from Higo-Ozu Station. Higo-Ozu Station is also a limited express station, so it is a good place to access Kumamoto City, the Aso region, and Oita! It takes about 40 minutes to Kumamoto Station by conventional line (regular). If you have free time between the airport and the train, you can also go sightseeing. "Aso Kumamoto Airport" ↔︎ "Higo-Otsu Station (Aso Kumamoto Airport Station)" 15 minutes by airport liner (54 flights per day, no reservation required, runs once every 30 minutes) "Higo-Otsu Station" ↔︎ "Kumamoto Station" About 40 minutes by conventional line (regular) "Higo-Otsu Station (Aso Kumamoto Airport Station)" (Otsu Town Visitor Center) 137-3 Muro, Otsu Town, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture 869-1235 Opening hours 9:00 to 18:00 No fixed holidays #Kumamoto #Otsu Town #Higo-Otsu #Airport Liner #Kumamoto Airport #Kumamoto Tourism #Kumamoto Airport #besttrip2023

Otsu, Kumamoto. Otsu Central Park is decorated with statues of Zoro, a character from the manga One Piece, and Karaimo-kun, a local character. It's about a 5-minute walk from JR Otsu Station. By the way, it takes about 40 minutes to get from Kumamoto Station to Otsu Station on the JR Line by local train. Otsu Central Park is a park with playground equipment and grounds. The statue is located near the playground. There is a sign for the Zoro Statue at the entrance to the park, so please follow the sign. This Zoro Statue was built by the One Piece Kumamoto Reconstruction Project. I hope that the tourist attraction will attract more tourists and help support the reconstruction effort. There are no closing times. You can visit the park 24 hours a day. Otsu Town is a producer of sweet potatoes (karaimo). There is also a sweet potato tempura restaurant nearby. There are also plenty of benches in the park. I saw many people enjoying picnics and eating and drinking. This time, Karaimo-kun was also there, so I had "sweet potato (karaimo) tempura" in the park 🍠 "Otsu Central Park (Zoro Statue, Karaimo-kun Statue)" 1156-3 Otsu, Otsu-machi, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture, 869-1233 #Kumamoto #Statue #Otsu-machi #Kumamoto Tourism #Kumamoto Trip #besttrip2023 #sweet potato #karaimo