Visitors to Kumamoto Castle after quake reopening half level of year before

Kumamoto Castle in southwestern Japan is struggling to regain visitor numbers following its reopening two weeks after a powerful magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck. From August 13 to August 27, the castle saw 32,400 visitors, only half the number seen during the same period in 2025, according to the Kumamoto city government. Tourism plays a crucial role in the regional economy of Kyushu, and the lasting impact of the quake has left local people concerned.

The July 28 earthquake caused stone walls in the castle compound to collapse at 40 locations. It follows work since the 2016 earthquake to repair the castle's keep, which took about five years to complete. One resident, Tetsuya Taniguchi, expressed that Kumamoto has only recently recovered from the 2016 quake impact. Another shop owner, Yui Takaoka, is worried about the drop in sales to about 20 percent of pre-earthquake levels, especially during school trip season.

The government's planned subsidy program to reduce travel costs, set to launch in October, is hoped to attract more visitors. Similar relief programs following the 2016 quakes helped revive tourism. A city official emphasized that an increase in visitors will lead to the castle's revival.