Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto

Koiji Island floats in Minamata Bay. Stone carvings on the shore stand in memorial to victims of Minamata Disease. The city has a museum dedicated to the mercury poisoning disaster that garnered worldwide attention in the 1950s and 1960s, while the coast offers scenic views and thermal waters. (© Pixta)

Handmade wooden toys like this kijiuma have been produced in Kumamoto for centuries. (© Pixta)

Kumamoto‘s official mascot Kumamon is Japan’s most famous yuru kyara. (© Jiji)