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

KUMAMOTO, Japan - Kumamoto Castle in southwestern Japan is struggling to lure back visitors despite its reopening around two weeks after a recent powerful earthquake.

Between Aug. 13, the day the castle reopened after the magnitude-7.1 quake, and Aug. 27, it saw 32,400 visitors, only about half the level seen in the same period in 2025, according to the Kumamoto city government.