Kumamoto City and Minato Ward to Hold "10 Years Since Kumamoto Earthquake - Panel Exhibition & Product Fair" Joint Event on April 16-17

The "Kumamoto City x Minato Ward Joint Event - 10 Years Since Kumamoto Earthquake - Panel Exhibition & Product Fair" will take place on April 16-17, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Minato Ward Office 1st floor lobby (1-5-25 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo). Organized by Kumamoto City with cooperation from Minato Ward, the event aims to convey Kumamoto City's deep gratitude for Minato Ward's extensive support following the 2016 earthquake and to reaffirm the historical connections between the two cities dating back to the Edo period. The venue will feature a panel exhibition showcasing lessons learned from the earthquake and recent disaster prevention initiatives by both municipalities. Additionally, a product fair will offer Kumamoto's spring delicacies, including mini watermelons (3,500 JPY for 2L/2-3kg), "Yubeni" strawberries (600 JPY per pack), "Shiranui" dekopon (240 JPY each), and "Kuri Suki" chestnut sweets (240 JPY each). Historically, Minato Ward's Takanawa 1-chome was the site of the former Kumamoto Domain Hosokawa family's lower residence, and Kakurinji Temple in Shirokanedai 1-chome enshrines Kato Kiyomasa, the first lord of the Kumamoto Domain. Recent collaborations include Kumamoto City's participation in Minato Ward events and Minato Ward dispatching staff to assist Kumamoto City with disaster certificate issuance after heavy rains in August 2025.