10 Years Since the Kumamoto Earthquake: "Beyond Reconstruction" Delivered Through the Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche

Vivid Garden Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Rina Akimoto), which operates "Tabechoku," Japan's largest direct-from-producer e-commerce site (※2) holding 9 No. 1 rankings in recognition and usage (※1), will collaborate with Kumamoto City to host the "Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche" in Kumamoto City on April 18 (Sat) and 19 (Sun), 2026, marking the 10-year milestone since the Kumamoto Earthquake.

As Kumamoto City approaches the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquake, it aims to express gratitude to all those who supported the recovery of Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries, and to widely disseminate the current state of Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries, which have achieved recovery from the disaster.

This project will link a local reconstruction marche held at a physical venue with an online marche implemented on an e-commerce site, delivering the appeal of Kumamoto's agricultural and marine products and processed goods (hereinafter referred to as "Kumamoto products") to Kumamoto citizens and consumers nationwide. Beyond mere product sales, it will convey the voices of producers and their stories of recovery, creating an opportunity to experience "the current state of recovery" and "the future beyond."

Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche Special Website URL: https://www.tabechoku.com/ulp/kumamoto-marche/

**Background of This Initiative**

The Kumamoto Earthquake, which occurred in 2016, caused extensive damage to Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries.

Ten years have passed since then.

Thanks to support from across the nation and mutual aid within the region, agriculture and fisheries have steadily progressed in their recovery.

This project is an initiative to connect gratitude for past support to the future, under the overall concept for the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquake: "Turning the days we were supported into the strength to support each other."

This phrase embodies the desire to build a society where we can support and help each other, driven by the connections and experiences of mutual aid gained through the disaster.

Furthermore, with "regional connections," the greatest lesson from the Kumamoto Earthquake, at its core, this project will be implemented as part of year-round initiatives, taking into account perspectives such as:

* Commemoration of those who lost their lives and the inheritance of their wishes * Review of the progress of restoration and reconstruction * Transmission of lessons for the future * Gratitude and repayment for support

Within this context, this marche aims to be an opportunity to advance into the next 10 years by promoting the appeal of recovered Kumamoto products and re-recognizing regional connections through food.

**Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche Overview**

This initiative is a marche that links real and online platforms, marking the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquake. It aims to express gratitude to people nationwide who supported the recovery of Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries and to promote the appeal of Kumamoto products that have achieved strong recovery.

Ten years have passed since the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016, and this event will widely disseminate the "present" state of agriculture and fisheries, which have steadily recovered from severe damage, thereby expressing gratitude for the support received.

In addition to preventing the fading of disaster memories, by promoting Kumamoto's agriculture, fisheries, and agricultural products to citizens and consumers nationwide through real and online channels, this initiative aims to boost producers' motivation, promote local production for local consumption, and enhance brand value.

**1) Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche Held in Kumamoto City**

**Event Name:** Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche **Date & Time:** April 18 (Sat) - 19 (Sun), 2026, 10:00 - 16:00 **Venue:** Amu Hiroba, Kumamoto Station Shirakawa-guchi Ekimae Plaza **Organizer:** Kumamoto City **Operator:** Vivid Garden Inc. **Admission Fee:** Free **Number of Exhibitors:** 32 businesses (farmers, fishermen, and food-related businesses within Kumamoto City and its central urban area) **Notes:** For media coverage on the day, please contact the secretariat (Kumamoto City Agricultural Policy Division, Agriculture and Fisheries Brand Strategy Office) by the day before for smooth arrangements.

**Kids Marche Held at Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche**

This marche will feature a "Kids Marche" as an initiative to connect to the next generation.

This program allows children to learn about agriculture, fisheries, and the disaster from producers, create price cards, and experience sales, thereby deepening their understanding of the recovery process and Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries.

By structuring it to provide a consistent experience from "learning" to "practice," it creates an opportunity that also contributes to nurturing future leaders.

**Date & Time:** April 18 (Sat) - 19 (Sun), 2026, 13:00 - 14:30 **Kids Marche Schedule:** * 13:00 - 13:10 Briefing & Changing * 13:10 - 13:30 Talk from Producers * 13:30 - 13:50 Price Card Creation * 13:50 - 14:30 Sales Experience

**Venue:** Amu Hiroba, Kumamoto Station Shirakawa-guchi Ekimae Plaza **Participant Recruitment:** Applications are now closed due to high demand. **Activities:** * Learn about the appeal of Kumamoto products and recovery from the disaster from producers. * Decide on products to help sell at the marche and create price tags.

**2) Launch of a Special Website Conveying the Progress of Recovery and Producers' Sentiments**

This project will launch a special website to disseminate the progress of recovery from the Kumamoto Earthquake and the sentiments of producers.

The special website will feature interview videos with producers and articles detailing the situation at the time of the disaster and the stories leading up to recovery.

Furthermore, by disseminating information linked with article content, videos, and social media, it will convey Kumamoto's appeal from multiple angles and also serve as a gateway to the online marche.

This design aims to create a series of experiences: "learn," "empathize," and "purchase," thereby spreading the value of Kumamoto products nationwide.

**Launch Date:** March 30 (Mon), 2026 **Special Website:** https://www.tabechoku.com/feature_articles/kumamoto_fukko_marche

**3) Discount Campaign as a Reconstruction Online Marche on Tabechoku**

This online marche will sell Kumamoto products to consumers nationwide and deepen understanding of Kumamoto products through content that conveys producers' sentiments and the progress of recovery.

Additionally, it will disseminate information using special articles, email newsletters, and social media, providing a "consumption experience driven by empathy" that goes beyond mere purchase.

Furthermore, the online marche will also implement a 500-yen discount campaign for Kumamoto products. This initiative aims to build a mechanism for continuous purchasing and promote efforts to ensure that the value of recovery is not a one-time event.

**Online Marche Location:** Within the Tabechoku website (also viewable from the special website) **Special Website:** https://www.tabechoku.com/ulp/kumamoto-marche/ **500-yen Off Campaign Start Date:** April 18 (Sat), 2026 **Conditions:** The campaign will end once the planned number of discounts is reached.

**Future Developments**

Through this project, the connections created between Kumamoto City's producers and consumers will not be temporary but will be developed into continuous relationships.

By utilizing the content and customer touchpoints accumulated through the online marche and special website, we will continue to promote sales and enhance the brand value of Kumamoto products.

Furthermore, by leveraging the knowledge and models gained from this initiative, we will expand to other regions and create new projects, thereby promoting the creation of new value for Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries, triggered by "reconstruction."

**Comment from the Mayor of Kumamoto**

**Turning the days we were supported into the strength to support each other.**

We are approaching the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. I once again express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives, and my heartfelt sympathies and condolences to their families and all those affected by the disaster.

The day when our daily lives changed due to the sudden, massive tremors is still deeply etched in our hearts. Over these past 10 years, despite countless hardships, we have moved forward strongly, supporting each other. The great strength for this came from the "power of mutual support" among our citizens and the many warm supports received from both within Japan and abroad.

Therefore, this year, under the concept of "Turning the days we were supported into the strength to support each other," we are reviewing the progress of these 10 years, expressing our condolences to those who lost their lives and our gratitude to all who supported us, and advancing various initiatives in collaboration with the community and citizens.

Taking this milestone as an opportunity, we will reliably pass on to the next generation the greatest lesson from the Kumamoto Earthquake – that "regional connections built on mutual help and support are the true power of disaster prevention" – and realize a "safe, secure, disaster-resilient, and flexible city."

Kazufumi Onishi, Mayor of Kumamoto

**Regarding Media Coverage for Each Event**

On-site coverage by media representatives is accepted for the "Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Reconstruction Marche" held on April 18 (Sat) and 19 (Sun), 2026.

On the day, in addition to the sale of Kumamoto's agricultural and marine products and processed goods by producers who have achieved recovery, during the Kids Marche, producers are scheduled to directly speak about the journey from the disaster to recovery and the appeal of Kumamoto products.

Furthermore, the venue will also feature exhibitions and projects themed on the Kumamoto Earthquake, structured to allow visitors to experience "the journey to recovery" and "the charm of Kumamoto's agriculture and fisheries."

We kindly invite you to cover this event.

**Media Contact Information**

[Organizer Contact] Kumamoto City Agricultural Policy Division Division Manager Kenji Nakaguma Agriculture and Fisheries Brand Strategy Office Staff Yukari Takeda TEL 096-328-2410 Weekdays 8:30-17:00 e-mail: nousuibrand@city.kumamoto.lg.jp

[Other Contact] Vivid Garden Inc. Government and Corporate Co-creation Business Department Okano Nishizuka e-mail: inquiry2@vivid-garden.co.jp

**About "Tabechoku"**

Tabechoku is a direct-from-producer e-commerce site where consumers can purchase ingredients and flowers directly from dedicated producers. It has achieved 9 No. 1 rankings in recognition and usage among direct-from-producer e-commerce sites in Japan (※1).

It handles a wide range of ingredients including vegetables, fruits, rice, meat, fish, and beverages, as well as flowers. A key feature is that consumers can directly interact with producers, for example, by sharing feedback on what they've eaten.

Additionally, Tabechoku offers services such as "Tabechoku Concierge," a regular vegetable delivery service that selects producers based on preferences, and "Vivid TABLE," a frozen food subscription service. Furthermore, it provides "Tabechoku for Business," a corporate service that can be utilized for employee benefits and promotional campaigns.

As of February 2026, the number of users has exceeded 1.3 million, registered producers have surpassed 11,400, and approximately 50,000 unique specialty products are listed.

* URL: https://www.tabechoku.com/ * Official X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/tabechoku