Latest Events in Kumamoto City(August Updated)

The annual festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine has a history of more than 1,000 years, and has been known as the largest annual festival in Higo (Kumamoto) since ancient times. The festival originated from the "Hojo-kai", but it is still affectionately called "Zuibyou" by people. It is called Hojo-kai because before the Meiji era, when the decree on the separation of Shinto and Buddhism was promulgated and Buddhist activities were temporarily abolished, the annual festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine was also called Hojo-kai, and now only this name is retained. The annual routine festival includes the "First Day Festival", "Second Day Festival", "Offering Ceremony", "Shinkoshiki" and "Offering Ceremony", which lasts for five days and five nights, and traditional Shinto rituals and festivals with a long history are held. In addition, various activities such as tea ceremony, waka, haiku, flower offering, Shinmachi lion floats, town floats, children's portable shrines, sacred horses, and decorated horses are held in the shrine.

A large-scale exhibition of Anpanman's creator, Yanase Takashi (1919-2013). Yanase, who was a manga artist, poet, picture book author, illustrator, designer, editor, and other diverse artists, was also an entertainer of the highest order. His greatest joy in life was "making people happy." Yanase, who endured harsh wartime experiences, parting ways with his family, and meeting various people, continued to ask himself "Why was I born and what do I live for?" He arrived at the image of a hero who, even if it was uncool, could give a piece of bread, or "anpan," to someone who was truly in need. This exhibition commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Yanase Takashi Memorial Museum Anpanman Museum in 2026, and will unravel his works on the themes of "Takashi Yanase Anatomy," "Manga," "Poetry," "Picture Books/Yanase Fairy Tales," and "Anpanman," focusing on approximately 200 original drawings.