Aso

The creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, grew up in Kumamoto. After an earthquake severely damaged the city in 2016, he started a revival project in partnership with the prefecture to reconstruct the city. To commemorate his contribution, the prefecture installed Straw Hat Pirate statues around Kumamoto. Although there was a delay in finishing the project (due to the pandemic), you can now visit all 10. Luffy The first Straw Hat Pirate to receive a statue was protagonist Luffy. Although he’s located in Kumamoto City, he’s not in the downtown area. To make your trip to see him worthwhile, also visit Suizenji Gardens and the flagship store of Ajisen Ramen. Where: Kumamoto Prefectural Government Office Promenade, 6-18-1 Suizenji, Chuo ward, Kumamoto City (map) Usopp If you take a trip to Aso City, you’ll be greeted by Usopp, the sniper, as you leave the train station. It’s worth visiting Aso for more than just the statue, especially if you enjoy hiking and onsen. Where: Aso Station, 1444-2 Kurokawa, Aso (map) Sanji Mashiki was one of the worst-affected areas after the earthquake. Sanji, the chef, was chosen for the statue because the local school lunch center was one of the buildings that…