Oda Eichirou, born in Kumamoto and creator of the long-running hit manga and anime “One Piece,” has generously funded several statues of his characters to be placed in areas affected by the quakes. After fierce competition, the prefecture has made its decision on location as shown on the below map. Kumamoto Governor Tsujishima said “Decisions were based on facilitating tourism for both domestic and foreign visitors and the relationship with the earthquake disaster museum.”
Given the widespread, deep popularity of One Piece, this is likely to draw many tourists to Kumamoto. Below are links to a Kumanichi article (Japanese) and an English article (Japan Today). - William
