Kumamoto Castle Hall is quite a plus for the city. Located next to Sakura Machi, it includes a large event space. Their first event is a goldfish exhibition by reknowned art aquarium artist Hidetomo Kimura, featuring 19 works and 10,000 goldfish (which is 9,993 more than I’ve ever owned at a given time) and centered upon the 2.5 meter diameter “Oiran” (shown below). The show will last until January 13. Admission is 1,200 yen for those high school and above, 800 yen for the youngsters, and free for those three or under (if your child is 4, it’s a good time to teach them how to lie.). - William