Sakura no Baba Jōsaien

photo by そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0

The earthquake of 28/07 closed everything: shops reopened on 5/8, the museum was still shut on 18/8.

It is the shopping complex at the foot of Kumamoto Castle: Sakura no Kōji street, with 23 shops selling local food and crafts, and the Wakuwaku-za museum on the history of the Higo domain. The earthquake of 28 July 2026 closed the whole complex for one day; the shops had reopened as normal by 5 August, while the Wakuwaku-za museum was still closed on 18 August, three weeks later. The castle itself, right next door, reopened on 13 August 2026.

Jōsaien was built to give Kumamoto Castle an entrance with shops and restaurants, on the model of other Japanese castle towns. Sakura no Kōji street brings together 23 businesses devoted to Kumamoto's cuisine and local products; the Wakuwaku-za museum, inside the same complex, tells the history of the Higo domain (54 man-koku) with exhibits and screenings. There is also a general tourist information office. After the earthquake of 28 July 2026 (M7.1), the complex closed the same day; an official update of 5 August reported the shops and the information office back to normal, with the museum still shut and the multi-purpose hall on the first floor of the information office not accessible. A second update of 18 August confirmed the same picture for the museum, although the volunteer guides and the samurai shows (without combat) had resumed.

ℹ️ Sakura no Kōji street: shops 9:00–18:00, restaurants 11:00–18:00 (hours and closing days vary from one business to another). Wakuwaku-za museum: 9:00–17:30, last entry 17:00, tickets 300 yen for adults / 100 yen for elementary and junior high school children. Information office: 9:00–17:30; from April to October some listings give 8:30–18:30 instead, so it is best to check. Closed 30–31 December. ⚠️ As of 18 August 2026 the Wakuwaku-za museum was still closed because of the earthquake of 28/07/2026: before a trip, check the latest status on the official website page or on castle.kumamoto-guide.jp.

🚉 Kumamoto Castle / City Hall · 12 min walk

Sources: sakuranobaba-johsaien.jp · castle.kumamoto-guide.jp

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