[Kumamoto Report Day 2: Sightseeing]

On the second day in Kumamoto, we had a rehearsal in the evening.
In the morning, we went sightseeing in Kumamoto with the guidance of Kumamoto city officials.

In Aso.

According to an older lady at a nearby shop, it snowed the day before yesterday, and there is still snow underfoot.

This year has been a warm winter, and it hasn't snowed yet in Fukushima, so I never thought I'd see snow in Kumamoto...

Currently, volcanic activity is increasing, and it is not permitted to approach the crater.

Kano-kun eats "Ikinari Dango", a Kumamoto specialty.

"It has the simple sweetness of sweet potato and bean paste."

It was quite cold so we all gathered around the stove.

We also had the chance to chat with the talkative lady at the shop!

And when you think of Kumamoto, you think of horse meat!

I also enjoyed the grilled horse meat skewers.

For lunch, I had a minced meat bowl made with Kumamoto's specialty, Akagyu beef, at the roadside station "Aso-no-Sato Kugino" in Minamiaso village.

There is an open space with a fireplace, and as the name "Asobou" suggests, there are seats offering a panoramic view of the Aso mountains, so we were able to enjoy our meal in a relaxed atmosphere.

Cello Abe, the regular photographer, also took a breather.

Trumpet player Nakamura secretly photographs pickled ginger, which he doesn't like, onto the bowl next to him.

The weather has cleared up, and we can get a beautiful view of the Aso mountains.

Here's oboe player Sekine having fun with the face-in panel, one of the best parts of this tourist spot.

We then return to Kumamoto city and visit Kumamoto Castle.

A city official gave us a tour of Kumamoto Castle.

Rather than just watching it on TV, I was able to see it with my own eyes and get a real feel for what was happening there.

It is said that it will take more than 20 years to fully restore the area.

Assembling stone walls requires specialized knowledge and skills.

During the earthquake, the stone walls of Komine Castle in Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture also collapsed, but it has now been safely restored. It seems that they are using the know-how gained from the restoration of Komine Castle as a reference.

Tohoku and Kumamoto. So there was a connection like that.

This is at Kato Kiyomasa Shrine.

I'm curious about the character "Kato" on the tent.

Thanks to support from all over the country, Kumamoto seems to be working hard towards recovery, albeit slowly.

It was a valuable tour that allowed me to get a real feel for what it was like.

We hope to be able to share this experience with people all over the country from the perspective of Tohoku Youth.