A mother whose home was destroyed by the earthquake welcomed the visit as children received sweets and stickers and shared hugs and high fives.

Kumamon, a representative mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, was born in March 2011 by Ikuo Kabashima, Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture for the opening of Kyushu route, in order to promote tourism. Soon after, Kumamon gained popularity all over Japan rapidly, with his signature song “Kumamon Taisou”, a cute and easy to follow exercise song, which had become a popular dance in Japan.