As part of the Kumamoto Prefectural Theater’s 40th anniversary projects, five videos were produced under the theme “A Moving Theater.” One of these, a collaboration video pairing Manda Pit with dance, has been released on YouTube. The performance set against the historic Manda Pit features professional dancer Yusuke Hayama as lead, choreographer, and scriptwriter. Art director Takashi Yoshida composed and directed an original piece for this project, and the film was produced by OP Films from Onigashima Productions. True to the phrase “Dance is Timeless,” the video offers a dance interpretation of Manda Pit’s history that transcends eras. https://arao-kankou.jp/info/11207/... Other videos created under the “A Moving Theater” theme are also available. Please take a look. ・Sakitsu Village × Double Bass ・Yatsushiro Myoken Festival × Tsugaru Shamisen and Japanese Drums ・Aso × String Quartet ・Misumi West Port × Marching Band

Kumamon Island finally appears in the popular game Fortnite!! The hugely popular online game Fortnite has introduced a new stage set in Kumamoto called Kumamon Island!! Kumamon Island isn’t the usual shooting game; it’s a business simulation game!! The game’s story centers on Kumamoto’s major tourist spots, including Kumamoto Castle, and features a plot in which players help Kumamon and friends build a giant Kumamon robot!! One of the tourist sites featured is the Manda Pit!! Enjoy the game together with the adorable Kumamon♪ Island code 0507-8727-1071 https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/kumamonisland/...

Two Torii (shrine gates) are located in the Ishido Amano district of the World Cultural Heritage Town of Wakayama Prefecture. It was opened as a pilgrimage route to Mt. Koya. It is about 21 km from Mt. Kudu to Mt. Koya, and depending on your leg strength, it will take about 6~8 hours Squid time.

A coal mine trolley will run at Manda Pit! The coal mine trolley displayed at the Manda Pit coal preparation plant will run! Of the two displayed cars, No. 12 will run. The coal mine trolley used the Miike Coal Mine private railway to carry coal mined at Manda Pit for export from Miike Port. Be sure to see the trolley as it glides along in pleasant operation. Scheduled running times Every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 Manda Pit Postal code 864-0001 200-2 Haramanda, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture ◆Closed: Mondays (the following day if Monday is a public holiday) and during the New Year holidays ◆Admission fees: Adults 410 yen, High school students 310 yen, Elementary and junior high students 210 yen, Infants free *Group rates available (20 people or more) ◆Opening hours: 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30) ◆Phone: 0968-57-9155

Manda Pit is also hugely popular as a cosplay photo spot! Arao City's symbol Manda Pit In 2015 (Heisei 27) it was registered as part of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage. The Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution—iron and steel, shipbuilding, and coal mining—represent the first successful spread of the Industrial Revolution from Europe to the non-Western world. Between the mid-19th century and the early 20th century, Japan achieved rapid industrialization in just over half a century. Now preserved as valuable industrial remains, Manda Pit has newly become extremely popular as a cosplay photo location!! Many cosplayers and photographers use the site. Visitors and staff alike find themselves captivated by the authentic costumes and makeup. Here are some precious off‑shot photos. When a shoot starts, the site feels different from the Manda Pit we usually see as staff, and that gives us a strange, wonderful feeling. Manda Pit is perfect for cosplay photography, offering everything from striking action shots to nostalgic scenes. You’re sure to get photos you’ll love—highly recommended. We look forward to your visit. Information Filming requires advance reservation and a photo shoot application form. Please download the application form from the Arao City website. For changing rooms and luggage storage please use the Manda Coal Mine Museum (paid). This also requires advance reservation. Please contact the Manda Coal Mine Museum for room availability. Manda Coal Mine Museum: Phone 0968-64-1300 If you have any questions, please contact Manda Pit Station. ◆ Manda Pit Station 〒864-0001 200-2 Haramanda, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture ◆ Phone: 0968-57-9155 ◆ FAX: 0968-57-9156 ◆ Closed: Mondays (the following day if Monday is a holiday), and during the New Year holidays ◆ Hours: 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last entry 4:30 p.m.) ◆ Admission fees: Manda Pit ruins / Adults: ¥410, High school students: ¥310, Elementary and junior high students: ¥210, Preschool children: free ◆ Access: Bus / 8 minutes from JR Arao Station ◆ Parking: 5 large buses, 3 medium buses, 72 passenger cars #Kumamoto #World Heritage #World Cultural Heritage #Miike Coal Mine #Manda Pit #Manda Coal Mine Museum #cosplay #photo spot #Arao City website

What did the mine baths look like? At the Miike Coal Mine Manda Pit there is a newly opened Safety Lamp Room and Bathhouse that opened to the public in fiscal 2024. This bathhouse is the facility that was used from around 1951 (Showa 26), about 74 years after coal extraction stopped at Manda Pit, until 1997 (Heisei 9). Because this bathhouse served the small number of miners who performed maintenance work underground, it is different from the large bathhouses from Manda Pit’s heyday. Although smaller in scale, it served the same purpose of washing off the grime from underground work. Because coal dust that stuck to workers during work was hard to wash off, the washing area was separate from the tubs, and the tubs were divided into the "first bath" and an "up-bath (kakari-yu)" used after cleaning oneself thoroughly. (For details about the large bathhouse used by about 3,500 miners at Manda Pit’s peak, guided tours at Manda Pit offer more information, so please consider using a guide.) The Miike Coal Mine had abundant groundwater and required constant pumping. You might think that plentiful groundwater would be suitable for filling the tubs, but the water used for bathing was tap water. The reason was that water drawn from underground contained fine fragments of coal and other materials that posed a risk of injury, so it was not used at Manda Pit. On Hashima (Gunkanjima), water had to be brought in by supply ship from the mainland until a submarine water pipeline opened in 1953 (Showa 28). At that time, sea water was boiled for baths, and fresh water was reserved for the final "up-bath (kakari-yu)." A scene in the 2024 drama "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea" also shows miners using the bathhouse after finishing underground work, so please pay attention to that when you watch.

Coal Mine Train Photo Exhibition 2025 Now Open! We are exhibiting photographs that capture the many faces of coal mine trains. Please come and visit! ◆Dates: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Sunday, March 30, 2025 ◆Hours: 9:30 AM – 9:00 PM ※Closed: Every Monday (closed the following Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday) ◆Venue: Manda Coal Mine Museum, 213 Hara Manda, Arao City ◆Contact: Manda Pit Station, 200-2 Hara Manda, Arao City ☏0968-57-9155 Organizer: Manda Coal Mine Museum Co-organizer: NPO Coal Mine Train Preservation Society

'Mine Tram Preservation Sites Stamp Rally' Event Period Sunday, November 3, 2024–Sunday, March 30, 2025 Stamp and Card Pickup Locations Mine Tram Station Zero (shop reception) Manda Pit (Marugoto Arao Local Products Center reception) Mikawakou (shop register) Omuta Tourist Plaza (register reception) *Banners will mark the entrances where stamps and cards are available. How to Collect Stamps and Get Your Prize 1. Pick up a rally card at any of the four locations listed above. 2. Collect stamps at each location. 3. Receive your prize at the location where you stamp the fourth mark. The 'Mine Tram Preservation Sites Stamp Rally' runs from Sunday, November 3, 2024 through March 30, 2025. During the event, visit the four stamp and card pickup locations to receive an original tin badge produced by the NPO Mine Tram Preservation Society (two designs available). We look forward to many participants! Inquiries NPO Mine Tram Preservation Society Organizer: NPO Mine Tram Preservation Society Supported by: Omuta City, Arao City Cooperation: Shiraishi Motor Co., Ltd.; Omuta City Tourism Association; Arao City Tourism Association; NPO Miike Port Future Town Development Association

🌷Manda Pit Spring Festa 2025🌷 Delicious gourmet food, handmade goods, and food trucks! Also featuring “Manda Elementary Kids Guide” collaboration: Challenge from Manda Pit ver.3! For details, please visit the Arao City Tourism Association website 💁‍♀️ ◆Date and Time Sunday, March 9, 2025 10:00–15:00 ※Event will proceed in light rain ◆Location Manda Pit Lawn Plaza, 200-2 Haramanda, Arao City Free admission! ※The paid area of Manda Pit remains charged as usual. ◆Program ・Petting zoo ・Challenge from Manda Pit ver.3 (quiz rally) ・Bubble Time (teambub) ・Gymnastics workshop by acrobat performance team VIVO ・Gourmet and craft market with over 30 vendors ◆Organizer Manda Pit Station @akane.0604k93 #Kumamoto Prefecture #Arao #Event #Spring Festa #Manda Pit #Gourmet #Food truck #Crafts #Handmade #Zoo #Petting zoo #Quiz rally #Challenge from Manda Pit #Tamana #Omuta #Nagasu #World Cultural Heritage #World Heritage

[Thorough Guide to the World Cultural Heritage Site: Manda Pit!] Manda Pit, located in Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture, is one of the coal mine ruins that supported Japan’s modernization. It is registered as a component of the World Cultural Heritage site "Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution" and holds great significance in Japan’s industrial history. Highlights of Manda Pit One of Japan’s Largest Shaft Facilities Manda Pit served as one of the Miike Coal Mine shafts, producing high-quality coal from the Meiji era through the early Showa era and supporting Japan’s modernization. The massive steel headframe symbolizing Meiji- and Taisho-era mining technology and the winding engine house are must-sees. Well-Preserved Industrial Heritage Many mine facilities and equipment used from the Meiji through Showa eras remain at Manda Pit, allowing visitors to feel the atmosphere of the time. The red-brick buildings and the imposing steel-frame structures are especially popular photo spots. Guided Tours to Learn Mine History Specialist-guided tours at Manda Pit explain the history and workings of the mine in detail. You can see the machinery and equipment that were actually used up close. Display of Mine Trains Manda Pit also exhibits the mine trains once used there. You can view the trains used to transport coal and for local transport up close, and running demonstrations are held on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. Recommended Nearby Spots Arao Tidal Flats (a nature-rich tidal flat registered under the Ramsar Convention) Greenland (one of Kyushu’s largest amusement parks) Yotsuyama Shrine (a historic shrine beloved by Arao residents) Coal Industry Science Museum (a science museum about energy from coal) Access Information About 10 minutes by car from JR Arao Station About 1 hour by car from Fukuoka City About 1 hour by car from Kumamoto City #Manda Pit #World Cultural Heritage #Coal Mine Ruins #Kumamoto Sightseeing #Arao City #Historical Exploration #Industrial Heritage #Photo Spot

The temple in the depths of Mt. Koya, where Kobo Daishi sleeps, has no shortage of pilgrims even in winter.

Squid Oren and Kumano Kodo are also approaching Spring.

J:com "Long Walk (Cho~tto Sanpaku) Kawachi" introduced Fujiidera City! Fujiidera City is packed with historical heritage~! ▼ Osaka Summer Jindomyoji Battle Monument (right in front of Kintetsu and Dōmyoji Station) ▼ Dōmyoji Tenjin-dori shopping street (Shops full of humanity are here now and in the past!) ） ▼ Dōmyoji Temple (also Famous as the temple where "Dōmyoji Temple" originated) ▼ Paris World Exposition Medal (medal awarded at Dōmyoji Temple) ▼ Dōmyoji Temple, etc. It is available on the YouTube channel "J:COM CHANNEL / J:COM TV"! Search for "Long Walk Fujiidera" You may be able to rediscover the charm that you didn't know about! Please take a look! ---------------------------------------------------- What is J:com "Long Walk Kawachi"? A local information program that together with the "mayor" of the city, we will discover and rediscover the pride of the local area and the charm of the city ----------------------------------------------------

In the Amano area, where the Tanyu Tohiyo Shrine, a world cultural heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture, is located, I photographed a snowy landscape and the remaining persimmons.

It is a Takijiri Oji shrine located on the Kumano Kodo and Nakabe Road Course. From here, it takes one to two days to walk to the Main Shrine Taisha Shrine. Let's walk with the thought of the ancient people.

The Seijoshin-in Temple on Mt. Koya, a World Cultural Heritage Site, and the snowy scenery in winter are also good, but I would like you to visit it during the Spring cherry blossom (umbrella cherry blossom) blooming season.

Jizo, who is enshrinement on the Kumano Kodo, a World Cultural Heritage Site, and people who live nearby hang handmade lotus on it in winter.

I took a picture of my son and wife playing in the snow at the Saiko Healing Village in Kawaguchiko Towns.

Mt. Koya, a World Cultural Heritage Site, must be tough to work in the extreme cold.

The main gate at the entrance of Mt. Koya, Wakayama Prefecture, is 25.1 m high and is designated as an important cultural property.

It is winter on Mt. Koya, a World Cultural Heritage Site. Snow removal work was being carried out for Worshippers who visited even in winter. The vermilion building is the main tower.

Prince Shinmon on the Kumano Kodo and Nakabe Road Courses, it was late autumn.

Toganokichaya on the Kumano Kodo and Nakabeji Course, a resting place that warmly welcomes travelers walking along the ancient road. I like thatched roofs.

It is a sunset view of Hyakungura in Kumano Kodo and Kokumotori-Etsu. The sun is going down quietly.

The clusters of sasa lily flowers that bloom along the Kumano Kodo in Nakabe Road, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture are because the owner of this mountain is taking care of them. Those who walk the Kumano Kodo and Nakabeji Course will enjoy the cute flowers and gentle scent.

About 1,250 years ago, Kukai opened the sacred place of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, Koyasan "Kondo" at night. Unlike Mt. Koya, which is crowded with tourists during the day, it is a quiet world.

It is one of the three major fire festivals in Japan and is designated as an important Intangible folk cultural property of Japan. It is spectacular to see 12 large torches weighing about 50 kg each parading along the approach. This year's ceremony will be held on July 14.

There is a tree grasping a large rock near Takijiri Oji and Oji Shrine on the Kumano Kodo Nakabe Road mountain trail. A large number of pilgrims start from Prince Takijiri and walk to the Hongu Taisha Shrine.

On a rainy day, I found a flower in the Kumano Kodo Highlands area. I see a lot of white flowers, but I wonder if there are few purple flowers~.

I took a picture over the Okumotori of "Kumano Kodo". Kumano Kodo has a history of more than 1,100 years, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of its registration as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountains".