Kumamoto opens One Piece exhibit

The special “ONE PIECE 熊本復興プロジェクト10年展” opened March 20, 2026 at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and runs through May 24, 2026 with free admission by prior online reservation. ( pref.kumamoto.jp ) The exhibit’s organizing concept is titled “SHI‑RU‑SHI,” a reference to a scene in One Piece volume 23, and the show publicly unveils the original prototypes of the Straw Hat crew bronze statues for the first time. ( op-kumamoto.com ) ( jiji.com ) Display elements include detailed “making‑of” panels that document the statue‑production process, an image theater that pairs manga scenes with Kumamoto’s recovery footage, and a visitor‑participation “SHI‑RU‑SHI wall” that stitches written messages into a communal installation. ( op-kumamoto.com ) The ONE PIECE Kumamoto Revival Project installed ten bronze statues across the prefecture between 2018 and 2022 as part of the broader “Hinokuni Reconstruction Arc,” and the 10‑year exhibition consolidates those site projects and documentary materials into a single museum narrative. ( kanpai-japan.com ) ( op-kumamoto.com ) Exhibition programming lists staged live demonstrations tying One Piece to traditional performing arts, and the official project page says the show will present “project records,” screened stories of reconstruction, and behind‑the‑scenes content intended to leave a public record of ten years of recovery. ( op-kumamoto.com ) ( one-piece.com ) Museum hours are 10:00–17:00 with Mondays closed (May 4 open, May 7 closed as a substitute holiday), and the prefectural page warns that admission limits may be imposed during congestion—details relevant to scheduling group visits and timed entry for multi‑age classroom rotations. ( pref.kumamoto.jp )