Ozu appeals to a range of interests: pop culture, historic irrigation, physical activity, seasonal events, and local sweets. When planning your trip, it makes a difference whether you have a specific place, a seasonal bloom, or a festival with a set date in mind. The following themes offer different reasons to consider Ozu as a travel destination.

Pop Culture with Specific Ties to Places

The Zoro statue stands in Ōzu Central Park. It was installed as part of the ONE PIECE “Straw Hat Crew: Hino Country Reconstruction Arc” reconstruction project. It faces the Ōzu Budokan. Those interested in the character will find here not only a connection to ONE PIECE, but also a clearly identified link to the reconstruction project and a specific detail about the statue’s orientation.

Another character features at Kumamon Base by the south exit of Higo-Ōzu Station. It was created by renovating the visitor center there and designed as “Kumamon’s secret base.” A Kumamon-themed Honda Monkey is also displayed as a photo opportunity; exhibition details may change. If this particular attraction is a key reason for your visit, check the current exhibition arrangements in advance.

Water Engineering and Physical Activity

The Uwaide and Shimoide irrigation systems were devised by Katō Kiyomasa, the first lord of Kumamoto Castle, and recognized as “World Irrigation Heritage.” Uwaide Park offers another way to experience water: it invites visitors to stroll and walk along the Uwaide watercourse and admire its waterwheel. The park therefore offers both a historically significant irrigation theme and a specific outdoor activity.

Ōzu Sports Park offers facilities for a range of sports, including soccer, basketball, and volleyball. It caters to everyone from young children to seniors. The activities at the Sports Park are therefore quite different from a walk along the watercourse: you can take part in the sports listed, while Uwaide Park invites you to walk and admire the waterwheel.

Festivals and Blooms Through the Year

The Ōzu Tsutsuji Festival in central Ōzu features a samurai parade led by local children and a mikoshi parade. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, check the specific event date in advance.

The Ōzu Karaiimo Festival takes place every November and attracts visitors from Ōzu and beyond. Here, too, it is worth checking the date of the event before your trip. Showaen offers a different seasonal highlight: cherry trees bloom there in spring, followed by a wide variety of azaleas. The festival in November and the succession of spring blooms thus offer different seasonal reasons to visit.

Local Sweets and Special Occasions

Dosen-to is made from rakugan powder mixed with sugar and based on rice or glutinous rice flour, then wrapped around red bean paste. A city tourism webpage updated on April 1, 2025, listed three shops where Dosen-to was made and sold. As availability may change, check before making a special trip to buy it.

Hiyoshi Shrine is currently the only place in Kumamoto Prefecture where a “football omamori” is offered. Visitors also come from other prefectures to worship and obtain the amulet. If you are traveling specifically for this, check availability in advance.

For another kind of physical activity, the Higo Ōzu Tourism Association offers motorcycle rentals in Ozu: motorcycles can be rented by the hour and ridden freely. Check availability and conditions before using the service.

Discover more destinations: Kami-Amakusa, Hitoyoshi, Kikuchi, Kikuyo, Yatsushiro, Tamana, Tanouramachi, Arao

For the broader travel overview: Kumamoto Prefecture.