Synopsis

Minamiaso once drew six million visitors annually. The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake inflicted catastrophic damage on the region's tourism industry. At one inn, two guests perished; another took five years to rebuild, while a third reopened just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, facing a relentless tide of cancellations. Will the innkeepers of Minamiaso ever fully recover – financially, and in spirit? Years after the devastation, we examine the individuals striving to rebuild their businesses, and thei