Be sure to spend the drinking funds for your cherry blossom viewing party on these beautiful cans.
Between April 14 and April 16, 2016, several powerful earthquakes shook Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures, killing at least 50 people and injuring 3,000 others. Merely five years from 2011, it was another stark reminder that Japan lies on an active fault line and that major earthquakes are always possible.
The two prefectures suffered damage to a number of significant cultural properties, including Aso Shrine and Kumamoto Castle. Aso Shrine is one of Japan’s oldest shrines, and Kumamoto Castle can often be found listed among the most popular castles in Japan.
With the anniversary of the earthquake quickly approaching, along with the beginning of cherry blossom season, Sapporo has found a crisp, refreshing way to continue supporting recovery with one of the best parts of sakura viewing: drinking beer.
Starting March 22 for a limited run, 10 yen from every can of Sapporo Black Label sold will go toward funding the restoration of Kumamoto Castle. For those looking for the cans but are less kanji-savvy, look for the Sapporo beer cans that feature a Japanese castle with cherry blossoms blooming against a beautiful blue sky.
These cans will be sold in the eight prefectures of Kyushu: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa. So for those in the area, be sure to grab a can featuring this wonderful design and give a toast to the rebuilding phase of the region.
If you aren’t in the area, why not take a trip to Kyushu during the cherry blossom season? It’s an excellent area for travel, and with a mascot as amusing as Kumamon also there, you know you’re in for a great adventure.
Source: Entabe
Images: Sapporo Beer