The series of earthquakes with the mainshock of magnitude 7.0 and a foreshock of magnitude 6.2 in April 2016 had caused severe damage in Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures. Numerous structures collapsed. Thousands of people injured and more than 44,000 people being evacuated from their homes. One of the major damages is the Kumamoto Castle, one of the most famous castles in Japan. The whole castle, and some sightseeing spots in the area, including the Former Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu, Kumamoto City Museum and Kumamoto Prefectural Art Museum branch are still closed as of May 2017. Restoration work is in progress. You may only see the castle from the outside.