Speaking of the characters Kumamoto is proud of, who are active and have gained nationwide fame—
The one who needs no introduction: Kumamon.
Bonolon, the protagonist of a picture book story with ties to Aso, which has exceeded 100 million copies in total circulation and marks its 20th anniversary this year.
And the yokai Amabie, whose origins in the seas off Higo are surprisingly little known.
We are introducing these “Three Major Characters” here because we would be delighted if you, who are curious about Kumamoto, would get to know them better.
A gentle giant with ties to Aso. Do you know Bonolon? He is a boy of the giant race who grants wishes made with tears.
The beautiful nature of Kumamoto. Beyond it, there is the protagonist of a picture story.
The booklet Forest Warrior Bonolon, distributed for free at 7-Eleven stores and other locations nationwide once every two months, is a picture story for parents to read to their children. The world in which this boy of the giant race—who lives in a forest of giant trees—plays an active role was born from the inspiration of Kumamoto’s beautiful nature.
Read and cherished for 20 years since its launch. We will introduce Bonolon and the places associated with him.
A communication magazine connecting parents and children. What is the picture story Forest Warrior Bonolon?
The picture story Forest Warrior Bonolon, featuring the giant Bonolon who has ties to Aso (Produced by Tetsuo Hara; Written by Seibo Kitahara; Illustrated by Hikarin Note: Hikarin’s illustrations are featured until the October 2025 issue), was launched in June 2005. With the sponsorship of Seven Bank, it is distributed for free primarily at 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Approximately 500,000 copies per issue. It is published bimonthly (on the 15th of even-numbered months).
The 123 stories published so far are available to read as e-books.
What Bonolon Can Do.
He can speak to giant trees
He can speak with giant trees all over the world. He sometimes grants wishes by borrowing the power of giant trees to take people to the past or to search for people and things.
He can show dreams
Using the power of giant trees, he can show dreams.
He can fly in the sky
He can fly in the sky with rainbow-colored wings. He obtained his wings by eating the “Fruit of the Heavenly Tree” found in the Land of Giants.
He can become small
Aso in Kumamoto is connected to the world of Bonolon.
The basis for the worldview of Bonolon is Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, which is also the hometown of the original author, Seibo Kitahara. Landscapes that appear in the story exist in this land. We will introduce some of them here.
Daikanbo (Yamada, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture)
A large, round “cauldron” born from a volcano.
The view from Daikanbo, an observation deck offering a panoramic view of the Aso Caldera, is the motif for “Remo Village” depicted in the story. A depression formed by volcanic activity is called a caldera, and with a scale of 18 kilometers east to west and 25 kilometers north to south, this is one of the largest in the world. According to the Aso Volcano Museum, its current form took shape approximately 70,000 years ago, following four eruptions that began about 270,000 years ago.
↑ Episode 0 (Pre-launch Issue) Forest Warrior Bonolon: The Miracle of Tears
Goo-san no Sugi (Goo-san’s Cedar) (Nishimachi, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture)
Aso in Kumamoto is full of giant trees.
Bonolon appears beside giant trees to grant the wishes of those who shed tears. Aso is a region where various giant trees grow naturally, beginning with the “Takamori-don no Sugi,” which is over 400 years old. Among them, “Goo-san no Sugi,” considered the oldest, is over 1,000 years old and stands 23 meters tall. It enshrines Goo Gongen, worshipped as the guardian deity of the legs and loins, and Hibuse Jizo, prayed to for fire prevention, and it continues to attract worship from the people of the region to this day.
