About Kumamoto City
Host: Kumamoto City
The venue of Global Nature Positive Summit 2026—Kumamoto City—is a “world-class groundwater city” with nature and urban functions coexisting in harmony. The pristine and abundant groundwater nurtured by Kumamoto’s natural environment—formed on the foundation of Mt. Aso’s volcanic activity, the connection between the upstream and downstream reaches of various rivers, and other diverse geographical features—supports the daily lives of 740,000 citizens. This groundwater also springs forth from Ezu Lake, located in the city center, providing an invaluable habitat for wildlife.
To carry forward the blessings of this biodiversity, Kumamoto City has long promoted cooperation at the landscape level stretching beyond administrative boundaries together with ten municipalities that share the same groundwater basin, along with citizens and businesses.
Furthermore, Kumamoto marks ten years since the major earthquake in 2016, having achieved creative reconstruction and drawing significant global attention amid the recent and continuing expansion of semiconductor-related companies.
Kumamoto City is, moreover, surrounded by abundant nature such as Aso’s majestic grasslands, the Ariake Sea’s expansive tidal flats, and Amakusa’s undulating coastlines.
Aso
The Aso Grasslands, dating back over 10,000 years to the last ice age, are globally rare "relict semi-natural grasslands" sustained by centuries of sustainable human activity. Millennia of traditional practices, such as prescribed burning (noyaki) and grazing, have arrested forest succession and safeguarded a diverse ecosystem originating in the ice age.
This landscape represents an archetypal vision of Nature Positive, where the co-creation of humans and nature generates profound value.
To pass on the blessings of these grasslands—including sustainable livestock, tourism, and vital water resources—to the next generation, we are working alongside downstream companies and urban residents to protect this miraculous, inherited natural landscape.
Ariake Sea, Yatsushiro Sea
The west side of Kumamoto that faces the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea is characterized by the many coastal areas that form tidal flats. It is referred to as the greatest in area and tidal range along Japan’s coasts, accounting for approximately 40% of the domestic total area of tidal flats, and with spots where the tidal range reaches roughly six meters during spring tides. These tidal flats are home to a large variety of fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and other wildlife, bringing about the benefits of biodiversity, including nori aquaculture. Among coastlines in Japan, the Arao Tidal Flats are one of the largest single tidal flats and are registered as a Ramsar Convention wetland. These tidal flats serve as a vital feeding ground for numerous migratory birds, such as sandpipers and plovers looking to replenish their energy.
Amakusa
The Amakusa Islands, enclosed by the inner bays of Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea, as well as the open waters of the Amakusa Sea, are comprised of approximately 120 islands. Influenced by the Tsushima Current and fluvial processes, a diverse range of coastal landscapes has been formed, including steep rocky shores, shingle beaches, and tidal flats.
Under such environmental conditions, the sea has fostered rich biodiversity, supporting a wide range of marine life, including seaweeds such as hijiki and sargassum, marine mammals such as the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, and a wide array of coral communities.
Kuma River Basin
The Kuma River Basin, of which the main stream is the Kuma River—the largest river in Kumamoto Prefecture—located to the south of Kumamoto, is fed by high-quality spring water originating in the Kyushu Mountains that surround the Hitoyoshi Basin, fostering rich biodiversity from its upper reaches to its estuary.
In response to the extensive damage that occurred primarily in the Kuma River Basin as a result of the heavy rainfall in July 2020, we have set forth a new direction for flood control. Under the concept of “Green Basin Flood Control,” which aims to achieve safety and security through an integrated basin-wide effort while fostering harmony with the natural environment, initiatives are being promoted through collaboration among industry, academia, and government.
