Many of you have been waiting for this.

On February 22nd, I traveled to Kumamoto to secure the Kumamoto Prefecture Special DON!! Card.

I know what overseas collectors really want to know:

“What was it actually like?”

So instead of talking about market prices, I want to share the real atmosphere what happened on the ground, what I saw, and what I experienced.

This will be split into two parts because there is more to this story than just a card.

🚗 From Fukuoka to Kumamoto

It takes about two hours by highway from Fukuoka, where I live.

For this Kumamoto-exclusive release, I heard that people were coming not only from Tokyo, but even from overseas.

In terms of hype, this felt even bigger than many Tokyo base shop events.

For someone living nearby, this was not optional.
This was something you had to attend.

⏰ 4:00 AM Wake Up

I woke up at 4:00 AM.
Left at 5:00 AM.
Arrived at one of the sales locations, Takamori Station, at 7:00 AM.

There were already around 40–50 people in line.

The very front group had clearly stayed overnight. Blankets, portable heaters, full camping setup.

What surprised me was the diversity of the crowd.

Of course there were foreign collectors.
But also many local residents even elderly people.

In Tokyo, I often see young part-timers hired to line up for profit.
But this felt different.

Maybe grandparents helping their grandchildren.
Maybe locals told “this could be valuable.”

Just my speculation but the atmosphere was uniquely Kumamoto.

🏴‍☠️ Takamori Station & Franky Statue

This particular location is outside central Kumamoto, deep in Takamori.

Here stands the Franky statue, part of the One Piece regional revival project.

Even outside of card events, people visit just to see it.

The temperature was 7°C (44°F).
Cold enough that a proper down jacket was necessary.

My daughter insisted on coming with me.
I don’t usually like making her wait in long lines, and halfway through she said:

“I’m sleepy… I want to go back to the car.”

That part was tough.

While waiting, we took photos of the Franky statue and watched the One Piece train pass by.

Meanwhile, my phone kept buzzing.

As many of you know, I openly share my contact information.
Messages were coming in constantly:

“Did you get it?”
“What’s the situation?”

Some collectors don’t just want the card.
They want to feel the live atmosphere of the event.

That’s why recently I’ve been writing not only about cards, but also about daily life in Japan — so you can feel what it’s like here.

⚠️ The Announcement

Then came the difficult moment.

The staff walked down the line and announced:

“From the 8th person onward, there is an 80% chance you may not be able to purchase.”

There were only around 250 cards available.

Limit: 3 per person.

If the people ahead of me bought the maximum, mathematically I had no chance.

But this is part of the experience.

I stayed.

❌ The Result

In the end, I was not able to purchase at that location.

However please don’t worry.

Kumamoto-exclusive cards will still be available through me.

This trip wasn’t only about securing stock.

It was about showing you the reality.

Other locations had similarly limited inventory.
Even people who waited overnight went home empty-handed.

That’s how competitive this release truly was.

🌋 Why Kumamoto?

The creator of One Piece is from Kumamoto.

And Kumamoto suffered a major earthquake in the past.

The statues, the collaborations, the regional promotions they are part of a larger recovery effort.

For me, this isn’t just about cards.

It’s about supporting the region.

I plan to continue visiting Kumamoto not only for cards, but for local products as well.

🗾 This Is Just the Beginning

You might think this is where the story ends.

It doesn’t.

The One Piece journey in Kyushu has just begun.

In the next post, I’ll share more about why Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Oita are worth visiting especially if you plan to come to Japan.

📩 If You Are Looking For:

Kumamoto Prefecture Special DON!! Cards
or other Japan-exclusive One Piece items,

Feel free to contact me directly.

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