Prefecture Directory · Kyushu
Kumamoto 熊本県
Kumamoto Prefecture occupies the central portion of Kyushu island, anchored by Kumamoto City, the largest city in Kyushu after Fukuoka. The prefecture is known for Kumamoto Castle, horse meat cuisine, and the Aso volcanic caldera. Recovery from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes has modernized parts of the healthcare infrastructure. Foreign residents include technical training workers and a growing international student community at Kumamoto University.
Healthcare landscape
Kumamoto University Hospital and Kumamoto Saiseikai Hospital are the main tertiary-care facilities. Post-earthquake infrastructure investment has upgraded hospital resilience across the prefecture. Kumamoto International Association (KIA) provides consultation in 10 languages and maintains a network for coordinating medical interpretation referrals for foreign residents.
Multilingual medical support
熊本県外国人サポートセンター
熊本県国際協会
- Phone
- 080-4275-4489
- Hours
- 月〜金（祝日・12/29〜1/3除く）8:30〜17:00
- Languages
- やさしい日本語, English, 中文, 한국어, Tiếng Việt, Nepali, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, ภาษาไทย, မြန်မာ, ខ្មែរ, Bahasa Melayu, සිංහල, हिंदी, বাংলা, Монгол, Türkçe, العربية, Português, Español, Français, Italiano, Deutsch, Русский
Public health center (保健所)
Kumamoto Prefecture operates public health centers (保健所, hokenjo) across its municipalities. Public health centers manage infectious disease surveillance, maternal and child health programs, and mental health consultation. Contact the prefectural health department or your municipal office to locate the nearest hokenjo.
Emergency numbers in Japan
- Ambulance / Fire: 119
- Police: 110
- Japan Helpline (24-hr English): 0570-000-911
- JNTO Tourist Helpline: 050-3816-2787 (available for medical referrals)
See our emergency guide for full details on calling an ambulance and communicating with emergency services in Japan.
Last reviewed: September 2026