Minamata Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
About Minamata
Minamata is above all known for one thing: the contamination of its bay with mercury from a chemical plant and the resultingMinamata disease(水俣病Minamata-byō) that resulted neurological symptoms including paralysis, insanity and death. The culprit, Chisso Corporation—the town's largest employer by far—did all it could to avoid blame, including suppressing internal research showing that its wastewater caused the disease in cats and later claiming it had cleaned up its wastewater in 1959 while in fact it hadn't, leading to an epidemic of severe birth defects. When the second wave of cases broke out, photographer W. Eugene Smith brought the disease to the world's attention in 1972, and was severely beaten for his trouble by yakuza goons. In the end, an estimated 17,000 people were affected.
Top Attractions in Minamata
Explore the best things to see and do in Minamata:
- ★Minamata Disease Municipal Museum
Minamata Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: