The Best of Kumamoto: A Journey Through the Heart of Kyushu

If you’re looking for a modern city to vacation in Japan, we urge you to add Kumamoto to your list. The city offers the perfect blend of cultural history, stunning landscapes, hot springs, culinary delights, vibrant festivals, and outdoor adventures. To help you prepare for your trip, we’ve filled this guide with the best things to do in Kumamoto. Enjoy!

Introduction to Kumamoto

Kumamoto is a city located on the west coast of the island of Kyushu, Japan. It’s the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture, which consists of thirteen other cities, including Amakusa, Yatsushiro, and Tamana. Kumamoto is also the most populated city in the prefecture, boasting nearly 740,000 inhabitants.

Kumamoto is the ideal place to explore Japanese culture and history, thanks to famous landmarks like the Kumamoto Castle and several historical museums. Lovers of outdoor life and scenic beauty can visit the city expecting to see peak natural wonders like Mount Aso.

Although the city was struck by a massive earthquake in 2016, its inhabitants have since rebuilt their lives and the structures that were destroyed by the disaster. They still host spectacular festivals and make traditional crafts. You should check those out, along with local dinners and shopping malls.

The rest of this post will provide details of the things to do in Kumamoto.

Exploring Kumamoto Castle: A Historic Landmark

The Kumamoto Castle is undoubtedly the most famous attraction in Kumamoto City. Located in the Chūō-ku ward of the city, it’s often the first stop for visiting tourists. Unlike most of the historic castles in Japan, the one in Kumamoto offers a near-complete experience. As a cultural icon, it’s one of Japan’s top three existing castles, only rivalled by Matsumoto Castle and Himeji Castle.

Kumamoto Castle is also an architectural marvel because it’s built on two stone walls, which form an underground passage known as the Passage of Darkness (Karugari-Tsuro). This passage is always dim, even on a sunny day. It’s just as famous in Kumamoto Prefecture as the Tsujunkyo Bridge in Yamato.

Brief History of the Castle

The construction work on the castle started as early as 1467 and ended in 1610 with the completion of the Honmaru Goten Palace. Kato Kiyomasa, a local daimyo (feudal lord) and castle designer, was responsible for most of the design work. The Kato clan had control of the castle upon completion, but they lost it to the Hosokawa clan in 1632.

Modern Reconstructions and Current State of the Castle

Most of the castle’s structures, including the keep, are modern reconstructions and not the original buildings. Newer, more advanced buildings have also been added over the centuries. 1960 saw a concrete reconstruction of the castle keep. Later, most of the castle complex underwent a full reconstruction that lasted for 10 years (1998-2008). Unfortunately, disaster struck in 2016 when earthquakes damaged many of the structures. The complex is currently undergoing restoration efforts projected to last until 2038.

However, the castle keep has been restored and reopened for visitors. You can explore its six-story main tower and four-story smaller tower. The Honmaru Goten Palace and many other structures are currently off limits. You will find about 800 cherry trees on the grounds. These trees make Kumamoto Castle a popular cherry blossom-viewing spot in spring.

Visiting the Suizenji Jojuen Garden

Built in the 17th century, it’s a perfect example of traditional Japanese landscape design. The garden’s history began with the creation of the Suizenji Temple by Hosokawa Tadatoshi, a member of the first-generation daimyo in the country. He would later relocate the temple and erect a teahouse in its place. The site was eventually turned into a garden for the Hosokawa family. It remained a private garden until the late 19th century, when it was first opened to the public.

The Suizenji Jojuen is a Japanese-style stroll garden containing miniature recreations of iconic landscapes. These recreations include Mt. Fuji and the 53 stations of the Tōkaidō. The garden also has a traditional teahouse, an outdoor Noh Theater, several koi ponds, and 150 cherry trees. Like Kumamoto Castle, this lush green space gets a lot of visitors in spring because of the cherry blossoms on the site.

A Guide to Kumamoto's Museums

You can spend a sizable chunk of your time in Kumamoto learning about Japanese history and culture in museums. There are several of them in the city. We’ve created a list that highlights the key museums and what they offer.

• Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art: It’s located on the northwest section of the Kumamoto Castle. The museum offers exhibitions related to ancient Kumamoto local art, Western art, and modern art from indigenous artists.

• Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto: It contains an art gallery featuring works from some of the best Japanese and foreign artists in the world. The museum also doubles as a community space, where people go to use the library, hold recitals, enjoy the kid’s playroom, and eat at the cafe.

• Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza: This is a fun and interactive facility for learning about the history of Kumamoto Castle. It features 3D castle models, projection mapping, camera feeds, and a theater room.

• Tabaruzaka Seinan Civil War Museum: Here, you can learn about the Satsuma Rebellion and the famous Battle of Tabaruzaka, which lasted for 17 days in March 1877. This was the last civil war in Japan. Exhibitions include authentic guns, documents, bullets, and other items from the rebellion.

• Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center: This is a handicraft museum in the city. It features a display of the traditional crafts of Kumamoto, such as Higo inlays, Amakusa pottery, folk toys, ceramics, and woodwork.

Discovering Local Cuisine: Kumamoto’s Culinary Delights

In this section, we’ll introduce you to local specialty dishes in Kumamoto and recommend top places to enjoy them. The following are some of the best of the city’s local cuisine:

Basashi: This is the most popular specialty dish in Kumamoto. It consists of thinly sliced horse sashimi (raw meat) topped with vegetables and dipped in soy sauce. You can enjoy premium basashi in Tabisai, a popular restaurant in the city.

Karashi renkon: This is cooked lotus root stuffed with Japanese mustard and miso. We recommend that you order it in Mori Karashi Renkon, a local restaurant.

Taipien: It’s made by cooking glass noodles in a chicken or pork-bone broth and topping them with seafood and vegetables. Check out Korantei for the most authentic taipen experience.

Ikinari dango: This is a traditional snack that leverages the abundance of sweet potatoes in Kumamoto. It consists of thin slices of sweet potatoes wrapped in flour dough and steamed.

Kumamoto ramen: The city has its own special version of ramen. Its soup is made with blended chicken bones and garlic oil, giving it a mild taste and unique flavor. You’ll find the dish in Kumamoto Ramen Sansuitei.

Outdoor Adventures Around Mount Aso

Mount Aso is an active volcano and one of the top attractions in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It’s the largest active volcano in the country, with recent eruptions in 2016 and 2021. It’s accessible via the Aso Station. Mount Aso has multiple peaks and trails leading to them. It also has one of the world's largest calderas.

The trail connecting hikers to one of its most popular peaks and active craters is the Nakadake trail. This trail may be closed off when there is high volcanic activity on the mountain, so check before visiting. If you do get to reach the Nakadake’s peak, you can enjoy spectacular views of the active volcano and its surrounding landscape. From Nakadake, you can hike up to the highest peak, the Takadake summit.

The mountain has a grassy plain known as Kusasenri, which is perfect for slow walking. You will see horses on the plain and can pay to ride some of them in March-December. Opposite this plain is the Aso Volcano Museum, where you can learn the volcano’s history.

Shopping in Kumamoto: From Traditional Crafts to Modern Retail

Kumamoto has a diverse shopping experience, offering both traditional shopping streets and contemporary malls. If you’re looking for traditional crafts and local produce, you should check out Kokai Shopping Street. Contemporary shopping malls in the city include AEON Mall and Sakura Machi. For a mixture of both worlds, head over to the Kamitori Shopping Arcade and Shimotori Shopping Arcade in Kumamoto’s main shopping hub.

Kumamoto’s Vibrant Festivals and Events

The city has its fair share of local festivities. We’ve outlined a few below:

• Zuibyo Festival (mid-september): Also known as Fujisaki Hachimangu Grand Fall Festival, it features a parade of portable shrines (mikoshi) and a procession of locals dressed in samurai attire.

• Hinokuni Festival (1st weekend of August, including Friday): It’s the largest and most exciting festival in Kumamoto. It features all kinds of fun activities, including thousands of people dancing together.

• Kumamoto Castle Festival (Autumn): It features a taiko drum performance, concerts, kimono strolls, and many other celebrations.

• Yamaga Lantern Festival (August 15-16): Female performances carrying lanterns on their heads dance through the streets. You can also enjoy the massive fireworks display and lantern floating ceremony.

Practical Tips for Traveling in Kumamoto

The following are essential travel tips for visitors in Kumamoto:

• Book your accommodation in advance if you want to stay in a traditional inn (ryokan), as they are limited in the city, especially in the famous hot spring town, Kurokawa Onsen.

• If possible, get accommodation close to Kumamoto Station, Minami Kumamoto Station.

• There are direct flights from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya to Kumamoto Airport. It’s faster to land there than follow the lines through stops like Takamori Station.

Embracing the Charms of Kumamoto: A City of History and Natural Beauty

Explore Kumamoto to experience a unique blend of history, nature, and modern Japanese culture. You can also get a Bokksu Snack Box Subscription while you wait for your next trip. We’ll send you a curated box of sweets and snacks from Japan every month.