Kumamoto

The city is home to about 730,000 people.

Kumamoto originally meant "turn of road/river" with a different kanji used (隈本). In 1607, Kiyomasa Kato, the founder of the castle, changed the kanji to stronger looking 熊, which means "bear". The city's nickname is Mori no Miyako (capital of the forest).

Kumamoto suffered from two large earthquakes in April 2016. The earthquakes were notable for causing damage to one of the city's major tourist destinations, Kumamoto Castle. The main keep of the castle reopened in June 2021.

A fairly extensive bus system and a simple two-line tram system keeps Kumamoto City and some of its neighboring towns well connected. City day passes are valid on the buses and trams.

• 🌍 Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, kumamoto-jō). 09:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30). One of the most beautiful castles in Japan, and the third largest. Kumamoto Castle was burned down during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877; the current keep is a concrete reconstruction built during the 1960s. The buildings on the grounds took severe damage during earthquakes in April 2016; the main keep has since re-opened to the public, but other surrounding buildings will take years to rebuild. During the cherry blossom season, the castle grounds are filled with hundreds of beautiful blossoms. ¥800. (updated Nov 2022)
• 🌍 Lake Ezu (江津湖, ezuko). 

• 🌍 Suizenji Gardens (水前寺公園, Suizen-ji Kōen). It is a renowned Japanese traditional garden, considered one of the four best in Japan. You can walk around a lovely course of trees and mini hills (one of them representing Mount Fuji) covered in grass right in the middle of the city, and it feels like you're in the country side! Food stalls are also to be found in the immediate vicinity. 
• Shiki no Sato Park. Has its own natural hot springs and animal park. 
• Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center (熊本県伝統工芸館 kumamoto-ken dentō kōgeikan). Exhibits the various traditional crafts for which Kumamoto is well-known. (Includes a gift shop) 

• 🌍 Honmyo-ji Temple (本妙寺). It is one of the most famous temples in Kumamoto. Honmyoji was built in honor of Kato Kiyomasa, the builder of Kumamoto Castle. The temple is halfway up a hill at the same level as the castle. There is a long staircase lined with old candle stands to the temple. After the temple there is another staircase that leads to a park at the top of the hill that has a statue of Kato Kiyomasa and a nice viewpoint where you can see the castle towering over the city. In the daytime you can also see Mt. Aso in the background. In the last weekend in March they have the Nighttime Cherry Blossom Festival. Then they have live music and lit up cherry blossoms and candles all the way to the top of the hill. 
• 🌍 Hosokawa Gyōbutei (旧細川刑部邸) (In the north-ouest of the castle site). Another picturesque place to visit. It's the family home of the Hosokawa Clan (whose descendant, Morihiro, became Prime Minister of Japan in the 1990s.) The building suffered damage in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, so visitors are permitted to walk the perimeter to enjoy the garden during special openings, but the house can no longer be entered. 
• Hanaokayama (花岡山). Hanaokayama is a hill near Kumamoto Station. It looks over downtown and has a great night view. On a clear day you can see Mt. Aso towering behind the city. There is also a nice temple and a huge shrine gate (torii) on the top. You can go up by car, which most couples do, or hike about 15 minutes to the top. 
• 🌍 Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine (藤崎八幡宮). This is the most famous shrine in the city. It is north of Kamitori and not too far from downtown. This is the most crowded shrine in the city every New Year's. It is also crowded for other festivals the most famous being the "Decorated Horse Parade" which is held every September. 
• 🌍 Mt. Kinpō (金峰山, kinpō-zan). About 11 km from downtown but when you get to the top you`ll be rewarded with a beautiful view over Kumamoto and Nagasaki. The view of the city lights is great and you can also see the peaks of Mt. Aso in Kumamoto and Mt. Unzen in Nagasaki. You can take a bus to the area but then you have to hike for about an hour to the top. On top there is a temple and a famous fence full of locks that couples have locked to a fence on the observation deck. There is no ropeway so you gotta hike or take a car. 
• Kumamoto City Hall (熊本市役所), Tetorihoncho 手取本町. In the heart of downtown. If you go to the fourteenth floor there is a free view of the castle and downtown area. free. 
• 🌍 Reigando (Miyamoto Musashi's cave) (霊巌洞). Reigandō (霊巌洞, meaning "Spirit Rock Cave") is a cave that lies to the west of Kumamoto, Japan, that became a temporary home to legendary rōnin, Miyamoto Musashi. From 1643, Musashi spent many of his last months in the cave, meditating and writing his Book of Five Rings. The cave is accessed easily by bus from Kumamoto City and nearby Tamana. 

• 🌍 Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium (藤崎台県営野球場, fujisakidai ken'ei yakujō) (To the west to Kumamoto Castle). A good occasion to watch amateur baseball. Free. 

• 🌍 Kamitōri (上通) (west to the castle, in the continuation of Shimotōri). One of the two most popular and accessible shopping districts inside the city. It houses a wide variety shops and cafes, the rear entrance opens out onto an area where a large number of traditional Japanese restaurants are situated. 

• 🌍 Shimotōri (下通) (south to the castle, in the continuation of Kamitōri). The other and larger of the two districts, the selection of the shops is very much the same as Kamitori though naturally more comprehensive given the size. Many backstreet shopping areas offshoot from the sides of Shimatori, so if you're looking for something special be sure to remember that. 
• YouMe Town Hikari-no-mori (ゆめタウン光の森 (yume taun...)). large shopping center. There are many shops including: Kinokuniya, Shinseido, Mujirushi, Starbucks café, and so on. It also contains a large cinema complex (TOHO cinemas) with 9 screens. (updated Apr 2024)
• Tsuruya department store (鶴屋百貨店), Shimotori or Kamitori. This traditional department store has three buildings in the city center: Main, East and Wing. (updated Apr 2024)
• 🌍 Æon Mall Kumamoto (イオンモール熊本). Formerly "Diamond City Clair Shopping Mall", it is the biggest shopping mall in Kumamoto and at the time of building the biggest mall in Kyushu. It has about 190 stores, a huge Warner Brothers Movie Theater, and a Food Mall with some good restaurants. It is on the far south side of the city and takes about 30-45 minutes to get there from downtown depending on how bad traffic is. 
• AUNE Kumamoto (あうね熊本), Torichosuji. It is in the heart of downtown at the Torichosuji Tram Stop. 
• Foreign Foods. If you just gotta have that foreign snack or macaroni and cheese, there are a few places you can go in town. There are two Don Quixotes, one on Nishi Ginza St. and the other in Kami-Kumamoto. They have a lot like Doritos, Dr. Pepper, and beef jerkey. In Kamitori, there is a Sony Plaza in the basement of the New-S Mall it also has many western snacks and lots of European chocolates. The Tsurya Dept. Store has some stuff in the second basement, but it is mostly expensive. Lastly, there is a small shop on the 6th floor of the Wing Gap building, that's where to buy macaroni and cheese and root beer among other things. 
• Sunroad Shinshigai (サンロード新市街). This is the third major arcade downtown. It is billed as the widest arcade in Kyushu. It is known for karaoke, pachinko, and hotels. It connects with Shimotori Arcade and Shower Road (an uncovered shopping street). 
• Piacres (ピアクレス). The only shopping arcade outside of downtown. Piacres is at the end of the tram line at Kengun Station (健軍電停) on the east side of the city. 

• Timeless is a cafe (not a chain) with an exceptionally nice old style atmosphere, usually playing jazz. It is on the right when you exit the Kamitori shopping mall. They have an international selection of coffees (though espresso could be added) and some European style cakes that are worth trying.
• Pronto is an Italian-style coffee shop located in (again) Shimotori. Aside from coffee, the selection includes various alcoholic beverages, pizza, and desserts.
• Sinh to is a stylish cafe looking down onto Shimotori street from the 2nd floor.
• Jeff's World Bar is a popular hang out with English speakers. This is the main expat bar in town. It is usually crowded on Friday and Saturday. It is located south of the Shimotori shopping area. It's about a block from the Daiei Department store. It's on the second floor, so you have to look up to see the sign.
• The Ginza district comprises many bars and clubs of the western style, it runs parallel to Shimotori, though be warned the area also houses some of the city's seedier attractions.
• Rock Bar Days, Sakaba St. 酒場通り. This is the bar with 5000 CDs. Mainly rock and alternative music from the 1970s-90s. Beer is a little expensive for the quality at ¥600 a pop but you can tell them what you want to hear and they`ll play it. It is a little hard to find. Sakaba St. is just off of Shimotori. If you go down the side with the Sakaba St. gate about 100 meters, a sign will say DAYS in black and white. It's on the 3rd floor. 
• Club Django, Fuji St.. This is the main place for local rock, punk and metal. Sometimes touring bands from overseas play here. Fuji Street is just off of the Shinshigai Arcade 新市街. Club Django is underground so it is easy to pass by it without seeing it. It is almost directly across the street from the Comfort Inn Hotel. 
• Drum Be-９ (on the north side of downtown and just off of Kamitori on Oaks St). This is another place for local and national acts to be seen. Mainly rock and alternative music. It is three stories and three stages with music most nights of the week. 
• Club Jail. The most happening club in town. Every weekend this place is pumpin' with Japanese homies and ladies wearing almost nothing. Sometimes special DJs will perform and so there might be a cover charge. 
• Shark Attack. Small foreigner bar just off of Kagomachi St. 鹿児町通り it's across from 7-Eleven on the 8th floor. The floor is covered in sand. 
• Bar Sanctuary. Open until at least 04:00. This is a four-storey bar with areas for dancing, pool, darts, karaoke, and just chillin'. It is just off of Shimotori and behind the Taigeki (Bowling Alley) Building. City Hall is also very close. 
• Shotengai 商店街. In Japan new bars open and shut down every day. As long as you stay in the Shimotori/Kamitori/Shinshigai Arcade area you are bound to find something that looks interesting. There are thousands of places to go in that area. 
• Good Time Charlie`s, Ginza St. 銀座通り. This bar is one of a kind. It is owned by Charlie Nagatani, the most famous country musician in Asia. From the 1960s-90s he played many times at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. His band has shows every night of the week at the bar. They serve Coors beer here. It's not very cheap but it's worth experiencing Japanese cowboys at least once. The bar is on Ginza St. across from the Karaoke-kan カラオケ館 building on the 5th floor 
• Hideout Bar Eighty One, Shiromichoudoori, 城見 Building 2F. 09:00-18:00. Small bar very close to Jeff's World Bar. Sometimes many foreigners. 
• Precious Kumamoto, Tetorihoncho 4-12, Fain Bldg. 5F, ☏ +81 96-352-2139. From 21:00 until everyone is gone. Precious is nice because it's a free dance club and it's open as late as you're there. Some nights it's crowded and other nights it's empty. They also have a pool table. 
• Crossroad`s, Nishi Ginza Doori. An international bar. it has a nice atmosphere and sometimes can be crowded. It's in the Fujiichi Building on the 7th floor right across the hall from Club Jail. 
• Cowboy Bar, Nishi Ginza Doori. One hour of all-you-can-drink for ¥1000. It's right across the street from the big Don Quixote store downtown ¥1000. 
• Cowgirl Bar, Pools Court Rd. Same owners as Cowboy Bar have one with only women serving on Pool`s Court Road, which is just one road over from Nishi Ginza. ¥1000. 
• Retro Cowboy Bar, Nishi Ginza Doori. Another one owned by the Cowboy Bar folks. It's just down the street from Cowboy Bar but it's in the basement so it's easy to pass by. A little more expensive than the other cowboy bars but more things to do like free karaoke and darts. ¥1500. 
• Battle Stage, Kamitori, Kumamoto City. Another place to see live music in the city. It's a former movie theater transformed into a big live house. Many rock shows and DJ parties occur here. Many national touring bands and local bands can be seen here. 

Travelers would probably not want to spend too long in the city, and may prefer to enjoy the wide range of natural surroundings within easy reach of the city.

• Aso highland area, with an immense caldera, numerous hot spring resorts, fine hiking courses, and an active volcano to look down into.
• Amakusa, a chain of islands off the west coast of Kumamoto, and not far from the south coast of Nagasaki (to which ferries run regularly).
• Hitoyoshi which is famous for hot springs.
• Takamori is also interesting for Yuusui tunnel.
• Yatsushiro is famous for igusa, the material used to make tatami mats.
• Uki is comprised of the former towns of Matsubase, Misumi, Ogawa, Shiranuhi, and Toyono.
• Misato is famous with 3333 stone steps, the longest set in Japan.
• Siki no Sato Park has hot springs and kangaroos. What more can you ask for?
• Shimabara/Mt. Unzen, Nagasaki- you can take the express ferry from Kumamoto Port and be there in 30 minutes. You can see Shimabara Castle and the onsens of Mt. Unzen.
• Takachiho in adjacent Miyazaki Prefecture is easily accessed by bus from Kumamoto. Services run once in the morning and once in the evening every day.