Kumamoto Hidden Gems
Built around Mt. Aso, one of the world's largest active calderas, with a formidable castle and the underground springs that feed the city.
10 spots
Climate & Best Season
Hot, humid summers and cool winters inland; the Aso highlands are noticeably cooler. Spring and autumn are best for the caldera.
Famous For (Food)
- Basashi (horse sashimi)
- Karashi renkon
- Kumamoto ramen
- Ikinari dango
Signature Sights
- Kumamoto Castle
- Mt. Aso caldera
- Kurokawa Onsen
- Amakusa islands
Kumamoto Castle — Earthquake Survivor Being Restored
Kumamoto Castle, completed in 1607, is one of Japan's three premier castles and a masterpiece of defensive architecture.…
Amakusa Islands — Hidden Christian Heritage & Dolphins
The Amakusa Islands (120+ islands, population 100,000) were a center of hidden Christian faith during the 250-year prohi…
Yamaga Onsen & Lantern Festival
Yamaga Onsen is a 1,800-year-old hot spring town in northern Kumamoto with alkaline waters (pH 9.5) that leave skin feel…
Suizenji Jojuen Garden — Miniature Tokaido
Suizenji Jojuen is a 400-year-old stroll garden that recreates the 53 stations of the Tokaido road in miniature landscap…
Shimotori & Kamitori Arcades — Kumamoto's Shopping Heart
Shimotori and Kamitori are parallel covered shopping arcades running for 1.2km through central Kumamoto — the longest ar…
Myoken Fireworks Festival — Japan's Best Competitive Fireworks
The Yatsushiro Myoken Festival fireworks (October) is consistently ranked among Japan's top three fireworks competitions…
Kumamoto Contemporary Art Museum
The Kumamoto Contemporary Art Museum occupies a modernist building (designed by Kazuyo Sejima) in the heart of downtown,…
Honmyo-ji Temple — Samurai Cemetery on the Hill
Honmyo-ji is a Buddhist temple on a forested hill northeast of Kumamoto Castle, established in 1585 by Kato Kiyomasa. Th…
Aso Shrine — Earthquake Recovery & Shinto Architecture
Aso Shrine, established in 281 AD, is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines and was famous for its three-story gate tower…
Minamata Disease Memorial — Lessons from Industrial Pollution
In 1956, a five-year-old girl in Minamata couldn't walk. Her fingers curled inward. She lost peripheral vision, slurred…