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Dish · Kumamoto
Karashi renkon
Lotus root with the holes filled with miso and Japanese mustard, breaded in a yellow batter and fried, served in slices. A dish from Kumamoto, traditionally linked to the Hosokawa lords.
Province · Kyushu
Kumamoto
Kumamoto Castle, the Suizenji Garden, Mount Aso’s caldera, the hot springs of Kurokawa and the islands and churches of Amakusa.
In the photo: Kumamoto Castle.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Kumamoto
Kumamoto sits in the central-west of Kyushu, between the Ariake Sea and the mountains. Groundwater is so abundant it supplies the capital. The prefecture is known for basashi, raw horse meat, and ramen with roasted garlic.
Kumamoto Castle, one of the largest in Japan, was built in the early 17th century by Kato Kiyomasa, with curved stone walls. Damaged by the 2016 earthquake, its main keep has been restored, and parts of the walls are still under repair, visible from an elevated walkway. Suizenji Garden recreates landscapes from the old Tokaido road, including a small hill shaped like Mount Fuji.
Mount Aso has one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world, with towns, fields and pastures inside it. At the center, the Nakadake crater, still active, emits steam over a green-gray lake; access depends on volcanic gases and the alert level. The Kusasenri grassland has grazing horses, and the Daikanbo viewpoint overlooks the whole caldera.
Kurokawa Onsen, north of Aso, is a hot-spring village in a valley, with outdoor baths among trees. The Amakusa islands, to the west, have Sakitsu Church in a fishing village; it is part of the Hidden Christian Sites listed by UNESCO. Hitoyoshi, in the south, has castle ruins and hot springs by the Kuma River.
Flavors of Japan
To try in Kumamoto
Destinations
1 destination in Kumamoto
Cities
2 cities in Kumamoto in the guide
Kumamoto
Capital
Kumamoto
Kumamoto is the capital of the eponymous prefecture, in central Kyushu, on the shinkansen line. It has Kato Kiyomasa’s castle, under reconstruction after the 2016 earthquakes and visited via elevated walkways, the Suizenji Garden fed by spring water, and the Shimotori and Kamitori shopping arcades. It is the gateway to the Aso caldera.
Kumamoto
Aso
Aso is the town on the northern inner floor of Mount Aso’s caldera, surrounded by rice paddies, pastures and mountain walls. It has the train station, Aso Shrine, one of Kyushu’s oldest, and the hot springs of Uchinomaki. From there you can go up to the Kusasenri grasslands toward the five peaks, and to the Daikanbo viewpoint on the caldera’s northern rim.
When to go
Cherry trees around the castle walls bloom around late March. Aso’s grasslands turn green in summer after the March burn-offs. Kurokawa and the Kikuchi Gorge turn red in November. Winter is cold on Aso, with snow at higher elevations, and Kurokawa’s hot springs receive more visitors.
Getting there
The Kyushu Shinkansen connects Hakata to Kumamoto in about 35 minutes and Kumamoto to Kagoshima-Chuo in about 45 minutes. From Kumamoto Airport (KMJ), buses reach the city center in about 50 minutes. For Aso, the JR Hohi Line reaches Aso Station in about 1 hour 15 minutes, and buses continue to Kurokawa and Beppu. Amakusa is reached by bus and by ferry from Kumamoto.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Kumamoto
Can you see Mount Aso’s crater?
It depends on the volcano. When gases and the alert level allow, buses and cars drive up to the rim of the Nakadake crater. At other times, access is restricted to a greater distance: check before you go.
How do you get from Kumamoto to Aso?
By train on the JR Hohi Line in about 1 hour 15 minutes, or by bus. From Aso Station, buses climb to Kusasenri and the crater area. Having a car makes it easier to visit the caldera rim viewpoints.
How does the Kurokawa bath pass work?
A wooden pass, sold at the village information center, entitles you to outdoor baths at three different ryokan chosen by the visitor. It is valid for a few months.
How much time should you allow for Kumamoto Castle?
About two hours for the keep and museum, the construction walkway and the gardens. Beside the castle, a complex with shops and restaurants tells the site’s history.
Beyond the guide
