Kumamoto

Kumamoto (熊本) is the capital of Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It is notable for the impressive Kumamoto Castle.

Understand
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.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a good multilingual guide site.

By plane
Can be reached by shuttle buses that make a one-hour jaunt into the town (¥670).

If arriving at Fukuoka Airport, there is a highway express bus service (named Hinokuni-go) that will bring you to Kumamoto for ¥2000 and takes roughly 2 hours. Alternatively you can take the subway to Hakata Station and take the JR Kagoshima Line (see below).

By train
Kumamoto is a major stop on the Kyushu Shinkansen. Trains run several times per hour from Hakata station in Fukuoka (40–50 minutes, ¥4990) and Kagoshima (50–60 minutes, ¥6760). Hourly Sakura services connect Kumamoto to stations on the San'yo Shinkansen: Hiroshima is about 1 hr 45 min away (¥12970), Okayama 2 hr 30 min (¥16230) and Osaka 3 hr 20 min (¥18020). Faster Mizuho services also run during the morning and evening hours, but these are not valid for foreign tourists travelling with a Japan Rail Pass.

From Tokyo, Kumamoto can be reached by train (a combination of Nozomi and either Sakura or Tsubame) in as little as 6 hours. Japan Rail Pass users can travel from Tokyo to Kumamoto in 7 hours using a combination of Hikari and Sakura trains.

Local trains from Fukuoka take 2½ hours to reach Kumamoto (change in Omuta) at a cost of ¥2,070.

In addition to the central station, JR operates a second at Kamikumamoto just to the north, near the Fujisakidai baseball ground. Streetcars into the city centre also connect from here.

By ferry
If you're coming from Nagasaki, the ferry may be preferable. One ferry route involves travelling via Shimabara. Take the JR line from Nagasaki city through to Isahaya then switch to the private Shimabara line. It is not JR but don't exit the ticket gate to get there, it is tucked away on Platform 0. You can buy your tickets from the drivers on the train. Two ferries depart towards Kumamoto from different ports along this line but the most convenient is likely the one from Shimabara Port direct to Kumamoto Port. Walking maps from the stations to the ports are scrawled at each train station. After a rather scenic 30-60 minute cruise, you'll have to take a bus to actually reach central Kumamoto city (about one hour).

Allow about 4 hours for all these connections unless you carefully plan it using one of the big transport books at JR Nagasaki's ticket counter. The entire trip should only set you back roughly ¥2500, most of which goes to the Shimabara train company despite being the shortest leg. English-language signage along this route is minimal. Incidentally, the final Kumamoto-bound ferries depart at 8PM daily, but one of the trains to Shimabara arrives a few minutes after that so don't get caught out.

Get around
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.

By tram
One tram line runs from Kumamoto Station and the other from Kami-Kumamoto Station. They meet near the downtown area and run east to Kengun Machi. One trip costs ¥150.

By bus
Buses run fairly regularly from stops through Kumamoto City. The new main bus terminal is the Sakuramachi Bus Terminal (桜町バスターミナル). It opened in 2020 embedded in a shopping center that has a pleasant roof garden.

By bike
Kumamoto is a comfortable city to ride around. For reference, it takes about 30 minutes by get to Kumamoto Gakuen University from Kamikumamoto.

Specialities
There are some unique traditional foods in Kumamoto.
 * Karashi-renkon (辛子蓮根), deep-fried lotus root stuffed with mustard, is the most popular food for visitors. It's rarely found elsewhere in Japan.
 * Ikinari-dango (いきなり団子) is a famous sweet. This contains a slice of sweet potato and anko-bean paste. Visitors who come to Kumamoto buy it for a souvenir.
 * Basashi (馬刺し) is raw horse meat.
 * Taipi-en (太平燕), a noodle soup of Chinese origin.
 * Kumamoto Ramen (熊本ラーメン) is also famous.

Restaurants

 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * The Dipper Dan nestled right next to Daiei is a popular ice cream and dessert parlor in Shimotori. Perhaps not as unique, but appears to be a local favorite.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.
 * Ringo no Ki is a cafe at Shimotori in downtown. You can eat apple pie and some breads. Coffee and tea are especially recommended. The coffee is made from rare beans, and the tea tastes and smells like apples.

Drink

 * 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.

Budget
Being a large city, Kumamoto has its fair share of alternative sleeping options for the non-discerning traveler willing to camp out anywhere.



Mid-range
There are a tonne of business hotels scattered around the city with most clustered either near the JR central station, or in the nightlife district in and around Sun Road, Fuji and Ginza. Some even have outlets at both. Follow the neon signs.

There are a couple of further business hotels located in and around the central bus terminal (about two blocks from the nightlife district) including a hotel upstairs in the bus plaza itself, and a Dormy Inn directly opposite.



Go next
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.