Kumamoto Prefecture, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kyushu, Japan, not only has a metropolitan transportation hub and convenient shopping experience, but also has many highly popular historical tourist attractions, as well as the popular mascot "Kumamoto Bear" known to the world. Walking through the streets of Kumamoto, you can see the cute Kumamoto Bear everywhere, which is a famous character that Chinese tourists are very familiar with and love.
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Kumamoto Prefecture is the center of Kyushu, the territory of Kumamoto City as the center of the Kumamoto metropolitan area outside of Japan's three major metropolitan areas. Kumamoto Prefecture is known as the "Land of Fire", the origin of which is the source of many different opinions, some believe that it is because there are many active volcanoes in the territory of Kumamoto Prefecture, and some say that it is because in ancient times Kumamoto Prefecture's domain was the "Higo country", which was then called simply "Higo country" or "Higo country". "or "Hinokuni", which has the same Japanese pronunciation as "Hinokuni".
In any case, the well-known Kumamoto Bear, Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto Ramen, Kumamoto Horse Meat, Mount Aso, and other elements have ignited the curiosity of people who want to come to Kumamoto to find out what it is all about. So let's feel the charm of the Land of Fire with your heart.
Access
Airport: Fukuoka Airport or Kitakyushu Airport
By Train: Take the JR Shinkansen directly to Kumamoto
Day Overview
DAY1 Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Castle, Sakura-no-Maiba, Josaien Garden, Kumamoto Ramen, Suizenji Park, Kouma Moe Plaza, and experience the handmade "Fat Queen's Elephant Embroidery"
DAY2 Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture ※Transportation: JR Kyushu Express "Aso Boys!"
JR Aso Station, Aso Shrine, Kadoma-machi, Aso Uchimaki Onsen, Uchimaki Onsen Ryokan
DAY3 Yanagawa-shi, Fukuoka
Matsuki Bunsenkan, Boat trip on Yanagawa River, Steamed Unagi Rice (Motsu Motoyoshiya)
Experience "THE RAIL! KITCHEN CHIKUGO" Sightseeing Train
Map Overview Train Station Overview
Kumamoto City is the third largest city in Kyushu, the seat of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the largest city in the prefecture. In the midst of this bustling metropolis, the quaint streets of the old town and Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's three most famous cities, still remain. Kumamoto was the largest city in Kyushu from the Edo Period to the Meiji Period, and was one of the first cities in Japan to be established as a "city" in 1889. Soseki Natsume, the famous Japanese writer, called Kumamoto "the capital of Mori", and he lived in Kumamoto for five years. The former residence of him and his family is still preserved in Kumamoto, and it is also a very popular attraction.
Kumamoto is rich in history and natural beauty, tantalizing food, and the cute Kumamoto bears and anime culture. As times change, Kumamoto keeps a steady pace. Its changes and constancy, its old look and new look, all attract visitors of all ages.
(This picture shows Kumamoto Castle before the earthquake)
Visiting the Historical Castle
Kumamoto Castle is one of the three largest castles in Japan, along with Osaka Castle and Nagoya Castle. When traveling in Kyushu, you should not miss Kumamoto Castle. Kumamoto Castle is a witness to Japan's history, an important place to learn about Japanese history and culture, and a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in spring. The picture shows what Kumamoto Castle looked like before the earthquake, but since the Great Earthquake of 2016, the solidity of Kumamoto Castle has been damaged and reconstruction of the place has begun, and it has not been opened to the public. It is no longer possible to appreciate the splendor of the interior, except to catch a glimpse of the outside of the castle walls. Restoration work on Kumamoto Castle continues, and a portion of the area has been opened for tours. It is expected that in the spring of 2021, Tenshokaku will be fully restored and open for interior tours.
Josaien is located at the foot of Kumamoto Castle in the Sakura-no-Horse Farm. As a symbolic building of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Castle is responsible for promoting the local food culture and historical traditions, as well as enhancing the charm of Kumamoto Castle and the town of Josaien. With this in mind, the Sakura-no-Maiba Josaien was born.
At Josaien, you can feel the charm of Kumamoto. Of course, there are many different kinds of food here, so you can enjoy the food at the dining area or walk around and enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere of the castle town. You can experience the history and culture of Kumamoto at the "Okuwaza" and the "Sakura-no-Koji", which serves local snacks and souvenirs of Kumamoto. The townscape of castle town from the Edo period has been recreated in the park, so you can enjoy a stroll here.
Among Kumamoto's many delicacies, the most famous and popular is Kumamoto ramen. Kumamoto ramen is made from tonkotsu (pork bone) and chicken ribs to create a white soup that is refreshing and flavorful. The straight noodles are served with black fungus, roasted garlic, and sesame oil for a unique flavor that is unforgettable. The aromatic roasted garlic has a slightly bitter taste, which makes it more appetizing.
After enjoying the Kumamoto ramen, you will be taken to the scenic Suizenji Park, which is a garden with a backyard style that was built over a period of 80 years starting in 1636. The garden is centered around a pond where the submerged water gushes out, and the beauty of the garden is enhanced by rockery, pumice and pine trees. The garden is built around the pond in the center of the garden, with a shrine on the north side and a "Noh stage" where traditional Japanese dance music, Noh, is performed on the south side, both of which were built in the Meiji period.
The most interesting part of Sengokuen is the hill area east of the pond. This area is said to have been built as a backyard garden modeled after the Tokaido landscape between Edo Nihonbashi and Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto during the Edo period (the 53rd post of the Tokaido), and you can experience the tea ceremony in the garden.
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Looking for Kumamoto Bears
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In the office of Minister Kumamoto Kumamoto, there is a whole wall of photographs, which is very chicly arranged. In addition, you can watch stage performances when Minister Kumamoto Bear is there. So be sure to check the schedule on the official website before you go!
Another recommendation for a trip to Kumamoto is to experience the making of the traditional Kumamoto handicraft, "Higashi-goma". You can experience "Higo Kouzuke", where you can embed other materials into a decorative material. Don't forget to make a reservation.
When I came to experience the "Higo Elephant Embedding Kousuke", I was surprised and happy to see Kumamoto Bear, the "Sales Manager and Minister of Happiness" of Kumamoto Prefecture, again!
Small gold and silver ornaments are carefully placed on a bear-shaped iron plate with tweezers, and then carefully tapped with a mallet.
The rest of the work is left to the skilled artisan. The finished product was delivered two weeks later. It's the only bear in the world that belongs to my sales manager and happiness minister, Kumamoto Bear.
Inside the Kousuke store, there are also decorative items made of fat queen elephant inlays. Higo inlays belong to a kind of goldwork inlays, because the gold and silver inlays in the pattern are not mixed with any other materials, and do not use pigments, so the Higo inlays can give full play to the charm of gold and silver, and can reflect the samurai culture of the sense of gravity and elegance of the beauty of the. Like Kumamoto Castle, Higo Bishoinai has a history of more than 400 years.
Aso is a city located in the center of the Aso region in northeastern Kumamoto Prefecture, with the main downtown area located in the northern part of the cratered basin formed by the Aso volcano. Aso is one of the most famous active volcano areas in Japan, and is famous for its large cratered complex volcanoes, consisting of five volcanoes, Nakadake, Takadake, Pestle Island, Utsukatake, and Neko-dake, which form the central cluster of craters called the Aso Gokudake. Volcanic activity has been going on since prehistoric times, and the area around them is a place where you can see traces of geology from different eras and a glimpse of the long history of the area. It is also a hot spring resort in the Kumamoto area.
The Cuteest Train on Earth
The best part of the train is the parent-child design, with rows of small and large seats, and a small seat for the kids by the window for easy viewing.
The entire train is designed without sharp objects near the ground, and the corners of the seats have been sharpened to the right curvature. Inside the train, there are panoramic seats with a view of Mt. Aso Gawara, a panoramic view of both sides of the train, a playground, a library of picture books, and more, so there's plenty of fun to be had!
Walking in Monzen Town
JR Aso Station also has a variety of kuro-related designs, including a kuro-designed stationmaster's office where visitors can take photos. The "Michi no Eki Aso" information center next to the station has Chinese language information and you can leave your luggage temporarily. From here, we started our tour of Aso, and our first stop was Aso Shrine, the landmark of Aso.
Aso Shrine is said to be an ancient shrine with a history of more than 2,500 years, and is dedicated to 12 gods of its family, with the Aso caldera as the symbol of the gods. It has a Yokosando, which is extremely rare in Japan, a "wishing stone" that makes wishes come true, and "Takasago no Matsu," which is used to pray for a good relationship. It is regarded as an important cultural asset of Japan.
Kadomaicho, as the name suggests, is a street near Aso Shrine, which has an old-fashioned atmosphere and a vintage feel of Japan's past. The specialty of Kadomaicho is that each store has a different flavor, and although they are all small, they are interestingly decorated. Walking here is the best way to spend time, right?
Unlike other pedestrian streets in front of famous sightseeing spots, the stores lining the streets sell local specialties. The store fronts are decorated in a quaint style, and the shopkeepers have collected small items from all over the world. When you buy a snack, you can choose to sit in front of the door and savor it. In winter, if it is snowy, sitting by the grill and enjoying the snowy scenery while eating snacks becomes the main character of Japanese idol dramas.
Proud of Uchimaki Hot Spring
The hot spring area around the crater and volcano Aso, one of the world's largest, is called Aso Hot Spring Town. Aso Nemu Onsen is one of the largest hot spring towns in the world. There are a lot of restaurants in the hot spring town, and it is also the location of the 21st episode of the famous Japanese movie "The Story of Torajiro: A Man's Pain".
There are a large number of hot springs and hot spring inns in Uchimaki Onsen, and the facilities vary from Japanese-style inns that catered to the preferences of the great literary figures of old to large hot spring resorts and small and medium-sized inns for families, catering to the needs of a wide range of people. It is also known as the city of literature and has been loved by many great writers since ancient times. Natsume Soseki and Taniyama Touhou visited the city, and Natsume Soseki used it as a stage to write "Two Hundred and Ten Days".
In Uchimaki Onsen, the room where the famous writers of the Meiji era, Tetsugan and Akiko Tseno, used to live is still intact. The hot spring here introduces a slightly cloudy source of beauty into the pool, which enhances the skin's moisturizing power.
While soaking in the hot spring, you can enjoy the vastness of the verdure. The rich grassland stretches all the way to Mt. This kind of scenery is like a song, but also has a lot of fun. So Kumamoto, whether it is food, natural scenery, history and humanities, in the baptism of time in Kyushu proudly.
From Kumamoto to neighboring Fukuoka, our journey to Kyushu continues. Yanagawa City is a city in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, and is also known as the Water Capital, a beautiful little town with many canals in the city. It is the hometown of the poet Kitahara Hakushu, and also the hometown of Mr. Zhu Zhiyu (Zhu Shunshui) (from Yuyao, Zhejiang Province), who was a student of Mr. Zhu when he lived in Japan, and also of Mr. Ando Sinan, the "great scholar of the Western Sea" of Japan, and the teacher-student relationship between Zhu Zhiyu and Ando Sinan is said to be a beautiful story of the region for thousands of years.
The first floor of the Songwol Scholar Hall is the Songwol Wharf Office, where you can take a boat tour of the Yanagawa River. Before boarding a boat tour of the Yanagawa River, you may want to visit the second and third floors of the Songwol Scholar Hall. It was once the birthplace of many literary figures, including the Kyushu Conference of the short song magazine "Tama" edited by Kitahara Hakushu, and "Kyushu Literature" edited by novelist Yoo Han-gil, and the museum still displays their belongings and photographs. There are even more literary figures who lived and traveled in Yanagawa, so the water town Yanagawa is also known as the town of literature.
The best way to visit Yoochon is by boat, which refers to traveling along the river in a small boat, and there are several routes. The boat is shaped like a five-way fish, wearing a hat, the boatman with a bamboo pole boat singing boat song, quite a local flavor. The Yanagawa people erected 32 literary monuments for those literati - a poem monument, a song monument and a sentence monument, all of which are erected on the banks of the river, and the boatmen will point to them remotely to introduce them to the tourists. If you have the time and energy, we recommend you to take another literary walk along the "water walkway" along the river.
Unagi (eel) rice is one of the most popular Japanese food, and it is a classic dish that can be enjoyed by all ages. Yanagawa used to be a famous producer of eel, and there are many eel stores in the city. Unagi is generally referred to as "grilled unagi". However, the oldest unagi restaurant in Yanagawa, Genjo Honjiya, which was established in 1681, is the birthplace of steamed eel.
Most people who come to Yanagawa wait in line at Motsu Motoyoshiya, and we were no exception. When you walk into this Japanese-style mansion, you can smell the strong scent of eel. The atmosphere is reminiscent of Japanese restaurants and inns, with a wooden staircase and traditional decor that makes you feel like you're sitting down to dine in a scene from a movie or TV show.
We ordered the Steamed Unagi Tingyo, and when we opened the lid of the red lacquerware box, a light steam came out, accompanied by a strong scent of unagi. A large piece of unagi is spread on top of rice drenched in brown sauce, and a large piece of unagi is placed under an egg. It's the largest portion of eel rice in the restaurant, and the rice underneath soaks up the broth.
The biggest difference between steamed eel and kamaboko is the texture. Steamed eel doesn't reduce the water in the fish, which breaks the impression of eel being burnt and dry, and it's very apt to describe steamed eel as Q-bouncy and sticky.
There are two other eel dishes included in the prix fixe, the vinegar-marinated eel gazpacho and the white-roasted eel. Shiraiyaki, as the name suggests, is eel grilled without sauce, reflecting the original flavor of the eel. Honjiya deserves to be recognized as the most famous eel restaurant in Yanagawa, with its ritualistic dining environment and deep-alley scent hunt, as well as the superb quality of the unagi rice, which brings endless aftertastes.
Novelties like "rail kitchens" and "slow trains"
Novelties like "rail kitchens" and "slow trains" are a dime a dozen in Japan. Nishitetsu's new sightseeing train, "THE RAIL KITCHEN CHIKUGO," is now in operation. The train is recommended for a romantic and nostalgic trip with delicious food. In addition to the scenery of the Chikugo area in Fukuoka Prefecture, the train is a mobile kitchen.
Railroad travel is a popular way to travel, and there are many veteran railroad fans in Japan. Satisfying your tastebuds with local ingredients, THE RAIL KITCHEN CHIKUGO's visual appeal goes beyond that, combining modern fashion with traditional craftsmanship. The ceiling of the dining area is covered with hand-woven bamboo, a 300-year-old traditional craft technique. The walls are adorned with 400-year-old Jodo stone tiles. The interior of the train is set up like a trendy café in the center of the city. In addition to the train, the large windows on both sides of the train offer a wide view of the scenery on the way.
Before your meal, enjoy the train's welcome drink. Afterwards, you can use the large kitchen inside the train to enjoy the "King Lingi," a mushroom from Oki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the main course, Hakata Wagyu (grilled wagyu beef), which is served at your table. Most of the ingredients are fresh from the areas along the train route centered around the Chikugo area.
The most notable dish is the pizza made with seasonal vegetables, which is freshly baked in the kiln inside the train and brought to the table, still steaming hot. The train runs on Fridays, weekends, and holidays, and is divided into two segments: the "Brunch Tour" and the "Lunch Tour.
Although I couldn't ride it this time, there is a sightseeing train called "COTO COTO Train" of Heisei Chikuho Railway in Fukuoka Prefecture. On the train, you can enjoy authentic French cuisine while traveling along the idyllic scenery. I will try it next time!
A perfect trip to Kyushu is one where the five senses are fully relaxed and enjoyed amidst beautiful nature, the smiling faces of friendly locals, the hugs of Kumamoto bears, the warm waters of hot springs, and the pure local ingredients ------ is the charm of a trip to Kyushu, and the deepest part of our attachment to this part of the world.
TIPS: JR Kyushu Rail Pass
As we all know, transportation costs in Japan are relatively high. As a free-traveling tourist who travels between several cities at once, there is a convenient and cost-effective pass: the JR Kyushu Rail Pass. You can get to all the destinations on this trip with this pass.
The JR Kyushu Rail Pass is a coupon designed for foreign tourists that allows unlimited rides on the relevant lines during the validity period. It is highly recommended to use this coupon when traveling freely in Kyushu. Most of the station names in Japan are in kanji, which makes it easy and hassle-free to take the train, and the trains in Japan are famous for their punctuality!
Official website: /Home/TicketNew/index.html
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