Kumamoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, Kumamotojō) is one of the most impressive castles in Japan. With large castle grounds and a variety of buildings, Kumamoto Castle offers its visitors one of the most complete castle experiences in Japan. Only a few structures have survived the centuries since the castle's construction in 1607 intact. The castle keep and most other buildings are modern reconstructions, but the reconstructions are mostly of a high quality and new buildings are continually being added. With about 800 cherry trees, the castle becomes a popular cherry blossom spot usually in late March and early April.

Suizenji Garden (水前寺成趣園, Suizenji Jōjuen) is a spacious, Japanese style landscape garden in Kumamoto, best enjoyed by strolling along a circular path. It was built by the Hosokawa family in the 17th century. The garden reproduces the 53 post stations of the Tokaido, the important road, which connected Edo with Kyoto during the Edo Period, in miniature form, including a small Mt. Fuji.

Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), known in Japan under his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo, was among the first Western authors to write books about Japan. His most famous works include "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan" and "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things". Hearn immigrated to Japan in 1890 and spent the rest of his life there. After spending a year in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Hearn resided several years of his life (1891 to 1894) in Kumamoto City. Today, his former Kumamoto residence (小泉八雲熊本旧居, Koizumi Yakumo Kumamoto Kyūkyo) is open to the public and contains a small museum about the author.

Josaien is a tourist establishment that houses the specialty dishes and souvenirs of Kumamoto. At Josaien, you can try specialties that are unique to the region, such as the Salad Chikuwa (deep-fried fish cake with salad inside) and the Ikinari Dango (sweet potato and bean paste wrapped in dough). The Tourist Information Center offers pamphlets and local maps in English, Chinese, and Korean, as well as coin lockers that you can use for free.

Shimotori Arcade is the largest shopping arcade in Kumamoto Prefecture, measuring 511 m in length and 15 m in width. Visited by more than 50,000 people each day, it is a place that is lined with department stores, boutiques, and eating and drinking establishments. It is also often used as a venue for performances by street musicians and exhibits by various groups. There are many izakaya (Japanese pubs) and bars here that are open until late at night, so it is also famous as a nighttime entertainment district.

Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto (CAMK) is a museum that mainly exhibits contemporary art. At the museum, you can appreciate works integrated with the actual building at various spots inside the hall, including James Turrell's light canopy and Marina Abramovic's bookshelves that come with a bed. The museum is attached to the Home Gallery, where you can browse art books and manga (Japanese comics), as well as a Kids Salon where families can enjoy picture books and picture story shows. There are also planned exhibitions that give a glimpse into the art culture of Kumamoto.

Hanaokayama is a hill which offers you great views over the city and it is particularly pretty if you trek here in the evening when you can catch the twinkling lights over the city. If the weather is good then you can even see as far as Mount Aso, steaming away behind Kumamoto. It takes around 15 minutes to trek to the summit of the hill, or you can also travel there by car, but it is more than worth the effort to get to the top as you can also check out a small hillside temple which is topped with a shrine gate known as a torii in Japanese.

Soseki Memorial Hall is dedicated to Natsume Soseki who was a writer who would have lived during the Meiji period and who died in 1916. The memorial hqll is based in his former home which dates from the 1870s and this also used to be an English school. One of the main reasons to come here is to check out the period architecture as well as the ornate Japanese garden that surrounds the building. From the house you can also walk to the serene Tsuboi-gawa River.

If you want to check out some arts and crafts while you are in Kyushu then the Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Centre is one of the best places to do it. Here you will find a huge number of different crafts pieces such as ceramics, glass ware and wood carvings, and there are even ornate Yamaga lanterns on display. One of the great things about the center is that you can also buy many of the pieces on display here which make excellent souvenirs or gifts.

The Shimada Museum of Art is one of the smaller museums in Kumamoto but it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. Here you will find a number of galleries which are dedicated to items such as calligraphy pieces and scrolls which were painted by Miyamoto Musashi who was an artist and a famous samurai warrior who would have lived in Kumamoto in the 16th century. The museum also has a number of galleries dedicated to the work of contemporary artists from the region so art lovers should make sure not to miss this off the itinerary. ＊This museum is closed on Tuesday.