Best way to Travel Kumamoto (Center of Kyushu)

I am frequently traveling from Kumamoto-Fukuoka and vise-versa. Kumamoto, is known as the “Heart of Kyushu Island” because it is located in the center of Kyushu Island Japan. It has dynamic history, magnificent natural beauty, natural hot-springs, active volcano in Mount Aso, UNESCO World Heritage Catholic Church Amakusa.

The “Kumamoto Castle (熊本城)” is the symbol of Kumamoto and, it is Japan’s most popular castle. Also, the Kumamoto character KUMA (Bear) is very famous across the world. If you are planning to visit Kumamoto, then here are all the tips you’ll need to know for your first visit to Kumamoto.

Kumamoto has both an international and a domestic airport. So, it’s easy to access from any part of Japan and, across the world because of Hong Kong (many connecting flights) and Seoul.

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  Bullet Train: Shinkansen runs several hours from Fukuoka Sta. to Kumamoto Sta. If you are planning to go by Shinkansen then you need to ride from Hakata Sta. to Kumamoto Sta. The total distance is around 110 km which hardly takes an hour of travelling.

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  Express Bus : Hinokuni-go Bus runs on every 10-15 min interval from Kumamoto City to Fukuoka (Hakata & Tenjin). And an hourly bus runs form Kumamoto – Fukuoka Airport (which does not go to Hakata / Tenjin). The total distance is around 110 km which takes around 2 hours. More details Click..

Kumamoto is truly blessed with abundant nature and delicious cuisines. There are some other reasons that make Kumamoto a very special city and one of the most satisfying places in the World to live here. Here is the list of the spots that attract the visitors.

• Kumamoto Castle (熊本城) is a symbol of Kumamoto and it is considered to be Japan’s top 5 popular castles. It was built in 1607 by Kato Kiyomasa. This castle had influenced the history of Kumamoto to a noticeable extent.

  Unfortunately, the castle got a serious damage during an earthquake in 2016. Tourist can visit by Tram or Bus from Kumamoto Sta. to Kumamoto Kotsu center and followed by a walk of 5-7 minutes.

• Sakura-no-baba Johsaien (桜の馬場城彩苑) Sakura-no-baba is the entrance of Kumamoto Castle. Tourists can experience the visual effects about Kumamoto’s history and culture. There are restaurants and shops which attract visitors for their unique tastes. This place turns very beautiful during Sakura season (Cherry Tree).

  Also, some small musical events are regularly organized here. Tourists can visit by Tram or Bus from Kumamoto Sta. But, Kumamoto Castle is on 5-7 minutes walking distance from Kumamoto Kotsu center.

• Suizenji Jojuen (水前寺公園) Suizenji Park is a traditional Japanese garden with a beautiful lake. This historical garden design is based on Tokaido (東海道五十三次) a famous route that connects to Tokyo-Kyoto during Edo period. As you can see the hill that represents the Mt. Fuji and the pond represents the Lake Biwa!

  Tourists can visit there by Tram or Bus from Kumamoto Sta. or Sakuramachi Bus Terminal. Both tram and bus are run on every 10-12 minutes.

• Hanaokayama Koen park is known for the scenic view of Kumamoto City and the Buddhist temple. This park is located just behind (north-west) the Kumamoto Sta. Hanaokayama Buddhist Temple is also known as “Nipponzan Myohoji Daisanga” which was founded in 1917. This temple is very popular across the world and known as “Peace Pagodas“.

  Tourists can visit here by climbing the stairs for approx. 15-20 minutes. Now, this is very popular among the tourists as a romantic spot. Going there by car and enjoying an amazing night view of Kumamoto City in the evening is an experience not to be missed.

Kumamoto is blessed with its natural ground water resource which makes Kumamoto “Japan’s No.1 ground water city”. The most popular foods are Donburi (red wagyu beef), Bashashi (horse meat), Kumamoto Ramen (noodles), Sushi (raw fish).

Sweets like Ikinari Dango is made by sweet potatoes covered by red bean paste and then wrapped in steamed rice flour. Matsukaze is made by rice flour, beet sugar, egg and poppy seed blend together. You can enjoy it with a cup of green tea. Also try Musha-gaeshi snacks.

If you are planning to travel to Kumamoto by air, then take a Airport Limousine Bus form Aso Kumamoto Airport to Kumamoto downtown. Further, if you are planning to travel by Bullet train, book your ticket online to get discount offers.

If you are planning to travel from Fukuoka airport then, it is recommend to take an Express bus because there will be wastage of time & money in travelling from Fukuoka airport to Hakata and changing for Bullet train (Shinkansen) for Kumamoto.

Hope it will help you in traveling to Kumamoto. Have a nice journey!