Kumamoto (熊本) is the capital of Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It is notable for the impressive Kumamoto Castle.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
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. The local tourist association has a good multilingual guide site.
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. 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. 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. Kumamoto is a comfortable city to ride around.
1 Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, kumamoto-jō). 09:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30). One of the most beautiful castles in Japan, and the third largest. Kumamoto Castle was burned down during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877; the current keep is a concrete reconstruction built during the 1960s. The buildings on the grounds took severe damage during earthquakes in April 2016; the main keep has since re-opened to the public, but other surrounding buildings will take years to rebuild. During the cherry blossom season, the castle grounds are filled with hundreds of beautiful blossoms. ¥800. (updated Nov 2022) 2 Lake Ezu (江津湖, ezuko). 3 Suizenji Gardens (水前寺公園, Suizen-ji Kōen).
1 Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium (藤崎台県営野球場, fujisakidai ken'ei yakujō) (To the west to Kumamoto Castle). A good occasion to watch amateur baseball. Free.
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. 1 AzumaZushi (東寿司), 熊本市水前寺5丁目5-14 (between Suizenji Park and the Kumamoto Budokan), ☏ +81 96-383-2468. One of the oldest and best sushi restaurant in Kumamoto.
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.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €30 — book ahead for the popular ones.
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In Jul, Kumamoto typically sees ~34°C daytime highs and 11 rainy days.
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