Suizenji Gardens Also known as Suizenji Jojuen Park, these beautiful gardens are situated in the east of the city, a 15 minute tram ride from the city center. Suizenji Jojuen is a very popular destination for both Japanese and international tourists, however, on a weekday it is possible to have the park mostly to yourself sharing […]
Tatsuda Nature Park is well worth putting on your itinerary for a day out in the city. Tucked away behind Kumamoto University, perhaps its difficult to find location means that it is not more well-known. The park stands on Mt. Tatsuda, a forested hill in the north eastern part of the city. Step through the park
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The Aso region covers an area of roughly 350 square kilometers, as it’s a very rural area public transport is limited. There is so much to see that using public transport you could easily spend several days looking around, however if time is an issue we reccomend either renting a car or taking a private
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The title Mount Aso Volcano is a little misleading as the whole central mountain range within the Aso caldera is comprised of volcanos, fortunately only one is still active. Mt. Nakadake – Mount Aso’s active volcano Nakadake long worshipped as a powerful god, the active volcano at the center of Mount Aso is a rarity, not only does
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Earthquake update: The main gate and hall of worship of Aso Shrine sadly collapsed in the Kumamoto earthquake of April 16th 2016. However, the shrine can still be visited and festivals will still be held throughout the year. In fact witnessing the damage first hand is a very humbling experience. The shrine will be
Recently granted World Heritage Status the Misumi West Port (Misumi Nishi Kou) in Uto, at the entrance to the islands of Amakusa is an interesting stop off if you are journeying south. The port is situated around 90 minutes drive from Kumamoto City. The Misumi West Port was built at the start of the Meiji era
Kumamoto castle suffered severe damage in the earthquakes of April 14th and 16th, it is currently closed to visitors. The mighty and impenetrable Kumamoto Castle has dominated and protected the city of Kumamoto for over 400 years. Recently ranked the top Japanese Castle to visit on Trip Advisor, Kumamoto Jo has long held the title of being
Upper Ezu Lake is just 30 minutes from the heart of the city and 10 minutes walk from Suizenji Park. It’s a wonderful place to just hang out and relax or have a picnic but if you fancy doing something a little more active renting a rowing boat or a character pedalo can also be a
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An oasis just a few km from the heart of the city, Ezu Lake (江津湖 Ezuko) is a natural lake fed by the underground springs Kumamoto is famous for. The springs bubble up from Suizenji Gardens and feed the lake with crystal clear, refreshingly cool water. The gourd shaped lake has two main parts, the upper
“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” ― Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings Miyamoto Musashi is a name every Japanese person knows as belonging to the greatest samurai swordsman and strategist of his
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