Explore Kumamoto

Mystery spots

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine 上色見熊野座神社

Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu Shrine If you only have time to visit one shrine in the Aso area,  visit the one with the longest name. Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu Shrine is definitely worth the journey even if you’re not a huge fan of shrines. Situated a few kilometres from Takamori Town in Minami Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture, this once little

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine 上色見熊野座神社 Read More »

Kurokawa Onsen tour and more

Waita Onsen わいた温泉郷

Tucked away in the foothills of Mount Waita, within sight of the Oita border, lies the little known Waita onsen area, a collection of six small onsen resorts. This is a remarkable area, everywhere you look you will see, smell and hear the violently gushing steam and bubbling vents. These puncture the ground and fill the skies

Waita Onsen わいた温泉郷 Read More »

Oshitoishi Hill 押戸石の丘

Oshitoishi Hill 押戸石- Minami Oguni Oshitoishi has the reputation of a powerspot, a group of mysterious standing stones situated on a hill on the pyroclastic flows above the northern caldera edge of the giant Aso caldera. On top of the grassy hillside there is a mysterious line of rocks. The largest is over 10 metres high。 The

Oshitoishi Hill 押戸石の丘 Read More »

ancient burial mounds

Kumamoto Ancient Burial Mound Museum 熊本県立装飾古墳館

Ancient Burial Mound Museum The Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound museum in Yamaga celebrates the many and various decorated tumuli of Kumamoto.  A tumulus is an ancient burial mound, there are approximately 200,000 of these burial mounds scattered  over Japan all dating back from 400 to 700 AD. The era when these tumulus were built

Kumamoto Ancient Burial Mound Museum 熊本県立装飾古墳館 Read More »

nagomi, kumamoto

Mystery spot: Tonkararin トンカラリン

Tonkararin   If you love a good mystery – or dark, narrow spaces! – , then you are bound to be intrigued by Tonkararin. The many questions surrounding Tonkararin  serve to make the site more interesting and you cannot help but come up with your own theories as you explore. Tonkararin is so mysterious it’s hard to know how

Mystery spot: Tonkararin トンカラリン Read More »

Suzume Jigoku Springs すずめ地獄

After the hot spring heaven of Kurokawa why not take a trip to Hell? Sparrow Hell – or Suzume Jigoku in Japanese. This is a cold water volcanic sulphur spring, the gas is so powerful it can kill sparrows and even tanuki and fox have been found killed by the fumes…. humans are fine though

Suzume Jigoku Springs すずめ地獄 Read More »

Ama No Yasukawara Cave 天安河原

Ama No Yasukawara Cave From the Ama No Iwato Shrine take a 10-minute walk along the Iwato River, past many delicious looking icecream stalls,  descend a steepish path over a simple, arched bridge into the river valley, follow the river path for a few minutes and rounding a corner you will suddenly come to a vast cavern by the river. This

Ama No Yasukawara Cave 天安河原 Read More »

Scroll to Top