Explore Kumamoto's Power Spots
In Japan a ‘power spot’ is the name given to a place which endows visitors with a refreshing or healing energy. These are often places with a mysterious aura, where earth’s natural energy wells up and are often connected to Shinto or mountain worship. Here are a selection of some of Kumamoto’s best known power spots and a few more off the beaten track ones.
In a kink in the Shirakawa river next to an electricity plant there is a very curious shrine. Driving home from the city the other day I realise I have time to explore somewhere new before it gets dark. I've been to all the main shrines in Kumamoto but have ... read on
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, ... read on
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 ... read on
The solemnly peaceful 1800 year old Takachiho Shrine is set in a wonderful grove of towering Japanese Cryptomeria trees, the oldest said to be over 1000 years old. Takachiho Shrine is the head shrine of the 88 shrines of the 18 villages of Takachiho. The most famous of the trees surrounding the ... read on
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 ... read on
Just over the border into Miyazaki Prefecture, the romantic Takachiho Gorge winds its way through the sleepy town of Takachiho. The gorge was formed from the pyroclastic flow of the Aso volcanos, when sudden cooling led to dramatic columnar formations and sheer cliffs that rise above the river between 80 to ... read on
https://explore-kumamoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Nabegataki-Falls.mp4 If you are visiting Kurokawa Onsen, Aso or just a fan of waterfalls put the Nabegataki Falls high on your list to see. Only recently discovered as a tourist location, the fall itself is a wide sheet of water; though not particularly high at 10 meters it makes up for it with ... read on
Shirakawa Source Also known as the Shirakawa Suigen 白川水源 in Japanese, this is the most well-known of a cluster of mineral water springs that bubble up in the southern part of the Aso region called 'Minami Aso'. Famed as one of the top 100 springs in Japan many people gather here to bottle the spring ... read on
The Reigando Cave, in Japanese simply Reigando 霊巌洞, is a mysterious and sacred cave located on the Western slopes of Mt. Kinpo the 200,000 year old extinct volcanic peak that is the backdrop to Kumamoto City. Famed as the cave where the great philosopher swordsman Musashi Miyamoto spent his last ... read on
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 ... read on