Before you take a tour with us why not find out what some of our guests have to say, here are just a few of our Explore Kumamoto reviews:
The visit to Kumamoto was splendid! Way above all expectations, honestly. Your expertise in history and knowledge of all the places we visited really took us to an other level in Japanese culture and history. You brought the old places alive, like the Reigando cave, experience which I will always remember. The visit to mr. Matsunaga Genroku sensei’s work shop is a memory too which I will never forget.And the flight around the Aso volcano, the hot springs… everything.Your patience with us wondering and lingering around, answering to our endless questions was really worth every penny! Talk about the costs: I have traveled quite a bit and have had guides of all sorts, your reasonable price compared to the quality of the service was absolutely the best I have ever received anywhere!Your knowledge of Musashi was a real surprise to me! I am a great fan of Miyamoto Musashi and I will always remember how you started telling me of the weapons Gonnosuke, one of Musashi’s opponents, was using in their battles.On top that all, your friendliness and gladness through the long day was really heart warmingSamurai Swords Tour Matti & Janne October 2015 Finland
We only had a day to spend in Kumamoto so we maximised our time by joining the Explore Kumamoto Takachiho gorge trip. This proved to be a great decision as Helen was a fantastic guide. She was able to impart interesting facts about the mythology of the place and witty anecdotes about Japanese culture.The gorge didn’t disappoint and was stunning in Autumn. Its actually not easy to get to so we highly recommend this tour if you’re after a memorable experienceTakachiho Tour Joe & Daniel November 2015 Australia
My husband and I joined Explore Kumamoto on a day trip to Takachiho Gorge. It was a wonderful and memorable experiencefor us. The autumn view of the gorge is marvellous . Most importantl y, Helen did a great job of explaining the myths and culture behind the things we saw. She was also responsive to my emails and requests prior to the trip. The day trip really maximized our time spent there. It was a great experience . Takachiho Tour Kexin & Cedric November 2015 Singapore
For a personalized, friendly and amazing tour, please contact Helen at Explore Kumamoto tours. She custom-tailored our tour to learn about Musashi and she does tours around other areas outside of Kumamoto. She provided transportation and drove us to some hard to reach locations. She’s a native English-speaker living in Japan for many years. Just wonderful, highly recommend.Samurai Swords Tour Jennifer & Daniel Dec 2105 U.S.A.
Jennifer wrote a great blog post about Musashi Miyamoto after her visit to Kumamoto, read it here.
Thank you for the lovely photographs you took for us, they are so well taken and the scenery is so beautiful.
It was really very nice tour experiences we had with you as our guide and we really enjoyed ourselves very much. Words cannot describe our gratitude to your hospitality and the tour you planned for us. You were an amazing guide and you were so funny, making us laugh all the time. I would definitely recommend to my friends and spread words for your wonderful tours.Aso Tour and Takachiho Tour Alice & Family Dec 2015 Singapore
Thanks again for the trip to Takachiho, it was really great spending the day with you, we had the best time!It didn’t rain much in Aso the day after the tour, but it was all cloudy and foggy, we couldn’t even see the bottom of the mountains! So thanks a lot for taking a little detour on the way back to Aso and taking us to the crater, otherwise, we would not have seen anything at all. But we went to Aso shrine. It was the last one of our trip, so I really wanted to go armed with all our new knowledge, or at least with fresh eyes. I just wish we did the tour at the beginning of our trip, now I feel we must have missed so many things on the places we’ve been before (and probably offended several kamis along the way)! We have no choice, we have to come back 🙂Takachiho Tour Catherine & Thierry Dec 2015 France
See Catherine’s full review of her trip to Takechiho on Trip Advisor
We wanted to express our appreciation for the great tour last week. Asking the kids, both said the day with you was the best in Japan. They will remember for sure the waterfall, the onsen and the rural Japan highlights of that day.
Aso and Kurokawa Sights Azadeh & family August 2016, Germany
Thank you so much for the photos! We are so glad to join your tour! Everything is just wonderful and makes our trip unforgettable!
Takachiho and Aso & Kurokawa Joanna & Pong, August 2016, Hong Kong
We couldn’t have asked for a better guide to reveal Kumamoto’s beauty for us, and the rich and fascinating history underlying it all. It is a place we would recommend all of our friends to visit (and to get in touch with you for an incredible tour).Takachiho and Aso & Kuju Kenneth & Claire, November 2016, Singapore
We had a wonderful day: informative, pleasant, sociable. Thank you very much for your generosity, not only for taking us around Aso but also for helping us become a little less ignorant about Japan and its people. Around Aso Peter & Marie, November 2016, UK and Canada
Thank you for the fantastic tour on that day. We enjoyed every single moment even in the rain. We will definitely recommend it to our friends.Takachiho Raphael & Bernard, November 2016, Singapore
Just wanted to say thank you for a great tour, it was a fantastic day! You were a very great guide!Samurai Swords Helen & Christian, November 2016, Sweden
Thank you for sharing such a unique experience with us. You have a gift and are definitely in your element.How I wished too we could’ve dragged you along to Takachiho. Would’ve loved to have heard more tidbits abt the area from your wealth of knowledge. Loved it there, too. The boats were fun and the walk to the cave with all the stones was awesome. Stopped to dine at the first stall as you exit the cave walk and the food and apple/? combo ice cream cone was DELISH!! Almost as good as the sweet potato mochi we bought on your tour. (We ended up eating that every day in Kumamoto –altho you are right. The Suizenji Park vendor is the BEST!!)But now back to the grind of the real world as you go about your enviable explorations! Japan has proven such a fascinating (and tasty!) destination once again and we have you to thank in part for that lasting memory !Samurai Swords Merry and group , November 2016, Hawaii
For some more recent reviews take a look at the Trip Advisor link on the right.
EXCELLENT Based on 65 reviews Posted on BethMarch 5, 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We contacted ExploreKumamoto to get onto a tour to Takachiho Gorge. There was not a tour running there on the day we planned, but Helen was so helpful and arranged another driver to take us on the same itinerary anyway. We had the most wonderful day - Maeda was so friendly and helpful and we learnt so much about Japan. We would recommend everyone to use ExploreKumamoto - it has been an absolute highlight of our trip.Posted on RozyJanuary 29, 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. First of all, I want to say a million thank you to Helen that made my dream come true. After all this time, I can finally visited all 10 One Piece statues in Kumamoto. Helen is kind and generous. What a lovely lady. We talk a lot and even sharing our experiences about one piece during the tour and even Helen played one piece music in the car (we called it the sunny-go car, lol). Every location is such an adventure. We even visited a local shrine. I actually find this tour from chatgpt, the top recommendation one and she was so surprised when I told that. I was planning to visit one statue to another by myself, but I stopped cause it may takes more time and the locations may not be able to reach by local bus or train. So, choosing this tour is the right choice.Posted on KristaDecember 20, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Helen is an absolute DREAM and her tours are top notch!!! Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable about the tour she leads, but she is also very familiar with Japan, its culture and stories, Kumamoto and so much more. She is an abundance of information and was more than happy to answer all of our questions, both tour related and whatever else came to our minds. Helen has a natural skill and talent for keeping the atmosphere fun and engaging and has an incredible personality. She is easy to get along with, very funny and there was never a dull moment. Someone on our tour needed a charging cable and she kindly drove us to the nearest Family Mart so the gentleman with us could pick one up. That’s going above and beyond! Every location we went to was breathtaking and Helen kindly offered to take pictures for everyone so we could all capture these special moments. I would, without hesitation, absolutely come back to Kumamoto specifically to take another one of Helen’s torus! She has left such a great impression on us and I can promise this is something you won’t regret! Helen is the best! Thank you SO MUCH!!! Next time we want to do the One Piece tour! 😊🙏🏻❤️Posted on MattDecember 19, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had an amazing time with Explore Kumamoto on the Mt. Aso and Takachiho Gorge tour! Helen was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole day feel easy and fun from start to finish. The pacing was perfect, the scenery was absolutely stunning, and Helen’s local insights really added to the experience. Everything was well organized, and it felt more like traveling with a local friend than being on a tour. This was, without a doubt, the highlight of our trip to Kumamoto. We're already talking about booking another tour with her on our next visit to Kumamoto. Thanks Helen!Posted on SimonDecember 19, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It is one thing to visit the One Piece statues, but it takes a local to understand and explain the significance of each statue to their location as well as the impact of the Kumamoto 2016 earthquake. I highly recommend having Helen be the one to guide you through this journey as well. I hope to go back one day to try her other tours in the Kumamoto area.Posted on MDecember 18, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Einfach eine unvergessliche Tour zum Mt. Aso und Takachiho Gorge. Helen hat uns die wunderschönen Seiten Kyushus gezeigt, ist super gefahren und einfach eine tolle Person. Ich kann diese Tour 1000 % empfehlen und würde gerne wieder kommen :)Posted on StevenDecember 11, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Helen was great! She was really nice. She is really knowledgeable on the one piece tour. 5/5 would recommend to friends and family.Posted on RussellNovember 16, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wow, what a tour – Explore Kumamoto - Samurai swords Tour Helen provided a relaxed and informative insight into the history and culture of the Kumamoto region and Musashi Miyamoto. So many interesting insights to places, culture, traditions that only a guide with deep local knowledge could share. The visit to the sacred Reigando Cave is a highlight for anyone interested in Japan’s history & martial arts. Time with Sensei Masanaga & his assistant provided a unique insight into the history & technique of forging a sword. Then a display of sword cutting techniques & mastery which was amazing to watch. Helen is extremely knowledgeable, friendly & adaptable, we highly recommend her tours. A 5 star tour and experience.Posted on SNovember 16, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Helen was AWESOME! I had a 2.5 week journey around Kyushu, and my time in Kumamoto was definitely a highlight because of Helen. I did two tours with her. She's from the UK, but has lived in Japan for a long time. As a result, she's both very knowledgeable and also super easy to communicate with given she's a native English speaker. I loved the stories and tidbits she told along the way-- it made each location feel very special and intimate. I also liked that the tours are small and in a smaller van instead of a huge tour bus, because she can re-arrange on the spot due to weather and pull over on the roads when good photo opportunities present themselves. I also just loved her personality - she is the type of person who is meant to socialize and teach people, she has the perfect demeanor for it. If I ever go back to Kumamoto, I'll definitely be doing another tour with her. Thanks Helen! Hope we cross paths again.Posted on DiegoNovember 15, 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really nice experience with Helen around Kumamoto. She has been living long time so Helen is sharing many deep stories about the region and one piece statues. Truly recommend this tour!Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more