Kumamoto

AzumaZushi (東寿司)

One of the oldest and best sushi restaurant in Kumamoto. The rice for the sushi is made according to the traditional recipe of the owner's family. Besides first quality sushi here you can find many traditional dishes of Kumamoto (especially basashi, karashirenkon and hitomoji guruguru) and, during winter, mushizushi (literally "steamed sushi"; a famous original recipe of the restaurant) and a lot of great Japanese foods (both raw and cooked) and beverages (nihonshu, shochu, etc.) The place is very "Japanese", clean, and comfortable; staff is nice, friendly and considerate.

Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine

藤崎八幡宮

This is the most famous shrine in the city. It is north of Kamitori and not too far from downtown. This is the most crowded shrine in the city every New Year's. It is also crowded for other festivals the most famous being the "Decorated Horse Parade" which is held every September.

Honmyo-ji Temple

本妙寺

It is one of the most famous temples in Kumamoto. Honmyoji was built in honor of Kato Kiyomasa, the builder of Kumamoto Castle. The temple is halfway up a hill at the same level as the castle. There is a long staircase lined with old candle stands to the temple. After the temple there is another staircase that leads to a park at the top of the hill that has a statue of Kato Kiyomasa and a nice viewpoint where you can see the castle towering over the city. In the daytime you can also see Mt. Aso in the background. In the last weekend in March they have the Nighttime Cherry Blossom Festival. Then they have live music and lit up cherry blossoms and candles all the way to the top of the hill.

Hosokawa Gyōbutei

旧細川刑部邸

Another picturesque place to visit. It's the family home of the Hosokawa Clan (whose descendant, Morihiro, became Prime Minister of Japan in the 1990s.) The building suffered damage in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, so visitors are permitted to walk the perimeter to enjoy the garden during special openings, but the house can no longer be entered.

Kamitōri

上通

One of the two most popular and accessible shopping districts inside the city. It houses a wide variety shops and cafes, the rear entrance opens out onto an area where a large number of traditional Japanese restaurants are situated.

Katsuretsu Tei

勝烈亭

The Tonkatsu restaurant, established in 1975, is near Karajima station. It serves one of the best Tonkatsu in Kumamoto, and won Michelin Bib Gourmand for years. It has four branches, the listing is the Shisekai branch.

11:00〜21:30 (Last order: 21:00)·2000~4000¥

Kumamoto Castle

熊本城, kumamoto-jō

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 and July 2026; 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.

09:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30)·¥800

Kōrantei

紅蘭亭

This Chinese restaurant offers among others the taipi-en (太平燕)

Taipi-en: ¥750

Mt. Kinpō

金峰山, kinpō-zan

About 11 km from downtown but when you get to the top you`ll be rewarded with a beautiful view over Kumamoto and Nagasaki. The view of the city lights is great and you can also see the peaks of Mt. Aso in Kumamoto and Mt. Unzen in Nagasaki. You can take a bus to the area but then you have to hike for about an hour to the top. On top there is a temple and a famous fence full of locks that couples have locked to a fence on the observation deck. There is no ropeway so you gotta hike or take a car.

Reigando (Miyamoto Musashi's cave)

霊巌洞

Reigandō (霊巌洞, meaning "Spirit Rock Cave") is a cave that lies to the west of Kumamoto, Japan, that became a temporary home to legendary rōnin, Miyamoto Musashi. From 1643, Musashi spent many of his last months in the cave, meditating and writing his Book of Five Rings. The cave is accessed easily by bus from Kumamoto City and nearby Tamana.

Shimotōri

下通

The other and larger of the two districts, the selection of the shops is very much the same as Kamitori though naturally more comprehensive given the size. Many backstreet shopping areas offshoot from the sides of Shimatori, so if you're looking for something special be sure to remember that.

Suizenji Gardens

水前寺公園, Suizen-ji Kōen

It is a renowned Japanese traditional garden, considered one of the four best in Japan. You can walk around a lovely course of trees and mini hills (one of them representing Mount Fuji) covered in grass right in the middle of the city, and it feels like you're in the country side! Food stalls are also to be found in the immediate vicinity.

Æon Mall Kumamoto

イオンモール熊本

Formerly "Diamond City Clair Shopping Mall", it is the biggest shopping mall in Kumamoto and at the time of building the biggest mall in Kyushu. It has about 190 stores, a huge Warner Brothers Movie Theater, and a Food Mall with some good restaurants. It is on the far south side of the city and takes about 30-45 minutes to get there from downtown depending on how bad traffic is.

Bar Sanctuary

This is a four-storey bar with areas for dancing, pool, darts, karaoke, and just chillin'. It is just off of Shimotori and behind the Taigeki (Bowling Alley) Building. City Hall is also very close.

Open until at least 04:00

Battle Stage

Another place to see live music in the city. It's a former movie theater transformed into a big live house. Many rock shows and DJ parties occur here. Many national touring bands and local bands can be seen here.

Club Django

This is the main place for local rock, punk and metal. Sometimes touring bands from overseas play here. Fuji Street is just off of the Shinshigai Arcade 新市街. Club Django is underground so it is easy to pass by it without seeing it. It is almost directly across the street from the Comfort Inn Hotel.

Club Jail

The most happening club in town. Every weekend this place is pumpin' with Japanese homies and ladies wearing almost nothing. Sometimes special DJs will perform and so there might be a cover charge.

Cowboy Bar

One hour of all-you-can-drink for ¥1000. It's right across the street from the big Don Quixote store downtown

¥1000

Cowgirl Bar

Same owners as Cowboy Bar have one with only women serving on Pool`s Court Road, which is just one road over from Nishi Ginza.

¥1000

Crossroad`s

An international bar. it has a nice atmosphere and sometimes can be crowded. It's in the Fujiichi Building on the 7th floor right across the hall from Club Jail.

Drum Be-９

This is another place for local and national acts to be seen. Mainly rock and alternative music. It is three stories and three stages with music most nights of the week.

Foreign Foods

If you just gotta have that foreign snack or macaroni and cheese, there are a few places you can go in town. There are two Don Quixotes, one on Nishi Ginza St. and the other in Kami-Kumamoto. They have a lot like Doritos, Dr. Pepper, and beef jerkey. In Kamitori, there is a Sony Plaza in the basement of the New-S Mall it also has many western snacks and lots of European chocolates. The Tsurya Dept. Store has some stuff in the second basement, but it is mostly expensive. Lastly, there is a small shop on the 6th floor of the Wing Gap building, that's where to buy macaroni and cheese and root beer among other things.

Good Time Charlie`s

This bar is one of a kind. It is owned by Charlie Nagatani, the most famous country musician in Asia. From the 1960s-90s he played many times at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. His band has shows every night of the week at the bar. They serve Coors beer here. It's not very cheap but it's worth experiencing Japanese cowboys at least once. The bar is on Ginza St. across from the Karaoke-kan カラオケ館 building on the 5th floor

Goro's

This is the place with the best Turkish kebabs in Kyushu. Goro makes them fresh right in front of you from his van. Unfortunately it isn`t downtown. If you take the tram towards Kengun it is between the Miso Tenjin Mae and Shin Suizenji Stops. It is an orange van behind the Mitsubishi gas station. Goro speaks English and welcomes foreign guests. He also has a kebab restaurant downtown near Kaminoura St.

Closed · opens 4:30 pm·¥400-550

Hanaokayama

花岡山

Hanaokayama is a hill near Kumamoto Station. It looks over downtown and has a great night view. On a clear day you can see Mt. Aso towering behind the city. There is also a nice temple and a huge shrine gate (torii) on the top. You can go up by car, which most couples do, or hike about 15 minutes to the top.

Hideout Bar Eighty One

Small bar very close to Jeff's World Bar. Sometimes many foreigners.

Closed · opens 9 am

Kumamoto City Hall

熊本市役所

In the heart of downtown. If you go to the fourteenth floor there is a free view of the castle and downtown area.

free

Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center

熊本県伝統工芸館 kumamoto-ken dentō kōgeikan

Exhibits the various traditional crafts for which Kumamoto is well-known. (Includes a gift shop)

Ni no ni 弐ノ弐

There are two of them downtown. One is just off of Shimotori on one of the side streets south of Ginza St. The other is on Kami-no-ura St. 上乃裏通り which runs parallel to Namigizaka St. 並木坂通り a couple blocks to the east (Namigizaka is the continuation of Kamitori after the arcade roof ends). Ni no ni is very famous for the gyoza 餃子. Try the tan tan men 坦坦麺and Taipei Karaage 台北風唐揚げtoo. Most of the foods are under ¥500. So you can buy a few foods and have a beer for under ¥2000 easily.

Nikumaki

Nikumaki is a Kumamoto fad. It is an onigiri (rice ball) but instead of being wrapped with seaweed (nori) it is wrapped with meat (niku), you can add cheese too. it is awesome and pretty cheap. they are a good snack when you're drunk after midnight or you just gotta have that meat edit