Kumamoto Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Description
This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kumamoto! Kumamoto, located on Kyushu island in southern Japan, strikes a perfect balance between a bustling city fringed by tranquil countryside. The center of the city features its greatest landmark, Kumamoto-jo castle, but a tempting collection of restaurants, bars and shops can also be found nearby. Let us know what you would like to experience, and your guide will arrange a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history. Note*3: This tour does not allow for pick up at the Yatsuhiro Port.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kumamoto Castle (熊本城, Kumamotojō) is one of the most impressive castles in Japan. With large castle grounds and a variety of buildings, Kumamoto Castle offers its visitors one of the most complete castle experiences in Japan. Only a few structures have survived the centuries since the castle's construction in 1607 intact. The castle keep and most other buildings are modern reconstructions, but the reconstructions are mostly of a high quality and new buildings are continually being added. With about 800 cherry trees, the castle becomes a popular cherry blossom spot usually in late March and early April.
Suizenji Garden (水前寺成趣園, Suizenji Jōjuen) is a spacious, Japanese style landscape garden in Kumamoto, best enjoyed by strolling along a circular path. It was built by the Hosokawa family in the 17th century. The garden reproduces the 53 post stations of the Tokaido, the important road, which connected Edo with Kyoto during the Edo Period, in miniature form, including a small Mt. Fuji.
The Former Hosokawa Residence (旧細川刑部邸, Kyū Hosokawa Gyōbutei) is the former residence of a branch family of the Hosokawa Clan, the powerful clan that ruled over Kumamoto during the Edo Period. The building is a great example of a high-class samurai mansion. After the end of the feudal era, Gyobutei was moved to a different location in 1873, but was re-located to Kumamoto Castle Park and beautifully restored in the 1990s. It is now open to the public and displays the typical design of a highly ranked samurai's residence of the Edo Period.
Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), known in Japan under his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo, was among the first Western authors to write books about Japan. His most famous works include "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan" and "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things". Hearn immigrated to Japan in 1890 and spent the rest of his life there. After spending a year in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Hearn resided several years of his life (1891 to 1894) in Kumamoto City. Today, his former Kumamoto residence (小泉八雲熊本旧居, Koizumi Yakumo Kumamoto Kyūkyo) is open to the public and contains a small museum about the author.
Josaien is a tourist establishment that houses the specialty dishes and souvenirs of Kumamoto. At Josaien, you can try specialties that are unique to the region, such as the Salad Chikuwa (deep-fried fish cake with salad inside) and the Ikinari Dango (sweet potato and bean paste wrapped in dough). The Tourist Information Center offers pamphlets and local maps in English, Chinese, and Korean, as well as coin lockers that you can use for free.
Shimotori Arcade is the largest shopping arcade in Kumamoto Prefecture, measuring 511 m in length and 15 m in width. Visited by more than 50,000 people each day, it is a place that is lined with department stores, boutiques, and eating and drinking establishments. It is also often used as a venue for performances by street musicians and exhibits by various groups. There are many izakaya (Japanese pubs) and bars here that are open until late at night, so it is also famous as a nighttime entertainment district.
Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto (CAMK) is a museum that mainly exhibits contemporary art. At the museum, you can appreciate works integrated with the actual building at various spots inside the hall, including James Turrell's light canopy and Marina Abramovic's bookshelves that come with a bed. The museum is attached to the Home Gallery, where you can browse art books and manga (Japanese comics), as well as a Kids Salon where families can enjoy picture books and picture story shows. There are also planned exhibitions that give a glimpse into the art culture of Kumamoto.
Hanaokayama is a hill which offers you great views over the city and it is particularly pretty if you trek here in the evening when you can catch the twinkling lights over the city. If the weather is good then you can even see as far as Mount Aso, steaming away behind Kumamoto. It takes around 15 minutes to trek to the summit of the hill, or you can also travel there by car, but it is more than worth the effort to get to the top as you can also check out a small hillside temple which is topped with a shrine gate known as a torii in Japanese.
Soseki Memorial Hall is dedicated to Natsume Soseki who was a writer who would have lived during the Meiji period and who died in 1916. The memorial hqll is based in his former home which dates from the 1870s and this also used to be an English school. One of the main reasons to come here is to check out the period architecture as well as the ornate Japanese garden that surrounds the building. From the house you can also walk to the serene Tsuboi-gawa River.
If you want to check out some arts and crafts while you are in Kyushu then the Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Centre is one of the best places to do it. Here you will find a huge number of different crafts pieces such as ceramics, glass ware and wood carvings, and there are even ornate Yamaga lanterns on display. One of the great things about the center is that you can also buy many of the pieces on display here which make excellent souvenirs or gifts.
The Shimada Museum of Art is one of the smaller museums in Kumamoto but it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. Here you will find a number of galleries which are dedicated to items such as calligraphy pieces and scrolls which were painted by Miyamoto Musashi who was an artist and a famous samurai warrior who would have lived in Kumamoto in the 16th century. The museum also has a number of galleries dedicated to the work of contemporary artists from the region so art lovers should make sure not to miss this off the itinerary.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This tour does not allow for pick up at the Yatsuhiro Port. This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot. No Private Vehicle is included.
Reviews(21)
Jun was very easy to talk with and he was knowledgeable about Kumamoto. His English was good so it was easy to communicate. We sure did a lot of walking that day … 6-7 miles. Lol. He took us to Kamitori and Shimotori Shopping Arcades, per our request. We stopped at a lovely coffee cafe on the 2nd floor of an old building in Kumamoto Town. Thank you so much!
The tour was very great The guide was also very nice and friendly - also discussed the tour with us in advance. He could also have the Musashi museum open especially for us even though it was official on the day Just don't give 5 stars because the English was ok but not so that a smooth communication was possible - would have liked some more explanation / background information at one point or another. Nevertheless a very successful tour and to recommend
Thank you for joining our Kumamoto Tour and for sharing your honest feedback. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour and appreciated our guide’s efforts. We sincerely apologize that the language barrier and limited explanations affected your experience. Your comments are very valuable to us, and we will use them to further improve our service. We look forward to welcoming you on another tour in the future. Japan Guide Agency
Kenzie was very kind and knowledgeable. He helped us get around to many One Piece statues and the Kumamoto Castle. He even found us the perfect little place for lunch. We highly recommend.
Thank you for your review of my guide. I am so happy to have the wonderful comment from you. And the time of every place with you is a good memory for me including the conversation in the cab. I felt that the 6 hours with you had passed so quickly. Please enjoy the rest of your journey in Japan and come to Kumamoto again in different seasons. Regards Kenzo
Mieko was such a wonderful guide! She took our interests into consideration and showed us a special Shinto temple and let us drink from the "long life" spring. She also explained how to do a Shinto prayer and took us for a walk where the gods lived. We had lunch at the perfect place--we wanted to eat good seafood--the seafood was fresh and the service fast and friendly. The fresh grilled scallops were the best I've tasted. Also, we got to try horse sashimi which is a specialty of Fukuoka I think. It was very good. We also toured Kumamoto Castle and the surrounding areas. We ended the tour at a restaurant that served the Kumamoto Wagyu special beef--from black cows! I'd highly recommend having Mieko guide you!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your excellent review. Your choice to visit Fujisaki Hachiman Shrine was excellent. Not many tourists go there, but it is a real shrine loved by the locals. You boldly tried the Kumamoto specialties, raw horse meat, at the izakaya style lunch and enjoyed the shochu associated with your family name. I am happy to hear that you also enjoyed red beef dinner after the tour. Thank you very much for coming to Kumamoto! Mieko
We had a great day with Jun. He was very well prepared and explained a lot about all the sites we visited. He was an excellent guide
Thank you for your complimentary comment. We do not have much time but I want all of you not only to see sightseeing spots but to know the history and culture. So I prepared the data and figures to understand the background. I hope all of you enjoyed the tour and loved Kumamoto. Thank you for visiting Kumamoto. Jun
Jun was an excellent guide. Very well prepared. Showed us a lot and was excellent at explaining things. We had an excellent day with him
Thank you for your complimentary comment. We do not have much time but I want all of you not only to see sightseeing spots but to know the history and culture. So I prepared the data and figures to understand the background. I hope all of you enjoyed the tour and loved Kumamoto. Thank you for visiting Kumamoto. Jun
My family had the most wonderful time in Kumamoto with our special guide, Mieko. She knows he city inside and out as she guided us through castles, markets, museums and beautiful parks. Mieko was so easy to understand and at every moment was finding some fun and informative piece of information to share with us about Kumamoto. She is a guide you must have if you are to ever visit.
What a nice compliment you wrote! You are an enviably close family. Your beautiful daughters loved animals and happily fed the carp and turtles at Suizenji Garden Park. Their gentle gazes on the animals made me happy. It seemed like the three white snapping turtles had shown up to meet the happy family. I wish your family many more blessing! Mieko
If you have an opportunity to book a tour with Mieko, please take it, she is a fantastic guide!! Mieko is very knowledgeable about the area and really heightened our experience. She researched topics we were interested in, picked us up with an itinerary for the day (which we developed together ahead of time via text), and continually let us know what to expect, as the day unfolded. Mieko also helped us navigate the city tram so we could independently continue enjoying the area after our tour was completed. We wish all our tours could be this wonderful, thank you Mieko!!
What a nice comment you gave me! Reading your comment made me so happy to be a guide. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn about Kumamoto Oyster and telling me the number of steps in Kumamoto Castle!! From you and your husband, I have learned about another of Kumamoto's treasures. I am truly grateful to have gotten to know you. I wish you continued wonderful travels! Mieko
Our guide Jun-san was fantastic. He adjusted the tour to our interests, brought us to a really fun activity (Zogan workshop) and helped tremendously with recommendations and travel arrangements, even after the day of the tour. Communication by email was fast and clear. Even riding the trams like a local was an enjoyable part of the day. A great experience in Kumamoto.
Thank you for your compliment. I am glad that all of you enjoyed the trip and hope that you loved Kumamoto. Kumamoto has not only historical places but beautiful places. I just want you to enjoy these places. Before the tour, I was able to know your preference and interests by email. To my surprise, you can read and write Japanese. In addition, you know a lot of Japanese history. So, during the tour, I took it consideration. Zogan workshop is not so popular but I thought it would be a good memory and souvenir for your family. Inlaying is difficult but fun. I also enjoyed the trip very much. It was an exciting experience for me too. Jun
Mieko was a blessing to have on our visit to Kumamoto! She was very flexible and allowed us to customize the tour to our interests. Once we settled on an agenda for the day, our party of 6 embarked on a wonderful, adventurous, fun filled day! We started off by visiting Foodpal Kumamoto, an out of the city venue that we had discovered through researching things to do in Kumamoto. Although the venue was partially closed, we were able visit several specialty shops and met the gracious owner of Hashimoto Shoyu! Mrs. Hashimoto even went out of the way to escort us from her shoyu factory to main market place, giving us a tour of the area and sharing the history of her 5 generation family business. What a treat to have met her and experience such hospitality from her! Our next stop was lunch at a grilling izakaya that Mieko found within walking distance of Kumamoto Castle. This was a special request that we put on her and she came through with flying colors! We loved grilling experiences on recent trips to Niigata and Hachinohe. For lunch we feasted on the freshest seafood harvested from Kumamoto's waters, abalone, oysters, scallops, hokkigai clams, snow crab and jumbo tiger prawns! To top it off, Mieko suggested we try a taste of the special Kumamoto horsemeat sashimi and ordered us a platter to sample, which we tried with apprehension and found it to be a little chewy but nicely flavored, dipped in shoyu with green onion and grated ginger topping. After lunch we headed to Kumamoto Castle to walk off the feast. All I can say is that Mieko is an expert at navigating the Castle through heavy tourist traffic and providing expert commentary and historical information on the Lords and families that occupied the castle during the edo period. Especially drawing my attention was her familiarity and talking points on Miyamoto Musashi, Lord Hosokawa, Lady Gracia, Saigo Takamori and the other Daimyo lords under the shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu! After sweeping through the Castle, we had enough time to visit the Sakuranobaba, shopping area right outside the castle. There we were able to do some sake tasting at a liquor shop and browse through the shopping area before heading back to our hotel. Mieko gave us a full day of fun and adventure that we would not have been able to experience on our own! We have made a lifelong friend and will be sure to refer our friends and family to Mieko when they visit Kumamoto!
I am so glad that you kindly wrote a really heartwarming review. From the moment I met you all at the hotel, I immediately felt as if I were spending time with my brothers and sisters. You have developed a friendship that has lasted for more than 50 years, and you all looked so happy. The sincere smiles on everyone's faces made me feel really happy. I really liked the positive attitude of everyone who was looking for something positive to look forward to. At Hashimoto Soy Sauce Shop, the president seemed very happy to see everyone's spirit. It was a day that made me really happy as well. Thank you very much. Mieko
