Kumamoto Hidden Gems
9 spots
Kumamoto Castle — Earthquake Survivor Being Restored
Kumamoto Castle, completed in 1607, is one of Japan's three premier castles and a masterpiece of defensive architecture.…
Basashi (Horse Sashimi) — Kumamoto's Signature Dish
Kumamoto is Japan's capital of basashi (馬刺し) — raw horse meat sliced thin and served with garlic, ginger, and sweet soy…
Suizenji Jojuen Garden — Miniature Tokaido
Suizenji Jojuen is a 400-year-old stroll garden that recreates the 53 stations of the Tokaido road in miniature landscap…
Shimotori & Kamitori Arcades — Kumamoto's Shopping Heart
Shimotori and Kamitori are parallel covered shopping arcades running for 1.2km through central Kumamoto — the longest ar…
Kumamoto Contemporary Art Museum
The Kumamoto Contemporary Art Museum occupies a modernist building (designed by Kazuyo Sejima) in the heart of downtown,…
Karashi Renkon — Kumamoto's Spicy Lotus Root
Karashi renkon (辛子蓮根) is Kumamoto's signature food — lotus root stuffed with spicy mustard-miso paste, coated in batter,…
Tatsuda-yama Park Cherry Blossoms — Best in Kumamoto
Tatsuta-yama Park contains 500 cherry trees (predominantly someiyoshino) planted along a 1.5km hillside path, creating a…
Honmyo-ji Temple — Samurai Cemetery on the Hill
Honmyo-ji is a Buddhist temple on a forested hill northeast of Kumamoto Castle, established in 1585 by Kato Kiyomasa. Th…
Kumamoto Ramen — Garlic Chip Tonkotsu
Kumamoto ramen is a regional variation of Hakata-style tonkotsu — thicker noodles, richer pork-bone broth, and the defin…