Kumamoto-prefecture travel guide

Kumamoto-prefecture is in the center of Kyushu, It is bordered by the Ariake inland sea

and the Amakusa archipelago to the west, Fukuoka-prefecture and Oita-prefecture to

the north, Miyazaki-prefecture to the east, and Kagoshima-prefecture to the south.

The capital of Kumamoto-prefecture is Kumamoto-city. Mount Aso, an extensive active

volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto-prefecture. This volcano is located at the center of

the Aso caldera.

Where to explore

Kumamoto-city

Situated roughly in the center of Kumamoto-prefecture, is the

government and economic center of the prefecture. From the early

17th century to the end of the 19th century, Kumamoto was

prosperous as a castle town. The Shira-kawa River and its

branches run through the downtown area around Kumamoto Castle.

One of the must visit tourist destination in Kyushu. The world’s

largest caldera and the active volcano give a lot of excitements.

And numerous unforgettable experiences in the rural area

can be mede including Onsen, variety of sports and local

cuisines.

One of the most popular hot spring resort, located on the northern

side of Mount Aso . Widely known for its open-air baths, it is one

of the best places to enjoy the atmosphere of old town in Japan,

where more than 20 Inns （Ryokan）and gift shops standing in

a row along the Tanoharu River, a headstream of the Chikugo River.

Located in a southern part of Kumamoto-city. It provides ideal spots

for viewing the saw-toothed coast line of Amakusa and the small

islands scattered across the sea. And there are UNESCO World

Located in the northern part of Kumamoto along Kuma-gawa River.

Hitoyoshi is a castle town once prosperous as a river port, and

boasts the ruins of the Hitoyoshi castle and Hitoyoshi Onsen.

The most exiting thing is Kumasawa-kudari that is riding on a boat

maneuvered by a master polar down the Kuma-gawa River.

Kumamoto-prefecture