Things to do in Kumamoto

Kumamoto Prefecture offers a diverse array of attractions, from the serene Suizen-ji Jōju-en to the historic Oguni Ryo Shrine. Visitors can find numerous shrines, museums, and temples for a rich cultural experience.

Suizen-ji Jōju-en

Suizen-ji Jōju-en

KUMAMOTO · GARDEN

This stroll garden features a miniature Mt. Fuji, Noh theater, and horseback archery performance...

Oguni Ryo Shrine

Oguni Ryo Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Oguni Ryo Shrine is a historic site in Kumamoto, known for lottery good fortune and traditional...

Ishigami Hachimangū

Ishigami Hachimangū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Ancient shrine in Kumamoto City, dedicated to emperors, with unique historical artifacts.

Eta Funayama Kofun

Eta Funayama Kofun

KUMAMOTO · HISTORIC SITE

Explore an ancient burial mound, a National Historic Site with unique artifacts.

Chibusan Kofun

Chibusan Kofun

KUMAMOTO · HISTORIC SITE

Chibusan Kofun is a 6th-century decorated tomb, a keyhole-shaped tumulus with unique wall painti...

Sanpō-ji Temple

Sanpō-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Sanpoji Temple, founded in 1674, preserves a rare woodblock and honors its founder.

Mount Naka

Mount Naka

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

An active volcanic peak featuring seven craters and a turquoise acidic lake, offering a rare loo...

Gorō Falls

Gorō Falls

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A fifty-meter waterfall flowing through volcanic rock, featuring a suspension bridge and frequen...

Sensuikyō

Sensuikyō

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A high-altitude canyon at the foot of Mount Aso offering panoramic caldera views and vibrant spr...

Sumiyoshi Shrine

Sumiyoshi Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Sumiyoshi Shrine is a historic maritime guardian with Japan's oldest lighthouse, worth visiting...

Yatsushiro Castle

Yatsushiro Castle

KUMAMOTO · CASTLE

Explore Yatsushiro Castle, a historic Edo-period castle ruin in Kumamoto, recognized for its nat...

Yatsushiro-gū

Yatsushiro-gū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Yatsushiro-gū is a Shinto shrine dedicated to imperial princes, built on a castle site.

Yatsushiro Shrine

Yatsushiro Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

One of Japan's three major Myoken shrines, famous for its UNESCO-recognized autumn festival feat...

Rokuden Shrine

Rokuden Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Visit Rokuden Shrine to see a historic gate and honor important historical figures.

Izumi Shrine

Izumi Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

This shrine honors the Hosokawa family, who brought peace and prosperity to the region.

Bessho Kotohira Shrine

Bessho Kotohira Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Historic shrine in Kumamoto City, founded by the Hosokawa family, with a unique summer festival.

Kitaoka Shrine

Kitaoka Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Kitaoka Shrine is an ancient shrine in Kumamoto City with a 1000-year-old sacred tree.

Shibasaburo Kitazato Memorial Museum

Shibasaburo Kitazato Memorial Museum

KUMAMOTO · MUSEUM

Explore the life and legacy of Shibasaburo Kitazato, a pioneer in modern medicine.

Iō-ji Temple

Iō-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Iō-ji Temple is an ancient Shingon temple with important statues and a connection to the Matsui...

Innyaku Shrine

Innyaku Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Innyaku Shrine, founded in 1198, honors Ishikawa no Sukune and holds historical significance.

Mount Kunimi

Mount Kunimi

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

The highest peak in Kumamoto Prefecture offers hikers beech forests and rhododendrons within a p...

Kokuzō Shrine

Kokuzō Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Kokuzo Shrine is an ancient shrine in Kumamoto, home to historic tombs and a significant cultura...

Kōshi Manga Museum

Kōshi Manga Museum

KUMAMOTO · MUSEUM

A unique manga museum in Kumamoto, specializing in yokai and ninja, with 60,000 items.

Sakamoto Zenzō Museum of Art

Sakamoto Zenzō Museum of Art

KUMAMOTO · MUSEUM

This art museum showcases Zenzo Sakamoto's works in a unique tatami-matted setting.

Tōfuku-ji Temple

Tōfuku-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Tōfuku-ji Temple is a historic family temple with important cultural properties related to its f...

Shioya Hachimangū

Shioya Hachimangū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Historic Shinto shrine founded in 1632, guardian of Yatsushiro, with unique sub-shrines.

Okirihata Pond

Okirihata Pond

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A historic agricultural reservoir in Kumamoto recognized as a top national site, currently under...

Oomiya Shrine (yamagashi)

Oomiya Shrine (yamagashi)

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

This shrine, dedicated to Mt. Aso's guardian deity, is worth visiting for its unique paper lante...

Daiji-ji Temple

Daiji-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Daiji-ji is a historic Soto Zen temple in Kumamoto with important cultural properties.

Ōyano Island

Ōyano Island

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

This island in the Amakusa archipelago offers national park views, historical ties to Amakusa Sh...

Mount Daikanbō

Mount Daikanbō

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

The highest peak of Aso North Outer Rim offering panoramic views of the Aso Five Peaks from a 93...

Amakusa Christian Museum

Amakusa Christian Museum

KUMAMOTO · MUSEUM

Learn about Amakusa's Christian history and the Shimabara Rebellion at this museum.

Moriyama-hachimangū

Moriyama-hachimangū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Ancient Shinto shrine at Mount Hino's base, dedicated to imperial deities and a historic figure.

Miyahara-sanjingū

Miyahara-sanjingū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Ancient shrine in Kumamoto, rebuilt centuries ago, dedicated to three major deities.

Miyaji Shrine

Miyaji Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Miyaji Shrine, founded in 770, enshrines seven deities and offers a glimpse into local history.

Ogawa Aso Shrine

Ogawa Aso Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Ogawa Aso Shrine is an ancient shrine with a rich history and a sacred camphor tree.

Yamaga Onsen

Yamaga Onsen

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A historic hot spring town featuring a reconstructed public bathhouse and a traditional theater...

Mount Ichifusa

Mount Ichifusa

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A 1,720-meter granite peak in southern Kyushu offering diverse plant life, seasonal blooms, and...

Heitate Shrine

Heitate Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Heitate Shrine is an ancient shrine in Kumamoto, known for its sacred trees and historical festi...

Kōfuku-ji Temple

Kōfuku-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Kōfuku-ji Temple is a historic Zen temple founded in 1357, preserving ancient documents and trea...

Yuge Shrine

Yuge Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Yuge Shrine is a historic Kumamoto shrine dedicated to Empress Koken, rebuilt after a 1912 fire.

Ōjō-in Temple

Ōjō-in Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

A 13th-century Jodo sect temple in Kumamoto featuring historic Jizo statues and ties to the 1877...

Goshourajima

Goshourajima

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

An inhabited island in the Yatsushiro Sea known for its significant dinosaur fossil discoveries...

Goshoura Cretaceous Museum

Goshoura Cretaceous Museum

KUMAMOTO · MUSEUM

Explore Goshoura Island's dinosaur and fossil museum, a natural history site worth an hour.

Tobase Island

Tobase Island

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A rural island in Kumamoto connected by bridge, known for its orchid cultivation, citrus groves,...

Sesshu-ji Temple

Sesshu-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Sesshu-ji Temple is a historic Jodo-shu Buddhist temple with Hosokawa family connections.

Sgaru Falls

Sgaru Falls

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A massive 60-meter waterfall on the Kurokawa River recognized as one of the top one hundred fall...

Shinkai-daijingū

Shinkai-daijingū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Historic shrine in Kumamoto dedicated to sun and harvest deities, rebuilt by a famous samurai.

Motomura Shrine

Motomura Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Motomura Shrine, founded in 713, is a unique shrine dedicated to miso, rebuilt with industry sup...

Tsuetate Onsen

Tsuetate Onsen

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A historic riverside hot spring town famous for its high-temperature waters and thousands of col...

Tōfuku-ji Temple

Tōfuku-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Ancient Tendai temple with imperial ties, housing important cultural statues and family graves.

Matsui Shrine

Matsui Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Matsui Shrine honors local lords, featuring historic plum trees and a tranquil setting.

Matsubase Shrine

Matsubase Shrine

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Matsubase Shrine is a historic site in Uki City, rebuilt after a fire.

Shōhin-ken

Shōhin-ken

KUMAMOTO · GARDEN

Shōhin-ken is a historic residence and garden, offering a glimpse into a feudal lord's life.

Mount Neko

Mount Neko

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

One of the Aso Five Peaks, this ancient stratovolcano features a unique jagged silhouette resemb...

Bairin-tenmangū

Bairin-tenmangū

KUMAMOTO · SHRINE

Historic shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, known for its Edo-period architecture and ho...

Shōkaku-ji Temple

Shōkaku-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Shokakuji Temple, founded in 1609, is worth visiting for its unique Rokkakudo Sutra Repository a...

Suizenji Ezuko Park

Suizenji Ezuko Park

KUMAMOTO · PARK

A large city park in Kumamoto, offering diverse natural and recreational areas.

Mizushima

Mizushima

KUMAMOTO · PLACE

A small uninhabited island and national scenic spot mentioned in ancient Japanese chronicles and...

Eikoku-ji Temple

Eikoku-ji Temple

KUMAMOTO · TEMPLE

Eikokuji Temple offers ghost tales, a scenic pond, and artifacts from the Satsuma Rebellion.

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