This tour will guide you to the most popular sightseeing spots in Kumamoto city center.
You can also enjoy the popular local restaurant, craftsman shop, sake brewery and etc.
This one day tour contain historical and modern site of Kumamoto city.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your Hotel in Kumamoto city
At your Hotel in Kumamoto city
Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle is known for being one of the three great castles in Japan. Also known as Ginkgo Castle, the castle was built by Kato Kiyomasa in 1607. The castle's grounds cover about 980,000m2, with the outer circumference being about 9 kilometers (at the time of construction). The castle is made up of curving stone walls, a castle keep consisting of 3 towers, 49 turrets, 18 turret gates, and 29 castle gates.
The main keep was destroyed in a fire during a civil war in 1877. The current keep was rebuilt by Kumamoto City in 1960.
The castle grounds are home to 800 cherry blossom trees of 3 different species.
Kumamoto Castle was severely damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. Access is currently restricted due to restoration work but, you can view the main keep and turrets from Ninomaru Park, Kato Shrine and the surround areas.
Lunch Break
I will bring you to the local restaurant as following your request.
Suizenji Jojuen Garden
Built in 1632 by Lord Hosokawa, Suizenji Jojuen is a traditional Japanese garden. Notable features within the garden grounds include a traditional Japanese teahouse, where visitors can enjoy a cup of tea, a natural pond, and a miniature recreation of the Tokaido road, a well-traveled route in the Edo Period connecting Tokyo and Kyoto. You'll even see a small recreation of Mount Fuji. Other facilities worth mentioning include a shrine and lakes containing colorful koi fish.
Shimada Museum
This museum standing in the midst of a bamboo forest serenity exhibits nearly 1,000 antique works of art on Samurai-class cultures from medieval to modern period in Japan. These are a personal collection made by historian and researcher Mr. Matomi Shimada and are consisted of calligraphic works, weapons, armors, furnishings, articles in connection with Miyamoto Musashi, and many more. The annex has a picture gallery in it and is used for private exhibitions as well.
Shimotori Arcade
The Shimotori arcade is the largest shopping arcade in Kumamoto Prefecture. With excellent shopping, lots of places to have fun, and plenty of gourmet options, Shimotori is where people from all over Kumamoto come to let loose. With a combined length of 511 meters and a width of 15 meters, Shimotori is also often used as a location for music and art events throughout the year. Compared to the Kamitori arcade, Shimotori has many more bars and restaurants and has a much livelier night-life.
At your Hotel in Kumamoto city
Ending Point
At your Hotel in Kumamoto city
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
guide fee, hotel pick-up in Kumamoto city center
transportation fee (you and guide), entrance fee (you and guide), lunch (you and guide)
Travel insurance is not included in my tours. I would recommend you take out your own travel insurance just in case of any unexpected accident, loss, or damaging others' property.
In this tour we walk and use public transportation.
Kumamoto is historical and traditional countryside city where is not so much internationalized and still you can find the original Japanese scenery.
You can travel as local with me.
Thank you for reading my profile.
I am Mai living in Kumamoto, Kyusyu. I grew up in Kumamoto and studied and worked in overseas, such as China, America, South America and Europe for the F&B and food business. Also I used to work as Kurabito (Japanese sake brewer) in the traditional sake brewery.
So If you are looking for somebody, bring you to the best gourmet spots that are not in guide book, please contact me. I am the Sake sommelier, so if you are interested to experience and understand Japanese sake and culture, especially for I can be your guide.
All my life until now I practice martial arts such as Kendo and Iaido.
If you are Katana (Japanese sword) or martial arts lover, I can guide you to the right place.
Beside of food and sword, Kumamoto has breathtaking nature and verity of Onsen.
If you are interested, please contact me.
I will be your best guide for Kumamoto.
English and casual conversation of Chinese is available.
Fredson K.
“An Epic One Piece Adventures”
We had an absolutely fantastic day exploring Kumamoto with Mai as our guide, hunting down all 10 Straw Hat Pirates statues! Her energy, knowledge, and passion for both One Piece and the local history made the experience truly unforgettable. From Luffy in Kumamoto City to Jinbe in Uto, Mai expertly guided us through the journey, sharing fun facts about each character and their connection to Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece and a Kumamoto native. She also explained the significance of these statues in the region’s earthquake recovery efforts, making the adventure feel even more meaningful. Mai knew the best routes, hidden gems along the way, and the perfect spots for photos. Her enthusiasm was contagious, making each stop feel like discovering a treasure. Whether you’re a lifelong One Piece fan or just love exploring unique landmarks, this experience with Mai is an absolute must! Thank you, Mai, for an unforgettable adventure—we couldn’t have done it without you!
Charles G.
“Awesome tour”
I had such an amazing time the tour was so cool and Mai made sure we were all looked after. I would highly recommend Mai to anyone coming to Kumamoto for a tour.
Kha N.
“Amazing Tour!”
Mai’s tour was a great experience, she was very kind and informative. Would highly recommend this tour experience if you are a fan of One Piece. It was also nice to experience the more quiet and serene parts of rural Japan as a contrast to the very busy city centers. Check Mai’s tour out!
$267/ per group