13 Awesome Things To Do In Kumamoto, Kyushu

Kumamoto is a beautiful region on the island of Kyushu, which is well-known for having an incredible castle and the mighty Mount Aso where you can find an active volcano. Because of the fiery Mount Aso, it’s led to the city becoming known as Hi No Kuni which directly translates to ‘Fire Country’ in Japanese. Aside from the volcanoes, there are lots of awesome things to do in Kumamoto and nearby such as hiking, waterfalls, castles, and onsens.

Kumamoto is the region I suggest for anyone visiting Kyushu Island. It’s near Mount Aso region, which has lots of hikes and is a central area on the entire island. If you base in Fukuoka, you will have a long drive every day just to get anywhere. I was based in Kumamoto for 8 days and it was the perfect spot for waterfalls, hikes, volcanoes, and sightseeing. 

13 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN KUMAMOTO

In this blog post, I will share with you all of the activities I did while staying in Kumamoto. Some of them may be a little drive away but that is the nature of Kyushu as there is always some lengthy driving involved. For many of the activities below, you can click on the ‘read more’ links to head to the individual blog post for a specific location to read a more detailed review of that adventure. At the end of the blog post, I will share with you a few other activities that I didn’t personally do but that are highly recommended things to do in Kumamoto.

I’ve broken this blog post up into sections for hiking, waterfalls, and general sightseeing so it is easier to digest and you can skip to the category of adventures that you are most interested in.

HIKES NEAR KUMAMOTO

HIKE MOUNT ASO 

In the Aso region of the Kumamoto Prefecture in the center of Kyushu Island is the Mount Aso region, which is one of the largest calderas in the entire world. Hiking in Mount Aso Region is one of the most incredible adventures you can have in Japan. Mount Aso is a volcanic depression, which is essentially a huge crater that has a number of peaks within this region that can be trekked. There are numerous craters within the crater such as the very active Nakadake Crater. 

The Caldera spans 17 kilometers from east to west and 25 kilometers from south to north with a total area of 350 square kilometers. When we talk about this caldera it is a huge area but at the center of the caldera is where all of the action is when it comes to volcanic activity, hiking, the museums, and tourism. In the middle of the caldera is the central crater group which consists of the five Aso peaks which are Mt. Taka (Takadake), Mt. Naka (Nakadake), Mt. Eboshi (Eboshidake), Mt. Kijima (Kijimadake) and Mt. Neko (Nekodake).

I hiked all of the peaks except for Kijima. The Nakadake and Takadake loop (when open) is my favorite hike in Kyushu… by far. It looks down on the active volcano crater and makes you feel like you are in outer space or trekking through a post-apocalyptic world. Mount Aso region is a must-visit attraction in the Kumamoto Region.

Read the full blog post for details and all photos: HIKING MOUNT ASO VOLCANO – A COMPLETE GUIDE

MOUNT EBOSHI HIKE

Mount Eboshi is one of the five peaks of the central cone group of the famous Mount Aso. It’s the easiest peak and probably the safest peak to climb taking just over an hour to get up and down from the summit. The view from the top is quite remarkable as it looks out over the Nakadake Crater, which is where the active volcano of Mount Aso is found. It is one of the most popular things to do in Kumamoto and takes about 1-1.5 hours to reach by car from Kumamoto town.

The Mount Eboshi hike is a great little trail not because of the views or the adventure but because it is usually open! Because Nakadake Crater and the active volcano within it are often spewing ash high into the air, the surrounding trails are often closed. This leaves adventurous hikers feeling a bit stuck. Luckily Eboshi is a bit further away but you still have nice views of the erupting volcano. 

At the summit, you have a view out to Nakadake Crater, which is where the eruptions, smoke, and all the action takes place. In the other directions, you can witness the entire caldera and the various rock formations and craters that are scattered throughout the region. I visited Mount Eboshi as part of the ‘Around Aso Tour‘, which was the perfect way to explore this region on a full-day trip from Fukuoka.

Read the full blog post for details and all photos: MOUNT EBOSHI HIKE (EBOSHIDAKE) IN MOUNT ASO

MOUNT NEKO (NEKODAKE) HIKE

Mount Neko is the second tallest peak in the Mount Aso region at 1,443m high for the Tengu Peak and the opposite Toho Peak is 1,408m high. It’s called Nekodake because from Aso it looks like two cat ears when you see both of the peaks. It was an awesome but steep hike and the jagged peaks were just incredible at the summit during sunset.

As well as the numerous ropes to help you up the summit of Nekodake, you will also encounter several ladders, helping you ascend through the forest. None of the ropes, ladders or bouldering is technical or very difficult but be prepared for a bit of action along the trail.

At the summit, you will look out across to the Tengu Peak, which is the most prominent peak and you really can’t miss it. In the late afternoon, the sun sets behind this peak so it’s a really magical spot to take in the whole ridge.

Mount Neko is one of the lesser-known things to do in Kumamoto but it’s good to get off-the-beaten-path and visit a quieter attraction in Kumamoto rather than the busy Mount Aso.

Read the full blog post for details and all photos: MOUNT NEKO HIKE (NEKODAKE) IN KYUSHU

HIKING IN THE KUJU MOUNTAINS

The stunning Kuju Mount range is part of the Aso-Kuju National Park and while Mount Kuju might be the most famous it is actually the nearby Nakadake Peak that is the highest peak in the park, which makes it the highest point on Kyushu Island. These mountains are connected by a series of hiking trails so you can kind of make it up as you go, pushing on to ‘one more peak’ time and time again or follow a set route. I did a bit of both.

It’s straight up from the get-go so don’t put too many jackets on you will be working that incline straight away. Once you reach the ridge it’s time for the adventure to start. The trail turns into a rocky ridgeline with a number of ladders and some very low-key bouldering required.

The total day of climbing was 1,026m so it’s always an effort when you grab a vertical kilometer. The trail was rocky but quite well defined and we never had too many difficulties finding our way. At the top of Mount Kuju, we could watch over the erupting Mount Aso in the distance and admire the valley below.

Mount Kuju is a bit of a drive from Kumamoto but it is awkwardly situated between Kumamoto and Oita. I actually visited this mountain range while transitting from Kumamoto to Oita so you can visit it from either side.

Read the full blog post for details and all photos: HIKING THE KUJU MOUNTAIN RANGE

KOMEZUKA VOLCANIC HILL

Komezuka is a volcanic cone in the Aso region of Kyushu Island in Japan. It’s only 50-meters tall and because of its small height and grass coverage, it is often referred to as the cutest volcano in Japan. 

In the summer and warmer periods of the year, the volcanic cone is covered in a blanket of green grass. On mornings with some low-level fog and golden lighting, it can be a truly spectacular landscape. I visited in the winter and it was still pretty epic, although it was a golden coverage of the entire caldera.

Read the full blog post for details and all photos: KOMEZUKA VOLCANIC HILL ‘CUTEST VOLCANO IN JAPAN’

 WATERFALLS NEAR KUMAMOTO

GOROGA TAKI FALLS

The Gorogotaki Waterfall is the largest falls in Yamato, Kumamoto with a 50m drop into the basin below. The beauty of this waterfall on Kyushu Island is that often it is crowned by a rainbow as the water crashed down onto the rocks, spraying up and catching the light perfectly in a stream of color. My favorite part about this waterfall is that you view it from the suspension bridge. There is also a really nice walk around the region through the rice fields and through the gorge to the base of the falls.

I’d highly recommend this waterfall if you are looking for things to do in Kumamoto that aren’t too strenuous of a hike but you still want to get out for a walk or trail adventure near Kumamoto.

Read the full blog post here: GOROGOTAKI WATERFALL NEAR KUMAMOTO

NABEGETAKI FALLS

Found on the border between Oita and Kumamoto, Nabegataki Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls on the island of Kyushu in Japan. With hundreds of waterfalls on Kyushu, what makes this one so special? You can actually walk behind the wide cascade, underneath the rock face that the waterfalls pour down over. It’s a pretty magical spot.

I did my best to shoot the waterfall without any tourists but it is quite difficult as most people do a little lap underneath the waterfall viewing it from in front, each side and behind. It’s a bit of experience and going behind the waterfall was super cool. The waterfall itself is only 10m high but spans 20m across in width and pours down over the ledge, which is what makes it so unique.

Read the full blog post here: NABEGATAKI FALLS IN KYUSHU

SHIRAITONO FALLS

Hidden in the foothills on the way to Mount Aso region on the way from Kumamoto is Shiraitono Falls. It isn’t a hike or a big adventure and you can actually just drive and park only fifty meters away from the waterfall. The golden light was hitting the waterfall in the late afternoon, which created an epic little scene where everything was in shade except for the golden stream of water flowing down.

This is another one of the lesser-known things to do in Kumamoto but it’s a great little spot to seek out on a sunny afternoon.

SUGARUGA FALLS 

This is a bit of a strange one because the access was limited due to construction going on. There is usually a viewing point but I’m not sure if it will still be closed or not. We managed to fly the drone to still check out the waterfall but normally you can view it from the platform. Nevertheless, it was one of the most powerful waterfalls I came across on Kyushu Island.

SIGHTSEEING IN KUMAMOTO

DAIKANBO VIEWPOINT

Daikanbo Viewpoint is probably the most impressive viewpoints in the Mount Aso Region with epic views across the valley within the caldera to the active volcano within Nakadake Crater. There are lots of little trails and a number of viewing platforms to explore at the viewpoint. It can be a great spot for sunrise on a day with low-lying fog so if you are good at weather predictions to try and make that happen. I visited when the grass was dead in the winter but the colors change all throughout the year.

 LA PUTA ROAD

La Puta Road was a bit of a local secret until a few years ago when the location gained some serious popularity. All around the edge of the Mount Aso caldera are some epic viewpoints but the La Puta Road is really a sight to behold. There is a winding road that just needs to be seen to be believed as it snakes its way along the precarious cliff-edge. It’s important to note that technically this site is now closed due to a landslide and it is simply not possible for cars to drive this route anymore.

You can just walk up the hill for a bit of a look from a safe spot though although there were some temporary blockages to the walkway. Enter at your own risk on this one as it is technically closed although walking to the hill viewpoint is not of high danger compared to going down near the road where the landslides where. I’ve seen some epic, epic photos here when the grass is green and low-lying fog makes it look like the road is simply floating on clouds.

KAMISHIKIMI KUMANOIMASU SHRINE

The Kamoshikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine is hidden in the forests near Takamori, which is a little town in the Aso region of Kumamoto. It’s a very spiritual spot with lots of different spots to make prayers, receive good luck and perform a ritual. For example, you can touch the Hogeto Iwa Stone and you are said to be granted good luck, and the shrines sacred Nagi Tree is said to protect relationships. The Kamoshikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine is the inspiration of the manga ”Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light” which was written by Yuki Midorikawa.

It’s an incredibly beautiful place with a forest stairway leading up to the shrine and then a huge underpass/cave where you can throw a coin onto the ledge for good luck.

KUMAMOTO CASTLE

Kumamoto Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in all of Japan with its large, scenic grounds and a variety of buildings it offers visitors a complete castle experience. It is one of a few structures that have survived the centuries since its construction in 1607. There have been a number of maintenance and reconstructions but it is one of the most well-preserved castles in Japan. It’s best to visit the castle from March to April when the 800+ cherry blossoms are in full bloom making the entire area a fairytale location.

 

WHERE TO STAY IN KYUSHU

• Best Luxury Place to Stay in Fukuoka: Hotel WBF Grande Hakata (Value): This is by far the most popular hotel and one of the most luxurious in Fukuoka.
• Best Value Place to Stay in Kumamoto: Hotel The Gate Kumamoto (Value): Hotel The Gate is a well-situated accommodation in the heart of Kumamoto, just across the train station and within walking distance to shops and restaurants.
• Best Luxury Place to Stay in Kumamoto: Kumamoto Hotel Castle (Luxury): Set near the infamous Kumamoto Castle, this luxury hotel features a wide range of carpeted rooms from standard rooms to suites fitted with plush amenities.

For a full list of the top-rated places to stay in Kyushu, you can check out my comprehensive guide: WHERE TO STAY IN KYUSHU: BEST REGIONS & HOTELS

ARE YOU FOLLOWING MY KYUSHU BLOG SERIES?

I spent over three weeks exploring Kyushu and visited some incredible waterfalls, hiked some amazing trails, and visited a number of epic volcanoes. I created a number of guides to help travelers find the best spots in Kyushu. You can explore the articles by clicking on the links below.

• The Ultimate Kyushu Bucketlist: 30 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN KYUSHU
• The best places to stay in Kyushu in each region: WHERE TO STAY IN KYUSHU: BEST REGIONS & HOTELS
• How to plan your Kyushu vacation: THE ULTIMATE KYUSHU ITINERARY: 5-DAY, 7-DAY & 10-DAY
• Interested in chasing waterfalls?: 12 AWESOME WATERFALLS IN KYUSHU
• Keen for some epic hiking?: 11 AWESOME HIKES IN KYUSHU
• Everything you need to know about Oita: 11 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN OITA
• Your Ultimate Guide to Kumamoto: 13 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN KUMAMOTO
• My favorite waterfall in Kyushu: TAKACHIHO GORGE – MOST BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL IN JAPAN