Things to do in Nishiusuki County

Thanks to Mr. Ohashi, we had a truly fulfilling and enjoyable day trip! As a solo traveler, I was incredibly happy to see Mount Aso, which I thought would be difficult to visit due to transportation challenges. The weather was clear and fog-free, allowing us to see all the scenery, and I was happy to take a light stroll while enjoying some refreshing milk ice cream. Before arriving at each destination, he funnily explained the characteristics and introduction of the place, and it was great that he also introduced local restaurants and Kumamoto's unique specialties that shouldn't be missed! Most importantly, he used language freely, making it a truly comfortable trip without any inconvenience. Thank you!

I do not speak Mandarin Chinese, only English. but the guide Kong was so helpful and she is friendly. she tries her best. I recommend the tour. there was not any other English tour I could find so I came here. It was amazing. we were unfortunately unable to ride the train as it was storming and with the rain, no one could ride the boat + cannot go on the mount aso as it is closed. despite this, it was a really good experience in the end. I highly recommend it.

Sun Peng, our guide, deserves a perfect score! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Kumamoto throughout the trip, explaining the unique features of each attraction. To be honest, the scenic train wasn't really worth it; 2300 yen per person just to see some mountains. It wasn't as beautiful as the Ghibli train I rode in Hakone, Tokyo. It was a shame we couldn't go boating in Takachiho Gorge today. The scenery was nice, though slightly less impressive than Hokkaido's Blue Pond. My only criticism for the guide is regarding Takachiho Shrine. Going there is fine, but the path is genuinely difficult, so be prepared. However, on the way back to the parking lot, the guide told us to follow Google Maps to the third parking lot, which would have been a disaster! You absolutely must return to the slope and head straight for the third parking lot. When you go to the shrine, there's a fork in the road on that slope; pay attention to the sign for the third parking lot. It's only 300m that way. Do NOT follow the map! Our large group followed the map, but luckily, I had seen the sign on the way in, otherwise, we would have been completely lost trying to go back the same way! The cheese buns the guide recommended were pretty good, and the cream puffs were also nice, filled with ice cream. I didn't get to try the summer iced tea special. The horse meat sashimi and barbecue were decent, but don't have high expectations; it's not as good as grilled beef. Next, regarding the guide's recommendations at Kusasenri: I didn't buy the keychains, nor the horse oil cream, but I did get a fridge magnet. The green house was a bit hard to find, so you need to look carefully. The beef burger was sold out. The only thing I think is worth recommending, which the guide didn't, is the ice cream. If you go, remember to try the ice cream at the museum! Oh, and I should mention that the time at Kusasenri is quite short. If you climb to the observation deck and then want to eat or shop, it might be a bit rushed. Be prepared to just have ice cream! The fridge magnet is cute and worth buying for 800 yen! Finally, the Ten Ga Ten ramen was a bit unappetizing; the firm noodles were very salty, not as good as Ippudo in Osaka, haha. Ippudo is also salty (apparently ramen is meant to be paired with sake). As for the Osmanthus fried rice: it tasted like something any Chinese restaurant could make, so there's no need to specifically try it in Japan, haha! Overall, this group tour was actually pretty good, just a bit rushed. Of course, that's because there were many places to visit, and it wasn't a self-guided tour, haha! I would definitely join a group tour again if I have the chance!

Participating in this Kyushu day tour, I was deeply impressed by the professional performance of our tour guide, Coco Kinzan. The itinerary covered the Takachiho Railway, Takachiho Gorge, and Amano Iwato Shrine. Coco Kinzan introduced the unique features of each attraction clearly and thoroughly, and supplemented the information with local culture and mythological backgrounds, making the entire trip more informative and engaging. Her management of the schedule, reminders for meeting times, and care for the group members were also very thoughtful. The arrangements were well-organized, ensuring everyone felt safe and comfortable throughout the journey. Overall, this was a smooth and pleasant experience, and I truly felt her professionalism and passion for service. I sincerely recommend Coco Kinzan; she is an excellent and trustworthy tour guide.

This was an amazing experience! Our tour guide, Mrs. Nana, was very kind, friendly, and helpful throughout the trip. I would definitely recommend this tour to my friends. If you join this tour, don’t miss the onsen eggs at Umi Jigoku—they’re incredibly delicious! I only bought one, and I really regret not getting more. The croquettes at Yufuin Floral Village are also a must-try. I also wanted to try the grilled mushrooms, but unfortunately the queue was so long that they sold out before I could buy any. That was a little disappointing. The only downside was visiting in the summer. It was extremely hot, and walking around in the heat was quite tiring. Other than that, I had a great time!

I recommend this tour package, there is enough time to explore each destination and our tour guide was accommodating. The views are picturesque, and I had no idea that the location was where hotarubi no mori e was inspired from. It was a nice discovery. The lunch was delicious, so this package was a steal. It was a rainy day when we went and had no umbrella but it's still worth the trip ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)

this tour was really good if you love animals and want to see them up close. I enjoyed the guide Zhu Zhu was so sweet and even she spoke little English she was so great and made sure I was able to follow along with rest of the group. She was so delightful and kindhearted, helped me order all the foods form all the shops and stores and offered me her umbrella and even the sweet apples. I highly recommend this route you get to see lots in one day!

We visited a lot of places during the tour and was able to have time to browse lots of souvenirs and food throughout. Mount Aso crater was unfortunately closed but we were still able to enjoy and take in the amazing views. Our guides especially Sun was so accommodating even when we me and my friend were the only 2 English speaking people in the trip. They were both really jolly and would give good infos about the places and also gave tips on food and where else to visit around Fukuoka. So thank you so much to them :)

Our family had an amazing experience on this tour. Highly recommended! our guide was Nicole and she spoke fluent English and Chinese and was full of knowledge and well organised throughout the whole tour. Our bus was large and comfortable, a quick stop at half way, then straight to the mini train. Another quick ride to the cave temple which was amazing and totally worth the visit with a stop for lunch included. The to the gorge, unfortunately the boats were not operating due to too much rainfall but the views were spectacular and the walk was awesome. ensure you try the icecream at the bottom, its amazing!! Back on the bus and back to Fukuoka with a pitstop on the way.