Things to do in Kumamoto Prefecture

I felt so lucky to have Kevin as our tour guide. I went there with a big family. My parents walk slowly during the tour, and Kevin assisted us very well! The Takachicho Gorge itself was very amazing. It took us some time to get to the boarding area of the board, but we saw a very beautiful scene along the way.

Really enjoyed this day trip to Takachiho Gorge and Mount Aso! 😊 Our tour guide, Li Hong, was wonderful! She was cheerful, friendly and shared lots of interesting stories throughout the journey, making the long drives enjoyable. She also took very good care of everyone and made sure we were comfortable throughout the trip. Highly recommend this tour as getting around these attractions on your own can be quite troublesome, as they involve a lot of driving mountainous and windy roads. Having everything arranged made the experience so much more relaxing. We also ended our trip with a delicious Akaushi beef meal at Kusasenri, which was a lovely bonus! 🥩 Overall, a very enjoyable and well-organised experience. Would definitely recommend!

A perfect nature tour of Kyushu, thanks to our guide, Nanami! I just finished my trip to Kumamoto and Miyazaki and couldn't wait to write this glowing review. The itinerary for this tour group was exceptionally well-designed, perfectly blending natural wonders with cultural experiences. In Aso, we witnessed one of the world's largest active volcanoes, an unforgettable experience of the Earth's pulse. We strolled across the vast grasslands of Kusasenri, feeling a unique sense of openness and tranquility. The boat ride through Takachiho Gorge was the highlight of the entire trip, making us feel as if we had stepped into a mythical world. The 'soul' of all these wonderful experiences was undoubtedly our guide, Nanami. She is incredibly professional and passionate: 1. Knowledgeable: She knows Kyushu's history, culture, geological formations, and local specialties like the back of her hand. Her explanations were vivid and engaging, allowing us not just to see the scenery but to understand the stories behind it. 2. Bilingual Communication: Our group had many international friends, and she served everyone throughout the trip with fluent Chinese and English, ensuring seamless communication and taking care of every member. It was very thoughtful. 3. Warm and Attentive: She always had a radiant smile, carefully looked after the elderly and children in the group, and helped everyone solve various problems, just like a reliable older sister. Thanks to Nanami, this journey was filled with warmth and cherished memories. I highly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to Kyushu! I hope to meet her again on my next trip.

We arrived early at the Kumamoto Station Shinkansen West Exit to meet up. Our tour guide, Sun Peng, came over to gather the group. Since we were carrying luggage and planning to leave the tour in Kurokawa, the guide proactively asked if we had already arranged our hotel pick-up and drop-off. Although we could have arranged it ourselves, he went ahead and did it for us. Since Kurokawa has multiple parking lots, as a tourist, it would have been difficult to clearly communicate the exact pick-up spot with the hotel. Thumbs up for the guide's thoughtfulness! It was a gorgeous sunny day, and every scenic spot made for great photos. As a tourist, the experience was fantastic. Guide Sun also helped take photos for everyone, kept the commentary along the way witty and humorous, took meticulous care of us, and reminded us in advance of important points to keep in mind during the sightseeing. This trip is a great one-day tour option, much more convenient than planning and executing it yourself, and I highly recommend it!

one of the best tours I have ever been to! the tour goes to all of the must see spots in Miyazaki! the Gorge was absolutely beautiful! i also really loved the Aso Grass land. it was very foggy which created a ghibli vibe right out of the Howls Moving Castle movie. our guide was absolutely amazing! she pointed us to all of the best spots and photo opportunities. the tour ended with the opportunity to try horse meat at an absolutely delicious shop- and local secret.

I did the tour to see Takachiho Gorge and Aso Kusasenri, and I had a fantastic time. The tour was incredibly well-organized. Our guide, Sun, was knowledgeable and professional; he gave us great context about the area and guided us exceptionally well throughout the day. The gorge was beautiful, and the boat experience was so much fun. I also added the lunch package at the last minute and was really glad I did, because the food was delicious. We even got to see horses at Kusasenri, which was very cool. Overall, I highly recommend this tour!

We spotted tour guide Nana's flag first thing in the morning. She was sweet and extremely dedicated, and she didn't waste any time talking when it was time for us to rest and catch up on sleep! Her Mandarin and English were both fluent, so there were zero communication barriers. Since I easily get motion sick, I had added a note requesting a front-seat before joining the tour, and they saved a seat for me. The scenery along the entire way was truly gorgeous, and everywhere we went had a wonderful, comfortable energy. Because we joined the Takachiho Gorge boating activity, our schedule required precise timing. As soon as we arrived at Takachiho Gorge, Nana gave instructions on the meeting time and place for those not boating, and then rushed forward with the nine of us who were participating in the boating activity! It turns out that boating time is limited, and failing to return within the designated time results in extra fees charged by the boat rental shop! The boats are not the easiest to steer, but it is a lot of fun. I highly recommend trying it out if you aren't traveling with very young children or elderly family members—since you're already there, you might as well! I highly recommend this tour and am very grateful to our guide, Nana, for giving us such a wonderful day! By the way, the mango shaved ice has very poor value for the money, so skip it! The soft-serve ice cream should be worth a try, though!

I visited Kumamoto Castle for the second time! As expected of one of Japan's three most famous castles, it was large and magnificent! A few years ago, a major earthquake in Kumamoto destroyed parts of the castle, and restoration work is still ongoing, but from a tourist's perspective, there were no issues touring Kumamoto Castle! I highly recommend purchasing your admission tickets in advance through Klook! This is because at the entrance, there are separate lines for buying tickets and for those who pre-purchased tickets. If you show the staff your QR code, you can enter immediately, which significantly reduces your waiting time, making it a huge advantage!

This experience was wonderful, we were able to catch dolphins diving and the captain of the boat would drive around until we’d find dolphins. Great for wildlife photography and a new experience!