Things to do in Kurokawa Onsen

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!

Although the guide primarily provides information in Chinese, if you can speak a little Japanese or English, there won't be any issues with the itinerary. They even used a translator and made a tremendous effort to communicate. We were very grateful. I tried to close the air conditioning vent on the bus, but one side of the plastic was broken, so it couldn't be fully closed. While this was a minor inconvenience, I don't think it's significant enough to negatively impact the overall rating. It seems that the parking lot at Kusasenri, or whatever that rest stop is called, gets quite congested if you drive there, as there are often no available spaces. I think taking the bus and enjoying a more comfortable journey is a better option.

I participated in a day trip to Kumamoto's Aso Volcano and Kurokawa Onsen. I was a bit nervous traveling alone, but thanks to our very kind guide, Mr. Son, who looked out for me, I was able to relax and enjoy myself, making it a wonderful day. Although we couldn't get close to Aso Volcano due to an incident, the magnificent scenery of Mount Aso was truly breathtaking. The pink Miyama Kirishima flowers were in full bloom and looked beautiful. At Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine, I walked along a mystical mountain path to worship, and then felt a sense of rejuvenation and power at the nearby Hokedo-iwa rock. At Kurokawa Onsen, I thoroughly enjoyed the skin-beautifying hot springs and was very satisfied with the onsen tamago (hot spring eggs). This tour is highly recommended for experiencing Kumamoto's nature, hot springs, and the warmth of its people. I've grown to love Kumamoto even more, and it has become my "another sky."

Our guide for the day was Nana, who provided enthusiastic service, detailed explanations, and seamlessly switched between Chinese, Japanese, and English. She was also very thoughtful and helped us communicate with the hotel we booked in Kurokawa. We thoroughly enjoyed the scenery along the way, which helped us better understand Aso ❤️ The entire travel itinerary was perfectly arranged. The schedule was well-balanced without being too rushed. Every destination we visited impressed me greatly. I really enjoyed this wonderful trip and would highly recommend our tour guide, Nana.

It was a truly impressive trip. I was the only English speaker, but the guide. Zhu Zhu, took good care of me, ensuring I fully understood everything about the tour. The experience far exceeded my expectations.

It was my first time in Kumamoto, and I was so lucky to have tour guide Yin Delong! Our guide was incredibly thoughtful and responsible, patiently explaining everything from attraction details and transportation methods to even the smallest nuances. I was particularly impressed when the guide personally drew maps for us, making it much clearer how to get around; it truly showed their dedication. The driver also had excellent driving skills! Although our trip encountered rain, attraction renovations, and fog at Kusasenri, Yin Delong was still very patient in assisting us and helped resolve any unexpected issues. Thank you for saying we can contact you with any questions about Kyushu in the future. I hope to have the chance to join your tour again on my next visit to Kyushu!

This project is a highly valuable and worthwhile itinerary. I had originally read online that Kumamoto Castle might be closed for maintenance, but luckily, we were able to visit! The ginkgo and cherry trees were truly beautiful. The timing was just right; if you want to eat and shop, you need to move quickly and take fewer photos to have a chance to try everything. The tempura was incredibly delicious and a must-try; it was sold alongside the bear-shaped cakes, and both were tasty and adorable. Aso Volcano, however, was a shame... we couldn't visit due to a red alert, which was the only disappointment. Our tour guide mentioned that it's very rare for Aso Volcano to be on a green alert, and even they couldn't predict the timing. The scenery was truly beautiful. Oh, and definitely bring a windbreaker! We thought it wouldn't be cold, but we were absolutely freezing. You should also try the coffee, and if you want to experience buying a lucky bag in Japan, you can grab one. The lucky bags contain a selection of the store's key items, so if you don't want to pick out souvenirs, you can just buy a lucky bag; it has plenty of things to give as gifts! It's excellent value for money, though it did rain a few times and disrupted things. There's also a supermarket where you should definitely buy things if you can. The Aso Musume strawberries are very popular, but they are incredibly sweet and delicious, not sour at all, with a fragrant strawberry aroma. There are other varieties of strawberries too, and the prices are all fantastic!

The tour guide was wonderful and went around picking everyone up because they were worried we might get lost. Since the group was small, they provided a van, and as soon as we got in with our travel pillows, we fell right asleep. Because we left early, the weather at Takachiho Gorge was lovely when we arrived, and we got to try flowing somen noodles and local cuisine for the first time. This tour was the only one that went to Daikanbo. The wind was so strong it made my eyes water. My favorite place was Kurokawa Onsen, where I managed to squeeze in a cave bath for just 400 yen. The whole town is gorgeous. Staying overnight is too expensive, so a day trip is definitely more cost-effective.

Our driver and tour guide, Mr. Tiejun, provided excellent service and very detailed explanations. This tour group was small, so we traveled in a 10-person minibus, which meant we didn't have to drive ourselves and could focus on enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. We could also rest comfortably when tired. Kurokawa Onsen is small and beautiful; we took advantage of the time to visit the Ikoi Ryokan, which is certified as a secret hot spring, for a day-use onsen experience for ¥700. We enjoyed the unique standing bath and the open-air hot spring with its beautiful bamboo forest views.