Things to do in Daikanbo

Our tour guide was Chinese-speaking, very friendly and professional. She briefed us clearly and guided us throughout the entire journey, making sure we reached our boat experience on time. They also tried their best to purchase the railway tram tickets for us, but unfortunately, due to the public holiday, they were unable to get them. Despite that, they were incredibly thoughtful and even gifted us a mushroom tea bag, some cute little ornaments, and chocolates to bring home. 🥹❤️ Our tour guide was also kind enough to recommend some local food for us to try after the tour, which was really helpful! Overall, we’re very thankful for the wonderful service and thoughtful gestures. It made our Takachiho Gorge experience even more memorable. ✨

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!

Super convenient and great value! I took the Klook tour to 草千里, 阿蘇神社, and 黑川温泉, and it was super convenient with high CP value. For someone like me who wanted to leave the tour at 黑川温泉 for an overnight stay, the cost was similar to traveling independently — but I also got to visit 草千里 and 阿蘇神社. The guides Eva and 쭈쭈 were fantastic, taking care of English, Korean, and Chinese-speaking guests. Eva even helped call my ryokan to arrange luggage delivery before we arrived, making the trip comfortable and stress-free for my mum and me, she cannot walk long distances and we were carrying a 28-inch luggage. Highly recommended! p.s. don’t miss the beef skewer from the food stall nearby the 阿蘇神社, it tastes great!

Our itinerary for this trip was: starting from Tenjin city center ➡️ Itoshima Hana Shio Pudding ➡️ Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks) at Futamigaura ➡️ Tsukamoto Fish Market ➡️ Miyajidake Shrine ➡️ Munakata Shrine. The driver was very thoughtful! His service attitude was incredibly friendly! He even recommended a delicious seafood restaurant, which my family also thoroughly enjoyed 👍🏽 The car was clean and tidy, and the entire journey went smoothly and perfectly 💯

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.

The one-day tour from Kumamoto was very pleasant, and we were part of a small group of 7 people. The scenery at Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu Shrine was beautiful, the views in Kugino were expansive, and Kurokawa Onsen was also impressive; two hours there felt just right. Our tour guide, Ge Ning, was very friendly, and the driver was also thoughtful, dropping off and picking up passengers at convenient locations.

Compared to other itineraries, the cost is higher, but it's very convenient to visit most famous attractions in a single day. The weather is crucial when visiting attractions, and on this trip, the sun was very strong. Although it was hot, the overall scenery and views were excellent.

Because transportation and timing for Mt. Aso and Takachiho are a bit inconvenient, I joined a one-day tour. Our guide, Jiang Cui, was enthusiastic and friendly. We went in June 2026 during the rainy season, so it was definitely raining in the mountains, which unfortunately made the scenery less beautiful. The first stop was the Takachiho Gorge Railway station (where disposable raincoats were sold). Next, there was a hiking trail to see the gorge, leading to the shuttle bus pick-up point (remember to take an earlier shuttle back to the original starting point for the group, don't try to walk back) (the shuttle is a 9-seater van, only one at a time). There was an old lady selling hot mochi and ice cream there, which were quite good. If you like any of the local specialties sold there, you should buy them then, as they might not be available on the way back down the mountain. The next stop was Takachiho Shrine to see the enormous sacred trees. Finally, we arrived at the Kusasenri rest stop. The second floor here sells full meals (very expensive), while the first floor has local specialties and a coffee shop. Again, if you like something, buy it, as some cookies are exclusive to this store. Overall, the timing of the tour was well-managed, and we didn't feel rushed when taking photos. I'm not sure if the driver had a set working time for the day, but it felt like he drove quite fast throughout the trip.

We had a good experience thanks to our driver, Li. He was kind, patient, and made a great effort to communicate with us despite the language barrier. We truly appreciated his professionalism. Unfortunately, the weather at Kuratake did not cooperate. We left at 6:00 a.m., but the summit remained covered by clouds for hours. We only had a short window for photos between noon and 1:00 p.m. In summer, we would not recommend leaving too early. Bring plenty of water and snacks, as there are no facilities at the summit. The size of the car also matters. We had a large sedan and no issues because it was quiet, but on busier days access could be difficult. The upper parking area is very small, with space for only 4–5 small cars. Be patient and wait outside, as the weather changes within minutes and clear views can appear briefly. Despite the weather, Li’s excellent service made the trip worthwhile. Thank you!