Kumamoto Prefecture

I had a wonderful and truly enjoyable day trip to Mount Aso! The tour was very well planned, with a comfortable pace and plenty of breaks to enjoy each stop without feeling rushed. I especially appreciated having enough free time to explore on my own rather than being constantly guided, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Jimmy was an excellent guide! His knowledgeable and funny personality made the bus rides entertaining, and he shared lots of interesting information about the places we visited in a very engaging way. His English was also excellent, making everything easy to understand and the entire trip very comfortable. A special highlight was the delicious milk ice cream at Mount Aso! Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area. Thank you, Jimmy, for such a lovely day!

Tour guide Ms. Kong was humorous, engaging, and very knowledgeable about local customs and traditions. The driver was extremely polite and friendly, and greeted every passenger each time we got off the bus! Everything has returned to normal following the Kumamoto earthquakes! Sightseeing and tourism are completely fine, there aren't many tourists, and the attractions are very pleasant to walk around. Joining a day tour when traveling independently allows you to visit many places that are inconvenient to reach by public transportation! The itinerary was Aso Kusasenri -> Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine -> Takachiho Torokko Train -> Takachiho Gorge stroll. The Takachiho Torokko Train requires an additional payment of 2,300 yen per person! The weather was still quite hot in late October, so everything was lush and green, but the local scenery was great to see! Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine was my absolute favorite—it has such an amazing atmosphere!

Don’t shy away from Kumamoto! It’s safe to visit even after the recent earthquake. Ms Kong was an amazing guide, she’s very well informed and eloquent. Great explanation at all the locations and she always give good recommendations. Mr Xiao was our coach driver, he’s punctual and professional. Thank you for this great experience!

Saavuimme etuajassa Kumamoton aseman Shinkansen-länsisisäänkäynnille. Matkaoppaamme Sun Peng tuli paikalle kokoamaan ryhmän. Koska meillä oli matkatavarat mukana ja tarkoituksena jäädä pois ryhmästä Kurokawassa, opas kysyi oma-aloitteisesti, olemmeko sopineet kuljetuksesta hotellin kanssa. Vaikka olisimme voineet hoitaa asian itse, opas auttoi meitä ottamaan yhteyttä hotelliin. Koska Kurokawassa on useita pysäköintialueita, meidän turistien olisi luultavasti ollut vaikea sopia noutopaikasta selkeästi hotellin kanssa. Iso kiitos oppaan tarkkaavaisuudesta! Päivä oli täysin aurinkoinen ja jokaisesta nähtävyydestä sai upeita valokuvia. Turistin näkökulmasta kokemus oli todella hyvä. Opas Sun auttoi myös valokuvaamisessa, selitti nähtävyyksiä hauskasti ja humoristisesti, piti meistä hyvää huolta ja muistutti etukäteen kaikista tärkeistä asioista. Tämä retki on loistava valinta päiväretkeksi, paljon helpompi kuin oman matkan suunnittelu ja toteutus. Voin sumpitella lämpimästi!

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.

This was a tour I took with my parents. I was worried the schedule might be a bit too tight, but we were able to take our time exploring at a relaxed pace, and my parents had no trouble at all. In particular, our guide, Lee Hyang-yong, was truly exceptionally kind and gave fantastic explanations, making the tour even more satisfying. Our driver was also skilled, so we were able to travel without any motion sickness. Thanks to everyone, we were able to create wonderful memories. Highly recommended!

Matka oli todella vaikuttava. Olin ainoa englanninkielinen osallistuja, mutta opas, Zhu Zhu, piti minusta hyvää huolta ja varmisti, että ymmärsin kaiken kiertomatkaan liittyvän. Kokemus ylitti odotukseni kirkkaasti.

The guide could only speak Japanese and English, but we were able to talk to be each other via translation apps. He also had updates and messages for the English speakers ready in every stop (for timeline, return times per location, and info). we rode a bus, and it was comfy. each location was really nice! although we couldn't really stay too long, which is too bad, but understandable since it's so far away. I was still so happy to be able to visit all these places, and I knew being able to go here on my own (without the tour) would've been very diffifuclt if 8 didn't have a car). All of the places we went to were great, and also wanted to note we had bathroom breaks both going to and from the locations.

Traveling with the tour was very convenient. The guide took good care of us and provided great recommendations, allowing us to visit a variety of places in just one day. For those who prefer not to rent a car and drive, having 2 hours at the Takachiho Gorge, including the round-trip walk, was more than enough time. In the afternoon, we visited Mt. Aso. Even though the crater was closed, we were able to see the views up close at two different spots. Kusasenri offered beautiful scenery, though 1 hour might be a bit tight for sightseeing, having a meal, and shopping for souvenirs. Overall, it was a very worthwhile and convenient experience with everything covered, including a stop at a service area along the way.