Passeios por Kurokawa Onsen

The Aso Crater, Kusasenri, Aso Shrine, and Kurokawa Onsen tour were incredibly precious times. In particular, we enjoyed the tour thanks to our guide, Tak Yeon-ji, who explained everything so well. It was great that she took photos for us at good photo spots and easily explained Japanese culture. Tak Yeon-ji is the guide I'd like to have on my next bus tour. Travelers who meet Guide Tak Yeon-ji will be lucky. Once again, thank you to Guide Tak Yeon-ji for making our trip so enjoyable.

This project is a highly valuable and worthwhile itinerary. I originally read online that Kumamoto Castle might be under maintenance and closed for visitors, but fortunately, we successfully visited! The ginkgo and cherry trees are truly beautiful – the timing was just right. If you want to eat and shop, you need to pick up the pace and take fewer photos, then you'll have a chance to try the food. The tempura is super delicious and a must-try; it's sold alongside the bear-shaped cakes, and both are really tasty and cute. Aso Volcano was a pity... we couldn't visit due to the red alert, which was the only disappointment. The tour guide said it's very rare to encounter Aso Volcano on a green alert, and even the guide couldn't predict the timing. The scenery is truly beautiful, and by the way, you absolutely must bring a windbreaker! We thought it wouldn't be cold, but it was freezing. You should try the coffee, and if you want to experience buying a lucky bag in Japan, you can get 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; there are quite a few things inside that you can give as gifts! It's excellent value for money, though it did rain a few times and disrupted things! Oh, and there's a supermarket where you should definitely buy whatever you can. Aso Musume strawberries are very popular, but they are incredibly sweet and delicious, not sour at all, with a fragrant strawberry aroma. There are also other varieties of strawberries, and the prices are all excellent!

We visited many places during the tour and had time to browse many 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, were so accommodating, even though my friend and I were the only two English-speaking people on the trip. They were both really jolly and provided good information about the places, and also gave tips on food and where else to visit around Fukuoka. So, thank you so much to them :)

Xiao Chen has a great attitude, managed the schedule perfectly, and provided excellent service.

For travelers who prefer independent travel without self-driving, joining a day tour like this is an excellent choice! Although there was no guided tour this time, the itinerary information was quite clear; the lunch arrangement (Kichijo Tofu) offered healthy and sufficiently portioned meals! Purchasing the round onsen pass at the tourist information center allowed us to freely choose two different styles of hot springs, experiencing semi-open-air onsen, which was very relaxing! There are many shops on the small street, but be sure to check if they are open on the day of your visit; finally, buying a handmade ceramic cup as a souvenir brought this Kurokawa Onsen day trip to a perfect close! The only minor drawback was that it rained that day, and there was still some residual snow on the staircases, making the wet and slippery paths a bit dangerous.

This Mount Fuji tour was absolutely amazing and one of the highlights of my trip to Japan! Everything was well organised, the scenery was breathtaking, and we had plenty of time to enjoy each stop without feeling rushed. The best part of the experience was our guide, Linda. She was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole day so much fun. She shared interesting facts about the places we visited, kept everyone informed, and was always happy to answer questions. Her positive energy and kindness made the tour even more memorable. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. If you’re thinking about doing a Mount Fuji tour, I highly recommend this one—and if you’re lucky enough to have Linda as your guide, you’re in for an unforgettable day!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Japan! If you’re a fan of JDM culture, Fast & Furious, or just love cars, this experience is absolutely worth it. It doesn’t feel like a typical tourist tour—you really become part of the local car community. Seeing legendary cars, meeting passionate owners, driving through Tokyo at night, and visiting Daikoku PA created memories we’ll never forget. A special thank you to our driver, Timi. She was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and professional from the very beginning. She made us feel comfortable, shared interesting stories, answered all our questions, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Her passion for JDM culture really shows, and it made the night feel authentic and special. Thank you, Timi, and the whole Gaijin Tuned team for an unforgettable evening. We would definitely do it again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Tokyo!

Sun Peng, our guide, deserves full marks! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Kumamoto throughout the trip, explaining the unique features of each attraction. To be honest, the Aso Boy train wasn't really worth it, haha. 2300 yen per person just to see a mountain; it's not as beautiful as the Ghibli train I rode in Hakone, Tokyo. It was a shame we couldn't go boating in Takachiho Gorge today, but the scenery was still good, though slightly less impressive than Hokkaido's Blue Pond. However, my only complaint about the guide is that he sent us to Takachiho Shrine. It's fine to go, but the path is genuinely difficult, so be prepared. But 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 that 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 indicating the direction to the third parking lot. It's only 300m that way. Do NOT follow the map! A large group of us followed the map, but luckily I had seen the sign on the way there, otherwise, we would have been completely lost trying to find our way back! The cheese mini-bread recommended by the guide was decent, and the cream puffs were also good, filled with ice cream. I didn't try the summer iced tea special. The horse sashimi and barbecue were okay, 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, didn't buy the horse oil cream, but I did buy a fridge magnet. The green house was a bit hard to find, so 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 also want to mention that the time at Kusasenri is actually very short. If you climb to the observation deck and then come down, and also want to eat and shop, it might be quite rushed. Be prepared to just have ice cream! The fridge magnet is very cute and worth buying for 800 yen! Finally, the Tenkaippin ramen was a bit disappointing; the firm noodles were very salty and 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; no need to specifically try it in Japan, hahaha! 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 trip, haha! I would still consider a group tour again if I have the chance!