Kumamoto Prefecture Jednodňové výlety

This one-day tour to Takachiho Gorge, Kusasenri, and Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine was exceptionally well-planned, with a comfortable pace. We didn't feel tired from too many attractions, nor did we experience excessive waiting times. The trip perfectly blended natural scenery, cultural experiences, and relaxation. Our tour guide, Mr. Ohashi, provided explanations fluently in both Chinese and Korean. He clearly communicated meeting times, boarding and alighting procedures, and all important注意事项 (points of attention). He also shared the history, culture, and local stories behind each attraction, making the journey more than just sightseeing; it offered a deeper understanding of Kyushu's human and natural characteristics. Mr. Ohashi was friendly, meticulous, and managed time perfectly, allowing everyone to enjoy the trip with peace of mind. The first stop was the long-anticipated Takachiho Gorge. Famous for its spectacular columnar jointed gorge and the Manai Waterfall, it was even more breathtaking in person than in photos. The emerald green stream, towering rock walls on both sides, and the waterfall intertwined to create a natural masterpiece that was truly unforgettable. We experienced boating, which allowed us to admire the waterfall and gorge up close, an impressive highlight. After leaving Takachiho, we headed to Kusasenri, a renowned spot in the Aso region. The vast grasslands, combined with the majestic topography of Mount Aso, presented a natural landscape distinctly different from Takachiho. The weather was excellent that day, offering expansive views, and we could clearly appreciate the magnificent terrain around the crater. Mr. Ohashi explained the formation process of Mount Aso, its volcanic activity history, and the origin of Kusasenri. While enjoying the scenery, we also learned how this land evolved over a long period to become what it is today. Standing on the vast grassland, we felt exceptionally relaxed and deeply appreciated the charm of Kyushu's natural landscapes. Finally, we arrived at Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine. As we ascended the stone steps, moss-covered stone lanterns lined both sides, surrounded by dense forests, creating a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere. Mr. Ohashi introduced the shrine's history and origins, and also shared that it had been a filming location for movies and anime. Throughout the entire journey, Mr. Ohashi provided rich explanations and took care of every group member. He proactively reminded us of meeting times, recommended the best photo spots, suggested local specialties worth purchasing, and constantly checked if everyone was present, maintaining a relaxed yet efficient pace for the entire group. Even during long drives, he interspersed his commentary with insights into the history, culture, and daily life of the Kumamoto, Aso, and Takachiho regions, adding depth to the overall trip. Overall, this was a well-planned and high-quality one-day tour. The astonishing beauty of Takachiho's gorge, the vast and magnificent natural landscape of Kusasenri and Mount Aso, and the serene and mysterious forest atmosphere of Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine—these three attractions were distinct and non-repetitive, making the day's itinerary full of variety and surprises. I highly recommend this tour, and especially recommend our guide, Mr. Ohashi. His professional explanations, meticulous service, and extensive experience made this trip more than just admiring beautiful scenery; it provided a deeper understanding of Kyushu's history, culture, and nature. If I participate in another Kyushu day tour in the future, I would definitely hope to be led by Mr. Ohashi again, as I believe it would be another fulfilling and enjoyable journey.

#First time joining a group tour in Japan, and it was a fantastic experience! Our guide was incredibly dedicated, explaining Japanese culture throughout the trip and even clarifying the design intent behind Kumamon, which helped us remember things quickly. The guide was also very thoughtful, taking photos for us before we went boating, creating wonderful memories. We felt the day's itinerary was very fulfilling. Despite the hot weather, we were tired but happy, having visited most of Kumamoto's most iconic spots. Although time was limited, we were very satisfied! We hope to join a different tour route next time! The Aso cuisine recommended by the guide was truly delicious, though we couldn't take any home... Thank you!

Just got back from our trip and it was fantastic! Special shoutout to our guide "Summer" — she was super helpful, full of local tips, and made the whole day smooth and fun. We saw all the highlights and tried so much great food because of her recommendations. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pán Sun Peng, sprievodca, si zaslúži plné hodnotenie. Počas celej cesty bol veľmi dobre oboznámený s Kumamotom a predstavil charakteristiky rôznych atrakcií. Úprimne povedané, malý vlak naozaj nestojí za to, haha, 2300 jenov na osobu len za pohľad na hory, to sa nevyrovná krásnemu vlaku Miyazaki, ktorým som sa viezol v Tokiu Hakone. Je škoda, že dnes nebolo možné plaviť sa v rokline Takachiho, výhľad bol pekný, ale o niečo horší ako modré jazero na Hokkaide. Jediná negatívna poznámka pre sprievodcu je, že nás poslal do svätyne Takachiho ⛩️. Ísť tam nie je problém, ale cesta je naozaj ťažká, takže sa na to pripravte. Avšak, keď sme sa vracali na parkovisko, sprievodca povedal, aby sme išli podľa Google Maps na tretie parkovisko, a to by bola katastrofa! Určite sa musíte vrátiť na ten svah a ísť priamo na tretie parkovisko. Keď idete do svätyne, je tam odbočka, kde si musíte všimnúť značku smerujúcu na tretie parkovisko, je to len 300 metrov. Nikdy nechoďte podľa mapy. My, veľká skupina ľudí, sme išli podľa mapy, našťastie som si všimol značku, keď som prichádzal, inak by sme sa pri návrate vôbec nevedeli zorientovať! Syrové žemle, ktoré odporučil sprievodca, boli v poriadku, aj veterníky boli v poriadku, vo vnútri bola zmrzlina. Letný špeciálny čaj som neskúsil, takže neviem. Sashimi z konského mäsa a grilované mäso boli v poriadku, len nečakajte príliš veľa, v porovnaní s grilovaným hovädzím mäsom je to o niečo horšie. Ďalej, sprievodca odporučil kľúčenky v Kusasenri, ale nekúpil som si ich. Krém na tvár z konského oleja som si nekúpil, ale kúpil som si magnetky na chladničku. Zelený domček bolo trochu ťažké nájsť, musíte ho hľadať pozorne. Hovädzí hamburger už nebol. Jediná vec, ktorú by som odporučil, je zmrzlina, ktorú sprievodca neodporučil. Ak tam pôjdete, nezabudnite si dať zmrzlinu v múzeu! Dobre, musím tiež povedať, že čas v Kusasenri je naozaj krátky. Ak vyleziete na vyhliadku a potom idete jesť a nakupovať, môže to byť dosť uponáhľané. Pripravte sa na to, že si dáte len zmrzlinu! Magnetka na chladničku je veľmi roztomilá a stojí za to ju kúpiť za 800 jenov! Nakoniec, ramen Ten Ga Ten bol trochu nechutný, tvrdé rezance boli veľmi slané a neboli také dobré ako Ippudo v Osake, haha. Ippudo bol tiež slaný (hovorí sa, že ramen sa podáva s alkoholom). Vyprážaná ryža s osmanthusom: je to chuť, ktorú dokáže urobiť akákoľvek čínska reštaurácia, takže nemá zmysel ju špeciálne ochutnávať v Japonsku, hahaha! Celkový pocit z tohto skupinového zájazdu bol celkom dobrý, len čas bol trochu uponáhľaný, samozrejme, pretože bolo veľa miest na návštevu a nebol to individuálny zájazd, haha! Ak budem mať ďalšiu príležitosť, pôjdem opäť so skupinou!

I booked the "Kumamoto Castle & Mount Aso & Kusasenri & Aso Shrine & Kurokawa Onsen" day tour through Klook, and the overall experience was fantastic! Itinerary: Being able to visit so many attractions in one day was incredibly worthwhile, especially the magnificent scenery of Mount Aso and Kusasenri, which left a deep impression. The atmosphere at Kurokawa Onsen was also wonderful, making it a great place to relax. Convenience: For those who don't want to plan complicated transportation routes themselves, this type of day tour is perfect. Having dedicated transportation (including the volcano shuttle bus) saved a lot of travel time, allowing us to focus more on enjoying the beautiful sights. Summary: The guide/driver provided excellent service, and the pace of the tour was well-managed. This is a highly cost-effective option, recommended for travelers who want to experience the unique attractions of Kyushu in a short amount of time!

this tour was really good if you love animals and want to see them up close. I enjoyed the guide Zhu Zhu was so sweet and even she spoke little English she was so great and made sure I was able to follow along with rest of the group. She was so delightful and kindhearted, helped me order all the foods form all the shops and stores and offered me her umbrella and even the sweet apples. I highly recommend this route you get to see lots in one day!

We really like our guide Carson!! He asked about our preferred language when we first met, since my Chinese speaking skills are pretty bad lol so we were gonna talk to him in English but surprisingly he could speak Cantonese as well! during the intros he would speak in Chinese and English (we could understand both) and if we had any questions we could use Cantonese which was just perfect. I really liked the mountains and had time to do some shopping and take photos. I personally don’t really enjoy onsens but I was happy to see a chubby cat there and those unique buildings. Carson also reminded us about snakes because it was the first sunny day after days of raining. Carson was very helpful and full of information, we really liked him as our guide which was one of the main reasons we trusted this company and went on another trip.

Zraz bol o 7:50. Náš sprievodca bol Xiao Chen a ďakujeme mu za skvelý zážitok z jednodňového výletu. Xiao Chenove vysvetlenia boli veľmi profesionálne a jasné a tiež nám odporučil chutné jedlá. Tento výlet zahŕňal veľmi dlhý čas strávený v autobuse a nezahŕňal jedlo, ale Xiao Chen zariadil zastávky na odpočinok, aby si každý mohol oddýchnuť a doplniť zásoby. Prvá časť cesty autobusom: Hakata do Takachiho (2,5 hodiny); Druhá časť cesty autobusom: Takachiho do svätyne Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu (50 minút). Ryžový burger Aso Akagyu na parkovisku svätyne stál približne 200 taiwanských dolárov a bol naozaj vynikajúci. Tretia časť cesty autobusom: Svätyňa do Kusasenri (1 hodina). Žiaľ, kvôli januárovej nehode sme nemohli ísť k sopke, takže sme išli do Kusasenri, kde sme sa zdržali asi 30 minút, čo bolo trochu uponáhľané. Tento výlet zahŕňa veľa chôdze, takže si dávajte pozor na svoju fyzickú kondíciu!

We had a wonderful time on this tour! Everything was well organized, and we really enjoyed the experience from start to finish. Our guide, Ella, was very helpful, and friendly.. she made sure everyone was comfortable, shared interesting information throughout the trip, and were always happy to answer our questions. lunch was great. Though it took a lot of time reaching each destination, but it’s totally worth it