[13 Popular Date Spots in Kumamoto] Make Your Trip Memorable with Spectacular Views and Great Food

Kumamoto Castle is a famous castle built by Kato Kiyomasa in 1607. It was constructed using the most advanced technology and tremendous labor of the time, and later became the setting for many important moments in Japanese history.
During the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, the castle tower was destroyed by fire, but it was rebuilt in its current form in 1960.
Later, it suffered severe damage in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, but restoration of the main keep was completed in March 2021. At that time, the latest seismic control technology was used, and it came to be regarded as a symbol of recovery.
Be sure to enjoy the spectacular view from the top floor of the main keep, now reborn stronger than before.

Located at the foot of Kumamoto Castle, this open-air tourist and cultural complex recreates the atmosphere of an Edo-period castle town.
It features restaurants where you can enjoy Kumamoto’s local cuisine, shops offering local specialties, and facilities where you can learn about Kumamoto’s history in a fun way.
At “Sakura Komichi,” lined with over 20 restaurants and shops, you can savor local favorites from across Kumamoto Prefecture, including horse meat sashimi, Aso Akaushi beef, and Amakusa seafood.
There is also a wide variety of snacks perfect for eating as you walk, such as ikinari dango, horse meat minced cutlets, sea urchin croquettes, and Jindaiko soft serve.

This strolling garden uses natural spring water and traces its origins to when Lord Tadatoshi, the first head of the Hosokawa clan, built a teahouse on this site, where underground water from Aso springs forth.
Within the garden are Izumi Shrine, which enshrines the Hosokawa family, a Noh theater stage, and Kokindenju-no-Ma, a historic structure relocated from the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Cherry trees, pine trees, floating stones decorating the pond, and an artificial hill modeled after Mt. Fuji still convey the atmosphere of the Edo period. The area including Suizenji Jojuen Garden has also been selected as one of the Heisei Era’s 100 remarkable waters, and many visitors come for the “Water of Longevity” that springs up within the grounds of Izumi Shrine.

Mt. Aso is the collective name for a volcanic group in which volcanoes such as the Aso Five Peaks developed within a depression, or caldera, formed by four massive eruptions from Approx. 270,000 to 90,000 years ago.
Daikanbo is located on the northern side of the caldera rim, or outer ring of mountains, and offers sweeping views of this vast collapsed landscape. At an elevation of 936 m, it commands a panoramic view of Aso’s towns and fields, the Aso Five Peaks, and even the Kuju Mountains.

A vast grassland stretching across the northern foot of Eboshidake, one of the Aso Five Peaks that form the core of Mt. Aso.
Praised by many poets since ancient times and even featured in textbooks, Kusasenrigahama is likely the place many people picture when they think of Aso.
Kusasenrigahama is a crater site from Approx. 30,000 years ago at an elevation of Approx. 1,140 m, with grasslands spreading across an area about 1 km in diameter and two ponds formed by water collecting in a double crater.

One of the largest amusement parks in Kyushu, boasting a vast site of Approx. 550,000 square meters.
With more than 70 attractions, including roller coasters, haunted houses, go-karts, and a Ferris wheel, it offers plenty of fun for both children and adults.
The park also has more than 20 restaurants and fast-food outlets, where you can enjoy standard snacks like popcorn and fries as well as more substantial dishes such as Kumamoto ramen, pasta, and paella.
Another plus is the number of restaurants with plenty of seating, making it easy to relax and take a break.
The area around Greenland also has hotels, a golf course, a shopping mall, and restaurants, so you can easily spend the whole day in this area alone.

This park is known for Nabegataki Falls, a waterfall with a drop of Approx. 10 m and a width of Approx. 20 m, created by a massive eruption Approx. 90,000 years ago.
Its graceful appearance is so beautiful that it has even been used as a filming location for commercials, attracting many visitors.
The water flows broadly and gently over lava-formed steps, looking almost like a curtain.
You can admire it up close from the riverside, and when conditions allow, you can also walk behind the falls to view it from the back.
Its changing seasonal scenery is another highlight, from the magical sight of illumination behind the falls in spring, to the contrast of fresh greenery and moss in summer, vivid autumn leaves in fall, and giant icicles formed when part of the falls freezes in winter.
A mysterious fallen cedar tree on the opposite side of the falls is also one of the sights to see.

One of the springs in the Minamiaso Village spring-water group, Shirakawa Spring is fed by underground water from the Aso caldera. It is the source of the Shirakawa River, a first-class river that flows through Kumamoto City, and is also famous for being selected as one of Japan’s 100 remarkable waters by the former Environment Agency, now the Ministry of the Environment.
Shirakawa Spring is located within the grounds of Yoshimi Shrine, which enshrines Mizuhanome-no-Kami, the guardian deity of spring water, and was also ordered to be protected by the Hosokawa family, rulers of the Kumamoto domain. The water remains at a constant temperature of 57.2°F and gushes out at a rate of 60 tons per minute, stirring up the sand at the bottom so you can actually see the spring welling up.

Covering a total area of 24.5 hectares, Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens is home to Approx. 550 animals of about 110 species and about 70,000 plants from Approx. 700 species.
The grounds are divided into three areas: the Animal Zone, the Botanical Zone, and the Amusement Zone.
In the Animal Zone, you can see popular animals such as giraffes and elephants, as well as rare species like the golden snub-nosed monkey, said to be the model for Sun Wukong.
In the Botanical Zone, you can enjoy seasonal flowers, tropical and subtropical plants, and a Japanese garden, offering a chance to experience both nature and Japanese culture.
The Amusement Zone, with 10 large attractions and 40 smaller ones, is also not to be missed.

A wellness facility produced by health experts, bringing together a variety of attractions for both adults and children on a vast site of Approx. 1,000,000 square meters.
It is packed with all-day attractions, from exercise facilities and an interactive park to hot springs, gourmet dining, and hands-on experience facilities, and you can also stay overnight in a dome-shaped hotel in the forest.
Recommended attractions include the Animal Kingdom, where you can enjoy experiences such as feeding animals, and the Handmade Experience Center, where you can try craft activities.

Kikuchi City, known as Kumamoto’s hidden retreat, is lined with about 10 hot spring inns. Kikuchi Park, created on the site of the former castle of the powerful Kikuchi clan, who ruled this area for 24 generations over 450 years, is a relaxing spot for locals spread across a gentle hill overlooking the city.
The park is planted with Approx. 3,000 cherry trees of about 20 varieties, including Somei Yoshino and Yamazakura, and is famous as one of the prefecture’s leading cherry blossom spots.

This zoo at the foot of Mt. Aso is home to animals from around the world on a site of Approx. 300,000 square meters. In addition to plenty of interactive experiences, the animal performance shows are also very popular.
It is also known as the home of TV-famous animals, including the chimpanzee Pan-kun.
In addition, two animal performance shows are held regularly in the park, where you can enjoy entertaining performances by the animals and their trainers.

Now a peaceful fishing village, the Sakitsu settlement once survived a turbulent era as a village of hidden Christians. Rising prominently at its center is Sakitsu Church, topped with a Gothic-style tower.
Inside the church, the stained glass is beautiful, and one unusual feature is that the floor is covered with tatami mats rather than pews. Visits inside the church require a reservation, and entry is not allowed during church events and certain periods.
The Sakitsu settlement where the church stands was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018 as part of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region.

Hanaokayama is located north of JR Kumamoto Station, about a 20-minute walk away.
It is also known as a scenic lookout where you can take in panoramic views of central Kumamoto City and Kumamoto Castle.
At 133 m above sea level, it is an easy climb, and the observation park has benches where you can sit back and enjoy the view.
It is also one of Kumamoto’s classic night view spots, and one of its charms is being able to see the brightly lit downtown area of Kumamoto City up close at night.

An observatory located along Prefectural Route 339, also known as the Milk Road. It can be reached by walking a short distance along the path that continues from the parking lot of the shop.
From the observatory, you can overlook the mountains of Aso and the rural scenery of the Aso Valley, and when conditions are right, you can see a sea of clouds in the early morning.
After sunset, you can also enjoy a magical night view of lights from Uchinomaki Onsen, the towns in Aso Valley, and Aso City, along with the starry sky.
Before dawn, you may even catch a mystical scene where the sea of clouds covers the city lights.
There is also a restroom available 24 hours a day, making it perfect for a late-night drive date.

The Tokkosan area in Nishi Ward, Kumamoto City, with an elevation of 118 m, has been developed as Inori no Oka Park.
It is said that stone was quarried from Tokkosan during the construction of Kumamoto Castle, and structures that evoke this history can still be found throughout the park.
The park offers excellent views, with a variety of scenery including central Kumamoto City and Mt. Aso.
At night, you can see not only the city lights but, on clear days, even the distant lights of Shimabara City in Nagasaki Prefecture.
Sit on one of the benches scattered across the spacious grounds and enjoy a quiet, romantic time taking in the night view.

Among Kumamoto’s many local specialties, horse meat dishes are especially popular. Bazakura, located in the downtown area of Kumamoto City, is a popular restaurant known for its wide menu centered on horse meat sashimi.
Its signature horse meat sashimi uses carefully selected, exceptionally fresh domestic horse meat. One recommended dish is the “Special Selection Horse Sashimi Platter,” where you can compare six different cuts with distinct flavors and textures, including the standard lean cut, futaego, and mane fat.
The luxurious interior offers a variety of seating, including semi-private rooms, sunken kotatsu-style seats, and counter seats by the window.

A bistro where you can enjoy a wide variety of meat dishes, local cuisine, and local sake made with Kumamoto specialties.
With around 80 menu items, including steak made with branded Akaushi beef, yakitori made with Amakusa Daio chicken, sometimes called a phantom local breed, and horse meat sashimi, you can fully enjoy Kumamoto gourmet food.
One must-try is the signature dish “Meibutsu Oniku no Kaidan,” ordered by more than 80% of guests.
It lets you compare seven different dishes made with Kumamoto-produced beef, chicken, and pork.
The restaurant has a unified style with calm lighting and interiors, and private rooms are also available.
It is an excellent choice for a dinner date as a couple.

Steakhouse Yodogawa is tucked away in Kumamoto’s downtown area, with the feel of a hidden retreat.
It serves carefully selected Japanese black wagyu and Australian beef prepared on a teppan grill to bring out the ingredients’ natural flavor.
The restaurant offers a variety of courses for couples, with the especially popular “Couple Course Ao.”
In addition to enjoying Kumamoto-sourced spiny lobster and juicy Japanese black wagyu steak, you can also enjoy special touches that help set the mood for two.
Another recommended option for an anniversary dinner is the “Couple Course Hana,” where two chef’s choice dishes and steak are served for two to share.
There are also luxurious courses and menu items featuring premium ingredients such as foie gras and abalone.

Hotel Nikko Kumamoto is about 20 minutes from JR Kumamoto Station by streetcar.
It enjoys an excellent location next to a shopping district and within walking distance of Kumamoto Castle, one of Kumamoto’s most iconic sightseeing spots.
Rooms on the east side offer views of Aso’s grand natural scenery, while rooms on the west side overlook Kumamoto Castle and the city, making the views one of the hotel’s major attractions.
There are five restaurants in the hotel, where you can enjoy authentic cuisine in a variety of genres and styles, including Japanese, Cantonese, French, and buffet dining.
You can also spend a relaxing time in the lounge, where afternoon tea and cocktails are available.

An inn nestled in a mountain village in the Aso area, about 80 minutes by car from Kumamoto Airport.
All 10 rooms across seven room types are equipped with free-flowing open-air baths, where you can soak while looking out at mountain and river scenery.
If you reserve at check-in, you can also privately use a riverside open-air bath where you can feel the sound of the stream up close, or an open-air bath with a pool.
There is also a terrace facing the rice fields, where you can unwind while gazing at the sky reflected on the water’s surface.
Another attraction is the colorful creative cuisine served at the inn using ingredients from Kumamoto.
For dinner, you can enjoy domestic wagyu loin steak as the main dish, along with beef and pork shabu-shabu.
Breakfast features shabu-shabu made with Kumamoto pork and a variety of small side dishes.

A hotel located on Maejima, an island known as a resort area in the Amakusa region.
It is about 90 minutes from central Kumamoto City by car, or by a combination of train and boat.
Its location is one of its greatest attractions, offering sweeping views of Amakusa Matsushima, counted among Japan’s Three Great Matsushima, along with islands floating across the open sea.
All 11 guest rooms are suites, and every room faces the sea with large windows, allowing you to enjoy ocean views from both the room and the terrace.
Another feature is that every room includes either an open-air bath or a semi-open-air bath.
At the on-site dining table Wabi, you can enjoy sushi and other dishes made with fresh seafood caught in Amakusa.
The front of the counter seats faces large windows, so you can also enjoy dinner while watching the sunset sink into the sea.