Kumamoto Prefecture, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kyushu, Japan, not only has a metropolitan transportation hub and convenient shopping experience, but also has many extremely popular historical tourist attractions and is well-known for its popularity. The mascot "Kumamon". Walking through the streets of Kumamoto, you can see the adorable Kumamon everywhere. He is a famous character that Chinese tourists are very familiar with and love.

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Kumamoto Prefecture is the center of Kyushu, and with Kumamoto City as the center, it forms the Kumamoto Metropolitan Area outside Japan's three major metropolitan areas. Kumamoto Prefecture is known as the "Land of Fire". There are different opinions on its origin. Some people think it is because there are many active volcanoes in Kumamoto Prefecture. Others say it is because the territory of Kumamoto Prefecture in ancient times was "Higo Country", which was simply called "Higo Country" at that time. "The Country of Fat" or "The Country of Fire" which has the same pronunciation as "The Country of Fat" in Japanese.

In any case, the well-known Kumamoto bears, Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto ramen, Kumamoto horse meat, Aso volcano and other elements have ignited people's curiosity to come to Kumamoto to find out. So let us feel with our hearts the various charms of the Land of Fire.

Transportation

Arrival airport: Fukuoka Airport or Kitakyushu Airport

By train: Take the JR Shinkansen directly to Kumamoto

Schedule Overview< /p>

DAY1 Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Castle, Sakura nobaba Castle Saien, taste Kumamoto ramen, Suizenji Park, Cool Ma Moe Plaza, experience the handmade "Higo Elephant Inlay"

DAY2 Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture ※Transportation: JR Kyushu Express "Aso Boy!"

JR Aso Station, Aso Shrine, Monzen Town, Aso Uchimaki Hot Spring, Uchimaki Hot Spring Hotel

DAY3 Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Shozuki Literary Museum, Boat Tour Yanagawa, Steamed Eel Rice (Original Motoyoshiya)

Experience "THE RAIL KITCHEN CHIKUGO" Sightseeing train

Map overview Train station overview

Kumamoto City is the third largest city in Kyushu, the seat of the prefectural office of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the largest city in the prefecture. In this bustling metropolis, the quaint old town streets and Kumamoto Castle, one of the three castles in Japan, are still preserved. From the Edo period to the Meiji period, Kumamoto was the largest city in Kyushu. It was established as Kumamoto City in 1889 and was one of the first cities in Japan to be established as a "city". The famous Japanese writer and literary giant Natsume Soseki called Kumamoto the "city of forests". He lived in Kumamoto for 5 years. The old residence of him and his family is still preserved in Kumamoto City, which is also a very popular attraction.

Rich historical heritage and natural beauty, tempting food and cute Kumamon and animation culture. Times have changed, but Kumamoto has always kept a steady pace. Its changes and unchanged, old appearance and new appearance all attract tourists of different ages.

(This picture shows Kumamoto Castle before the earthquake)

Visit famous historical cities

Kumamoto Castle, Osaka Castle and Nagoya Castle are also known as the three largest cities in Japan. When traveling to Kyushu, you must not miss Kumamoto Castle. It is a witness to Japanese history and an important attraction to understand Japanese history and culture. It is also a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in spring. The picture shows what Kumamoto Castle looked like before the earthquake. However, since the 2016 earthquake, the stability of Kumamoto Castle has been damaged and reconstruction has begun, and it has not been open to the public. Apart from having a glimpse of the scenery outside the city wall, it is no longer possible to appreciate the beauty inside. The restoration work of Kumamoto Castle is still continuing, and some areas are open to visitors. It is expected that in the spring of 2021, the castle tower will be fully restored and open to internal tours.

Josaien is located at Sakurababa at the foot of Kumamoto Castle. As a symbolic building of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Castle is responsible for promoting local food culture and historical traditions, and enhancing the charm of Kumamoto Castle and the castle town. Under this concept, Sakura nobaba Castle Saien came into being.

At Josaien, you can feel the full charm of Kumamoto.

Of course, delicacies from all over the world are also gathered here. You can enjoy the delicacies at the dining area, or you can eat while walking and enjoy the nostalgic style of the castle town. Here you can experience the history and culture of Kumamoto at "Uwaguza" and "Sakura-no-path" which serves local snacks and souvenirs of Kumamoto. The park recreates the castle town street scene of the Edo period, and strolling here is uniquely interesting.

Among the many delicacies in Kumamoto, the most famous and popular is none other than Kumamoto Ramen. Kumamoto ramen uses tonkotsu and chicken ribs to make a white turbid soup that is refreshing and delicious. The thin, straight noodles are paired with black fungus and roasted garlic flakes and sesame oil, giving it a unique flavor that's unforgettable once you taste it. The fragrant roasted garlic slices have a slightly bitter taste, making you more appetizing.

After tasting Kumamoto ramen, we came to the beautiful Suizenji Park, which is a tour-style garden built over 80 years since 1636. The garden is centered around a pool of undercurrent water, and rockeries, pumice stones, and pine trees sublimate the beauty of the garden to perfection. Chengqu-en is built around the pond in the center of the garden. There is a shrine on the north side and a "Noh stage" on the south side where traditional Japanese dance music - Noh music is performed. Both were built in the Meiji period.

The most interesting part of Chengqu Garden is in the hilly area east of the pond. This area is said to be a tour-style garden built to imitate the scenery of the Tokaido (Tokaido Fifty-three Stations) between Nihonbashi in Edo and Sanjo Bridge in Kyoto during the Edo period. You can also experience a tea ceremony in the garden.

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Looking for Kumamon

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In the office of Minister Kumamon, there is a whole wall Photos, very uniquely arranged. In addition, you can also watch stage performances when Minister Kumamon is around. So be sure to check the official website to confirm the schedule before going!

Another recommendation when traveling to Kumamoto is the experience of making the traditional Kumamoto handicraft "Higo Shozai". Embedding other materials on decorative materials can be experienced through "Hihou Xiang Embedded Light Assist". Don’t forget to make a reservation in advance.

When I came to experience the "Higo Elephant Embedded Lightsuke", I actually met Kumamoto Prefecture's "Sales Director and Happiness Director" Kumamoto again. It was really surprising and super happy!

Carefully place the small pure gold and sterling silver ornaments on the bear-shaped iron plate with tweezers, and then carefully tap them with a mallet.

The rest of the work is left to skilled craftsmen. The finished product arrived two weeks later. The only one in the world who belongs only to me is the Sales Manager and Happiness Manager Kumamon.

The Higo Elephant Inlay Store also displays decorations made from the Higo Elephant Inlay. Higo Shozai is a type of metalworking Shozai. Because the gold and silver embedded in the pattern are not mixed with any other materials and do not use pigments, Higo Shozai can fully bring out the charm of gold and silver and reflect the samurai culture. The sense of weight and elegance. Higo Shozai, like Kumamoto Castle, both have a history of more than 400 years.

Aso City is a city located in the center of the Aso region in the northeastern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. The main urban area is located in the northern part of the caldera basin formed by the Aso volcano. The Aso region is one of the most famous active volcanic areas in Japan. It is world-famous for its complex volcanoes with large calderas. It consists of five volcanoes: Nakadake, Takadake, Kitshimadake, Karamoutake, and Nekodake. The central crater mound group is formed, which is called the "Aso Five Mountains". The Aso Five Mountains have been experiencing volcanic activity since prehistoric times. You can witness geological traces from different eras around it and get a glimpse of its long history. It is also a hot spring resort in the Kumamoto area.

The cutest train on earth

The biggest highlight of the train is the parent-child design that can be seen everywhere. The seats are arranged in rows of one large and one small, and the small seats for children are specially arranged by the window. One side for easy viewing.

There are no sharp objects near the ground on the entire train, and the corners of the seats are also ground into appropriate arcs.

The train is equipped with panoramic seats that allow you to fully appreciate the Aso Waiwa Mountains and the scenery on both sides of the train. There is also a playground, a picture book library, etc. It is really fun!

Walking around Monzen Town

JR Aso Station also has various designs related to kuro dogs. There is a stationmaster's room designed for kuro for tourists to take photos. The general information center "Michi no Eki Aso" next to the station provides Chinese consultation and can temporarily store your luggage. Starting our Aso trip from here, the first stop is Aso Shrine, Aso’s landmark building.

Aso Shrine is said to be an ancient shrine with a history of more than 2,500 years. It uses the crater of Mount Aso as the symbol of the gods and worships the 12 gods of its family. It has Yokosando, which is extremely rare and rare in Japan, as well as the "wishing stone" that can make people's wishes come true, and the "Takasago Pine" that prays for a good relationship. Considered an important cultural asset of Japan.

Monzen Town, as the name suggests, is the street near Aso Shrine. It has an ancient style and a retro style of Japan's past. The specialty of Monzencho is that each store has a different taste. Although they are not big, the layout is very interesting. Walking here is the best way to spend time.

Unlike the pedestrian streets in front of other scenic spots, the shops on both sides of the street here sell local products. The shop's facade is decorated in a simple style, and some small items are collected by the shop owner from all over the world. After buying snacks, you can choose to sit in front of the door and taste them slowly. In winter, after a snowfall, sitting by the grill and enjoying the snow scenery while eating snacks has become the protagonist of Japanese idol dramas.

The proud Uchimaki Hot Spring

The hot springs located around Mount Aso, one of the world's largest calderas and volcanoes, are collectively known as the Aso Onsen Village. Among them, the largest hot spring resort is Asunaimaki Onsen. There are many restaurants on the hot spring street. This is also the filming location for the 21st episode of the famous Japanese film and television drama "The Story of Torajiro: The Pain of Men".

There are a large number of hot springs and hot spring hotels in Uchimoku Onsen, with different facilities. There are Japanese-style hotels that can satisfy the preferences of ancient writers, large hot spring resort hotels, and small and medium-sized hotels for family travel. needs of various groups of people. In addition, it is also known as the city of literature and has been loved by many great writers since ancient times. Natsume Soseki, Taneda Santohano and others have visited this place, and Natsume Soseki also used it as the stage to create "Two Hundred and Ten Days".

In Uchimaki Onsen, the room where the famous Meiji era writers Yosano Tetsukan and Yosano Akiko lived is still intact. The hot spring here introduces the slightly turbid skin-beautifying spring into the hot spring pool, which can enhance the moisturizing power of the skin.

While taking a bath, you can admire the vast greenery. The rich grassland stretches all the way to Wumao Mountain, and grazing horses can be seen from time to time. The scenery is like a song, and it has a unique sense of fun. Therefore, whether it is food, natural scenery or history and culture, Kumamoto is proud of Kyushu in the baptism of time.

From Kumamoto to neighboring Fukuoka, our Kyushu journey continues. Yanagawa City is a city in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture. There are many canals in the city. It is an extremely beautiful small town and is also known as the Water City. This is the hometown of the poet Hakaki Kitahara. It is also the hometown of Mr. Zhu Zhiyu (Zhu Shunshui) (a native of Yuyao, Zhejiang) when he lived in Japan, and the hometown of Andong Shoan, the "giant scholar of the West Sea" in Japan. The teacher-student friendship between Zhu Zhiyu and Andong Shoan It has been passed down as a legend through the ages in the local area.

The first floor of the Shogetsu Literary Hall is the Shogetsu Pier Office where you can take a boat trip to Yanagawa River. Before boarding the boat to cruise Yanagawa River, you might as well go to the second and third floors of the Shozuki Literary Hall. Many literati gathered there, and it was the place where the Kyushu Conference of the tanka magazine "Tama" edited by Hakushu Kitahara was held, and the birthplace of some literary works such as "Kyushu Literature" edited by the novelist Liu Hanji. Today, the museum still displays their legacy Items and photos. There are even more literati who have lived and traveled to Yanagawa temporarily, so Yanagawa, a water town, is also known as the hometown of literature.

Boating on the Yanagawa River is the best way, which refers to taking a boat along the river. There are several routes. The boat is shaped like a five-striped fish, and the boatman wearing a bamboo hat and using a bamboo pole to punt the boat sings a boat song, which is quite local style.

Yanagawa people erected 32 literary monuments for those literati - poetry monuments, song monuments, and sentence monuments, all erected on the bank of the river. The boatmen would point to them and introduce them to tourists. If time and physical strength permit, it is recommended to take another literary walk along the "waterside promenade" along the river.

Among all kinds of Japanese food, eel rice is believed to be a classic delicacy suitable for all ages. Yanagawa was once a famous eel producer, and there were many eel restaurants in the city. When talking about eel, it generally means "grilled eel". The oldest eel shop in Yanagawa, "Original Motoyoshiya", founded in 1681, is the birthplace of steamed eel.

When most people come to Yanagawa, they go to the Genso Motoyoshiya and queue up, and we are no exception. When you walk into this Japanese-style mansion, you can smell the strong fragrance of eel. The atmosphere in the store is reminiscent of a Japanese restaurant or inn. The wooden staircase and traditional decoration make people feel like they are dining in a scene from a movie or TV series.

We ordered the "Steamed Eel Set Meal". When we opened the lid of the red lacquer box, a faint stream of steam came out, accompanied by a strong aroma of eel. A large piece of eel is spread on the rice soaked in brown sauce, and there is a large piece of eel under the egg. This is the largest portion of eel rice in the store. The rice underneath absorbs enough of the soup, not to mention how fragrant it is.

The biggest difference between steamed eel and kabayaki is the taste. Steamed eel will not reduce the moisture in the fish, breaking people's usual impression of burnt eel. Steamed eel is described as "Q elastic cotton glutinous rice". The eel is very appropriate.

The set meal also includes two other eel dishes, namely vinegar-pickled eel cold dish and boiled eel. As the name suggests, shirataki is grilled eel without any sauce, which reflects the original taste of eel. Motoyoshiya is worthy of being the most famous eel restaurant in Yanagawa. The ceremonial dining environment, the process of searching for fragrance in the alleys, and the super-high-quality eel rice all bring endless aftertaste to people.

Novel experiences like “Track Kitchen” and “Slow Train”

In Japan, there are endless new and delicious experiences. No, Nishitetsu's new sightseeing train "THE RAIL KITCHEN CHIKUGO" has also started operating. Sitting on the train and embarking on a romantic and nostalgic journey, accompanied by delicious food, is highly recommended. In addition to taking you to see the scenery of the Chikugo area in Fukuoka Prefecture, the entire train is also a mobile kitchen.

Railway travel is a travel method chosen by many people, and there are many senior railway fans in Japan. Using local ingredients to satisfy your taste senses, THE RAIL KITCHEN CHIKUGO's visual charm does not stop there, combining modern fashion and traditional craftsmanship. The ceiling of the dining area is covered in hand-woven bamboo, a 300-year-old traditional craft technique. The walls are decorated with 400-year-old Chengdao stone tiles. The interior of the carriage is decorated like a fashionable cafe in the center of the city. In addition to inside the train, if you want to take in the scenery during your journey, the large windows on both sides of the train can provide you with a broad field of vision.

Before the meal, enjoy the train’s welcome drink. Later, using the large kitchen in the car, the "King Lingi" mushrooms produced in Oki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the main dish of Hakata Wagyu beef BBQ were successively presented on the table. Most of the ingredients are fresh ingredients from the areas along the train line, centered around the Chigo area.

The most eye-catching thing is the pizza made with seasonal vegetables. It is served to the table freshly baked in the oven in the car, still steaming. The train mainly runs on Fridays, weekends and holidays, and is divided into two time periods: "brunch trip" and "lunch trip".

Although I was not able to ride it this time, there is also a sightseeing train called the "COTO COTO Train" of the Heisei-Chikuho Railway in Fukuoka Prefecture. You can also taste authentic French cuisine on the train that travels along the pastoral scenery. I will try it next time too!

A perfect trip to Kyushu, in the beautiful nature, in the smiling faces of friendly locals, in the embrace of Kumamon, in the warm hot spring water, and in the pure local ingredients... ····Fully relaxing and enjoying the five senses is the charm of traveling in Kyushu, and it is also our deepest attachment to this land and water.

TIPS: JR Kyushu Rail Pass

As we all know, transportation fees within Japan are relatively high.

As an independent traveler traveling between several cities at once, there is a pass that is both convenient and cost-effective: the JR Kyushu Rail Pass. All the destinations on this trip can be reached with this pass.

The JR Kyushu Rail Pass is a coupon specially designed for foreign tourists, which allows unlimited travel on relevant lines within the validity period. When traveling freely in Kyushu, it is highly recommended to use this travel pass. Most of the station names in Japan are in Chinese characters, making it easy and worry-free to take a train. Japanese trains are famous for being punctual. Traveling freely by train is reliable!

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