Making Each Day Count

We had our first daytour from our recent trip to Japan, which started early at 8:00 AM at Hakata Station. We booked that tour at the Klook App, and on met our tour guide, Carey ofGogoday Travel. The station was already busy with groups of tourists boarding different buses, each headed to various destinations around Kyushu. After checking in, we boarded our bus and set off for Kumamoto, about a two-hour drive from Fukuoka.

By around 10:00 AM, we arrived in Kumamoto City, a laid-back city in central Kyushu known for its castle and surrounding hills. It felt quieter compared to bigger cities, with a more relaxed atmosphere.

Our first stop was Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan’s most well-known castles. We were given 90 minutes to explore the grounds and castle on our own.

Near the entrance, we immediately noticed the large ginkgo tree, as its leaves have fully turned yellow. Ginkgo trees in Japan are often associated with longevity. The big ginkgo tree in front of the castle is believed to be over 400 years old. It survived the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, even when much of the castle was damaged. Its resilience is an important symbol of the city’s recovery.

As we entered the castle, we noticed that the interior was quite different from other castles we had visited, such as Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle, which feature original wooden interiors. Kumamoto Castle’s main keep has a more modern interior, as it was reconstructed using reinforced concrete in the 1960s and later renovated after the earthquake. Today, it functions as a museum with exhibits, elevators, and wider stairways.

The castle has six floors above ground, and at the top floor, we were rewarded with views of Kumamoto City and the surrounding hills and distant mountains, including the Aso area.

After exiting the castle, we took a fun photo in front of the main keep before enjoying matcha soft-serve ice cream from the nearby tea shop, Ocha-no Izumi-en. It was a nice and refreshing break before continuing our journey.

Stay tuned for Part Two of our daytour, where we head out to Mt. Aso.