Kumamoto Travel & Kumamoto Tour

豊かな自然と湧水源に恵まれた熊本は「水の都」とも呼ばれ、夏目漱石や小泉八雲などの文人に愛された美しい場所。そんな熊本の代表的な観光名所といえば「熊本城」です。肥後藩主・加藤清正が当時の土木の最新技術を用い、7年の歳月をかけて築城。敵から城を守るために造られた石垣「武者返し」が有名です。毎年、春と秋に開催される「くまもとお城まつり」では、熊本城の歴史や魅力を体感できるイベントが目白押し 。さらに春は、熊本城周辺に桜が咲き、桜と城のコントラストも楽しめます。2016年に発生した熊本地震により甚大な被害を受けた熊本城。現在は修復工事も進み、2020年には一部建物が特別公開されました。

Aso an active volcano located in central Kyushu. Officially, the collective name for Aso Five Mountains (Takadake, Nakadake, Nekodake, Eboshidake, and Kishimadake) is Aso. A caldera has been formed, which is large by global standards, and there is even a town inside it where people live. If you come here, you should visit Daikanbo, which overlooks Aso. The white smoke rising from the crater of Mount Aso Nakadake is also very impressive. You can also visit the crater on the Aso Loop Shuttle, a ropeway replacement bus. In contrast, you can enjoy the idyllic atmosphere of Kusasenrihama, where horses graze in the pastoral scenery. In the surrounding area, there are Tochigi Onsen and Aso Uchinomaki Onsen, which have been blessed by the volcano, and are recommended for soothing your travel fatigue.

Kurokawa Onsen is located in the quiet mountains, further inland from Aso Kumamoto It is a hot spring resort popular with foreign tourists, with quaint hot spring inns lined up along the mountain stream. There are many inns with elaborate open-air baths, such as "Yama no Yado Shinmeikan", famous for its hand-dug cave bath, and "Yamamizuki", where you can bathe while listening to the babbling of the river. After bathing in three open-air baths of your choice with the "bath pass", a Kurokawa specialty, you can enjoy shopping for sweets made with fresh local ingredients such as pudding and looking for souvenirs. Since it is a small hot spring town, you can enjoy it to the fullest even on a day trip. Kurokawa Onsen is easily accessible to popular tourist areas such as Aso, Mount Kokonoe, and the Yamanami Highway, so we recommend combining your trip with a scenic drive.