Kumamoto Travel & Kumamoto Tour

Kumamoto City Tram is an essential means of transportation for the people Kumamoto, whether they are commuting to work or school, shopping, etc. It has a long history, having started operation in 1924 (Taisho 13). Many place names in Kumamoto express the characteristics of the area, and many of the names of the stops where people get on and off the tram seem to have been chosen with a historical background.
It is also a very convenient means of transportation to major tourist attractions such as JR Kumamoto Station, Kumamoto Castle, and Suizenji Jojuen Garden, and has a wide variety of carriages, from nostalgic retro ones to new low-floor carriages. Among them, the new ultra-low-floor carriage "COCORO", introduced in 2014, was designed by Eiji Mitooka, known as the creator of the Kyushu Shinkansen "Tsubame" and "Seven Stars in Kyushu", and has attracted the attention of railway fans all over the country.
The fare is a flat rate within the city (170 yen for junior high school students and above, 90 yen for elementary school students and below / as of Jul. 2020), so it's easy to understand, and you can use national transportation IC cards such as Suica and Pasmo. If you want to get off the tram to sightsee, a one-day pass for the city tram (500 yen for junior high school students and above, 250 yen for elementary school students and below) is very convenient. It is sold at the Kumamoto Station General Tourist Information Center and also on the train, so just ask the conductor.

"Hitomoji" is a vegetable similar to scallions, and is an essential ingredient in Kumamoto 's local cuisine. Compared to scallions, it is slightly thicker overall and has a soft, sweet taste. There are various theories about the origin of its name, including that the way it grows resembles the character for "person," or that green onions were originally called "negi" (green onion) with only one character.
This dish is made by lightly boiling the "Ichimoji" and then placing it in cold water, wringing it out thoroughly, and wrapping the green leaves around the white root of the plant, then pouring on vinegared miso. What a unique name!
At first glance, many people may think that this dish is the same as "Wakegi no Nuta-ae (Scallion Dressing with Nuts)." However, there is a special cooking technique for "Ichimoji Guru Guru."
The trick is to pour the vinegared miso on top. When you mix the ingredients together, they tend to lose moisture, but pouring the vinegared miso on top prevents this and allows you to enjoy the texture of the "Ichimoji" even more.
The chewy texture created by wrapping the leaves around the ingredients, the unique aroma and soft sweetness of the ingredients, and the refreshing taste of vinegared miso enhance the flavor.
If you visit Kumamoto, one of the foods you should definitely try is "Ichimoji Guru Guru."