The castle's soaring black Tenshūkaku (main building, 29.5m tall) is today a historical museum with 6th-storey lookouts. The tower was closed at the time of writing due to earthquake damage and was scheduled to reopen in 2019.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.04 MILES
Dominating the skyline, Kumamoto's robust castle is one of Japan's best, built in 1601–07 by daimyō Katō Kiyomasa, whose likeness is inescapable around…
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22.69 MILES
Naka-dake (1506m) is Aso's active volcano – very active in recent years, with fatal eruptions in 1958 and 1979, and other significant eruptions in 1989,…
19.74 MILES
This hilltop castle was ruled mostly by the Matsudaira clan from the 1660s and played a part in the Shimabara Rebellion. It was rebuilt in 1964. As well…
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1.98 MILES
Southeast of the city centre, this photogenic lakeside garden was built between 1636 and 1716 for the ruling Hosokawa clan. The main path represents the…
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19.96 MILES
In the Teppō-machi area, northwest of the castle, are buke yashiki (samurai residences) set along a pretty, 450m-long gravel road with a stream down the…
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26.56 MILES
This gorgeous hilltop shrine and 'power spot' was pretty much left alone until it became the model for the set of the popular 2011 anime film Hotarubi no…
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26.21 MILES
In the centre of Unzen village and at the base of the jigoku (literally 'hells'; boiling mineral hot springs), this plaza commemorating the national park…
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0.23 MILES
This family-friendly museum presents the history of Kumamoto and the castle from many angles, from the 10-minute video with English subtitles explaining…
Nearby Kumamoto attractions
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Dominating the skyline, Kumamoto's robust castle is one of Japan's best, built in 1601–07 by daimyō Katō Kiyomasa, whose likeness is inescapable around…
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The 2008 reconstruction of the Honmaru Palace fairly gleams with fresh wood and gold-leaf paintings, particularly in the Sho-kun-no-ma receiving room…
3. Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Centre
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Near the prefectural art museum's Chibajo branch, this large facility displays local Higo inlay, Yamaga lanterns, porcelain and woodcarvings, many for…
4. Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art Chibajo Branch
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The Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art's postmodern Chibajo Annexe was built in 1992 by Spanish architects Elias Torres and José Antonio Martínez-Lapeña…
0.23 MILES
This family-friendly museum presents the history of Kumamoto and the castle from many angles, from the 10-minute video with English subtitles explaining…
0.23 MILES
This tourist complex at the foot of the castle grounds offers a one-stop opportunity to sample (and purchase) local foods, from fish cakes to tea to…
7. Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art
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On the grounds of Ninomaru park, this art museum has ancient Buddhist sculptures, modern paintings and a recreation of an ancient burial mound.
0.35 MILES
Meiji-era novelist Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916) is honoured at the pretty 1870s home where he lived during his four years teaching English in Kumamoto. The…