Kumamoto City: Features, Popular Tourist Attractions, Gourmet

Kumamoto City in Kumamoto Prefecture is the prefectural capital located in the heart of Kyushu, and a government-designated city with the third-largest population in Kyushu after Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Home to approximately 740,000 residents, this city holds the unique distinction of being the only city in Japan with a population exceeding 500,000 that supplies 100% of its tap water from pristine groundwater.

Standing majestically in the city center, Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan’s Three Great Castles, built in 1607 by Kato Kiyomasa, a legendary master of castle construction. The distinctive curved stone walls, known as musha-gaeshi, combine impenetrable strength with aesthetic beauty, and together with the main tower, serve as beloved symbols of Kumamoto. Though severely damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, the castle tower was fully restored in 2021 and now welcomes visitors with enhanced earthquake resistance and barrier-free accessibility.

Suizenji Jojuen is a Momoyama-style stroll garden that began when Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the first lord of the Higo-Hosokawa domain, established a tea house here in 1632. Centered around a pond fed by underground water flowing from Mount Aso, the garden features artificial hills said to represent the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido, offering visitors a tranquil retreat where they can enjoy the beauty of all four seasons.

When it comes to Kumamoto cuisine, basashi (horse meat sashimi) takes center stage. Kumamoto boasts the highest horse meat production in Japan, and the marbled meat, with its low melting point fat, delivers an exceptionally melt-in-your-mouth texture. This local delicacy, said to have been enjoyed since the time of Kato Kiyomasa, remains beloved by locals today. Taipien, a hearty dish of glass noodles with vegetables, pork, and deep-fried boiled egg, is a soul food that even appears in school lunches. Karashi renkon, lotus root stuffed with mustard miso and deep-fried, is a historic dish originally created for a sickly feudal lord.

Kumamoto City is easily accessible via the Kyushu Shinkansen, with the fastest trains from Hakata Station arriving in just 32 minutes. Kumamoto Airport offers direct flights from Tokyo and Osaka. With its historic castle and gardens, abundant water resources, and distinctive food culture, Kumamoto City welcomes travelers as a premier gateway to Kyushu tourism.