Kumamoto

Kumamoto City:

getting around:

Arriving via train get off either at Kami-kumamoto Eki (上熊本駅) and take tram line #3 or Kumamoto Eki (熊本駅) and take tram line #2. (There is no #1!). It's easy to get almost everywhere in the city from Shimotori because the main bus terminal Kotsu Center (交通センター) is just around the corner. The trams shiden (市電) are better for going around the fairer parts of the city.

to stay:

Toyoko Inn and Green Hotel - Both have multiple hotels downtown. Stay near Shimotori (下通り) or Kamitori (上通り) where the action takes place here. It's about 2 miles long, and includes all the bars, restaurants, movies, shops and whatever else you could need.

to see:

Kumamoto Castle is pretty famous in Japan. Currently under construction, it is very beautiful and cool. 30min guided tours of the exterior in Japanese (English tours only at special events). There is a nice park behind the castle (the largest in the city) which includes an art museum. There's a "children's" tour of Kumamoto Castle - given BY children in English, early booking required.

Planetarium - close to the castle.

International Center - also close.

Suizenji Koen - a very beautiful traditional Japanese park, worth an hour or two to slowly stroll through. There are also a few traditional shops in the area, but not much good food. Take Tram line #2.

Zoo and Botanical Garden - at the end of the tram line (opposite the train stations). Not really that great. The zoo is very sad, but the Botanical Garden is ok. There are some really beautiful plants there.

Fujisaki Gu (藤崎宮) and Kengun Jinja (健軍神社) are two of the most famous shrines just off the tram line, but there are nice ones all over.

outside the city:

A car would be needed to move around within any reasonable timeframe.

Mt. Aso (阿蘇山),(active volcano) offers a lot of things to do (see below). Great hiking. Locals try to dodge the poisonous gas to get a look inside at their impending doom. There is a great view of it if you hike up the peak of Neko Dake nearby and look down into the crater. The sulfur smell is strong, so if you have allergies, be ready to sneeze.

Kurokawa Onsen (黒川温泉) - the most famous in Kurokawa. There are numerous onsen in the Yamaga/Kikuchi area (over 100!).

Cuddly Dominion - Petting zoo/ animal park in one of the plateau areas. Only soft and cuddly things like rabbits, sheep, ducks.

There is a beautiful natural spring where many Japanese people come to collect drinking water, and pray at the shrine in Shirakawa.

Kikuchi Keikoku (菊地渓谷) - a beautiful gorge in Kikuchi , great place for a walk, with a nice river (where many kids frolic), waterfalls, and a few hiking trails (vague maps are free with entrance fee).

There are also a few micro breweries Jibiiru.

eating:

The not-so-famous dish is Dengaku (田楽), which is various foods (usually all vegies and a fish) stuck on a stick over an open fire, then smothered in your choice of light or dark sweet miso sauce. There are a variety of these restaurants in Takamori (高森).

Other local delicacies are Kareshi Renkon (mustard filled and lotus root) and Basashi (horse sashimi).

Mount Aso

There is a youth hostel close to Mt. Aso in Aso city that is pretty cheap (around ￥2500 per person). You may not be able to reserve a whole room but they have segregated room bunk beds. It's pretty standard as far as youth hostels go, but they do have a lot of maps and pictures for where to hike and a map to a group of really good onsens that are near Mt Aso. Take a left leaving Mt Aso instead of going right back into town and it's a couple of miles down the road through some tunnels, but a map is helpful because the road has a difficult turn off that doubles back. There are 3 or 4 onsens together, one has an outdoor co-ed bath that is interesting becuase it's made of large slabs of rock. However the onsens do have a strong sulfur smell to the water because it's heated by volcanic thermal vents.

Activities:

Para-gliding

Nature Land in Aso-machi - the staff are friendly and, although the website is in Japanese, the owner (Hire) speaks really good english, and can set you up with a reservation over the phone. Cost is about ￥4700 each for 2.5 hours of jumping off of massive hills with a parachute strapped to your back. They also offer kayaking, hot air ballooning, and mountain biking all located around Mt. Aso's gorgeous caldera with five volcanic peaks. http://www.sotoasobi.net

Kimono wearing

There is a place in Kumamoto City where you can dress in kimono and have pictures taken. It's around ￥3500. Call 09-6843-2081

For general information on Kumamoto -

http://www2.kumagaku.ac.jp/teacher/~masden/links.html