Downtown castle is easy to tour while in Kumamoto
Kyushu’s Kumamoto Castle has been burned and shaken, yet endures as one of Japan’s most iconic castles. It’s also easy to visit. Here’s our guide to the castle and nearby attractions, including our video guide and our family’s own experience visiting.
Kumamoto Castle travel video
What is Kumamoto Castle?
A survivor of an 1877 siege by 20,000 samurai and a devastating 2016 earthquake, Kumamoto Castle endures as one of Japan’s most iconic castles. Originally built in 1467, Kumamoto Castle today is one of your most essential must-visit spots while visiting Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu.
Kumamoto Castle not only is considered one of Japan’s 3 premier castles, alongside Matsumoto Castle and Himeji Castle. It’s an easy half-day attraction you can visit from inside the center of Kumamoto City.
Easily reached from local trams and buses, or on foot from Sakuramachi, Kumamoto Castle also offers a fun museum, an Edo-styled village full of shops and treats, and intriguing exhibits throughout the castle and its grounds.
While the main keep was burned down in 1877, it was reconstructed with concrete in 1960. Much of the castle complex endured significant damage from earthquakes in April 2016. Today, visitors can safely tour the grounds, and see the ongoing reconstruction of what remains one of Japan’s must-visit attractions.
Plan a half-day to full day visit to the castle and surrounding attractions
Easily reached from local trams and buses, or on foot from Sakuramachi’s bus terminal or tram stops, Kumamoto Castle offers a fun museum, an Edo-styled village full of shops and treats, and intriguing exhibits throughout the castle and its grounds.
Village and shops
Before or after the castle, wander the shops and food stalls of the Sakura-no-baba Josaien. It’s a fun place to snag ice cream, sweet potato balls, mustard-stuffed fried lotus root, and horse meat sashimi.
Connor especially enjoyed the brown rice and matcha ice cream. We all tried the potato cakes with uni, or sea urchin, but the bigger hit was the fried tempura Krab stick wrapped in fish cake.
Even better? Many offerings are seasonal, so what you find depends on the time of year you visit.
Museum
While in the village, block out an hour to visit Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza. Whether posing for photos with the scale model of the castle or checking out the interactive displays, both adults and kids left with a much deeper understanding of the castle, its role in history, and the ongoing efforts to restore Kumamoto Castle.
Free shuttles take you uphill from the village to the castle grounds.
Castle and grounds
Originally built in 1467, Kumamoto Castle has endured an 1877 siege by 20,000 samurai, and a devastating 2016 earthquake.
The main keep was burned in 1877 but rebuilt in concrete in 1960. Today, it houses a multi-story museum that culminates in a top-floor observation deck. Exhibits offer historical and cultural insights, along with details on the castle’s design and post-earthquake reconstruction.
The castle also offers accessible features for visitors with mobility impairments, including a ramp to the main entrance, plus an elevator that goes up to most floors. Reaching the top-most floor’s observation deck, however, requires going up one flight of stairs.
Performance in courtyard
While in the village, folks dressed like samurai gave us a pack of sanitizing wipes that advertised their show. We timed our arrival at the castle courtyard to check out their performance before heading into the castle itself.
When you visit, keep an eye out for any performances happening in the courtyard.
While in the courtyard, check out the views, especially to the east
We visited Kumamoto Castle on a sunny afternoon. One of the best parts of lingering for the view? In the hills to the east, we realized that we could see steam rising from the Mt. Aso volcano, a destination that deserves its own day trip while you’re in Kumamoto. Find out more in our Mt. Aso day trip video.
After your castle visit, take this side trip
Here are easy options for what to do next.
Sakuramachi shopping center for souvenirs and food court
Nearby Sakuramachi shopping center has a Kumamon souvenir shop and an excellent basement food court.
From the main bus terminal here, or from bus stops near the castle, take a bus about 10 minutes to visit a pirate.
Visit the statue of One Piece pirate Monkey D. Luffy
A statue of One Piece captain, and future king of the pirates, Monkey D. Luffy, is in the tree-lined plaza outside the prefectural administration center. After posing for photos with Luffy, nip around the corner at the bus stop for a bowl of Ajisen Ramen. Learn more about Ajisen, Luffy, and how to visit all ten One Piece statues in our One Piece statue tour video.
Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan’s most iconic places to visit
Combined with the village, grounds, and nearby transit and attractions, Kumamoto Castle’s convenient location makes it easy to visit one of Japan’s most iconic must-visit castles.
Being at this amazing, enduring place brought us closer to Japan’s history and culture, not to mention the lively feel of Kumamoto and the beauty of the nearby countryside. We hope you enjoy your visit to Kumamoto Castle as much as we did!
Where to stay in Kumamoto
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More about visiting Japan and Kyushu
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