Tag: kumamoto
Suizenji Garden: Where the Art of War and Culture Resonate with One Another
One of Japan’s most renowned landscapes, Kumamoto’s Suizenji Garden is a stunning representation of engineering wisdom gained from wars and the artistic culture of the Edo era.
Suizen-ji Jōjuen (Suizenji Garden) in Kumamoto City...
Road Trippin’ through Kumamoto Prefecture
With summer creeping in and three friends staying with us, the call of the wild echoed through our stuffy, overcrowded Tokyo apartment. Lucky for us, Japan is full of great nature escapes, so we decided to plan a road trip. In our...
High Risk Touristing: Visiting Kumamoto’s Active Volcano, Mount Aso
Driving through the Kumamoto countryside, the rolling green hills slowly deteriorate into a barren moonscape as we ascend Mount Aso. The Jurassic Park soundtrack matches the sense of foreboding in the grey afternoon air. The weather is certainly not ideal. But, it’s...
Why You Should Seek Out A Minshuku (Japanese Bed and Breakfast) Stay
A record spins and 1960s folk music warbles out over the old sunken hearth. Chichi positions the sword in my husband’s sash and stands back to assess the look. He claps his hands together, signifying a job well done. His wife, Kaka,...
Takachiho Gorge: Rowing through Southern Japan
An hour and a half from Kumamoto, the Takachiho Gorge cuts deep through Southern Kyushuu. Shifting volcanic basalt formed the striated gorge aeons ago, causing early visitors to drawn comparisons with the scales of a dragon. A trip to the gorge allows...
Riding the Isaburo-Shinpei : Tokyo to Okinawa Day 12
Our last day of train travel didn’t disappoint. On the way down to Kagoshima, we rode the Isaburo-Shinpei line, which takes passengers on a trek through the forests and mountains of Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures. The dark wooden interior and primarily rural...
The Healing Waters of Hitoyoshi: Tokyo to Okinawa Day 11
On day 11 of our trip, we left Fukuoka and after a brief and unexpected ramen lunch, found ourselves in the small town of Hitoyoshi. Owing to its rich history and culture, Hitoyoshi touts itself as the “Little Kyoto” of Kyushu. The...
