Explore Kumamoto introduces you to sights and scenes from the beautiful region of Kumamoto Prefecture
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Some good news for Golden Week! Over the last couple of weeks gas emissions from the Nakadake volcano have reduced considerably and it's now back at level 1, which means the crater area is accessible again! Now we just need the weather forecast to improve too 😅🤞
Here's Nakadake 2 days ago and back in early March after the grassland burning.
Every year I look forward to seeing the koi no bori at Tsuetate onsen. They will flying all month up to early May
Popped in to see the A*o shrine lantern festival on my way back from Oita last night, it looked amazing in the rain.
The light up is on every evening until April 16th.
*oshrine
*o
*o
Popped in to see the A*o shrine lantern festival on my way back from Oita last night, it looked amazing in the rain.
The light up is on every evening until April 16th.
*oshrine
Good news, not all the sakura has fallen in the recent downpours. Sakura michi in Takamori is just beginning to burst into bloom, and is bound to brighten up even the dullest day. https://maps.app.goo.gl/61uJXK14U2vvM3Zk8
Kikuchi gorge
Yesterday felt like the first sunny day in ages, there were so many people out enjoying the huge rain pond on Kusasenri, we also found some sakura starting to bloom at Aspecta in Minami A*o.
Beauty in the clouds
At long long, long, last the Takachiho gorge path has fully reopened! This section was washed away in the September 2021 typhoon, it has been rebuilt much higher than before which hopefully will protect it against future flooding.
Feeling the afterburn @ Mt A*o
*o
If you're staying in the A*o area on March 21st, make sure to pay a visit to A*o shrine for the fire twirling Hifuri Shinji festival.
A magical misty day, perfect for a Takachiho gorge and Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu shrine tour
In 2009, Mr Nagano; a Minami A*o local, donated 10,000 sakura trees to brighten up Minami A*o. Many of them are Kawazu sakura a dark pink early blooming cherry blossom and these are just coming into bloom now. You can see them all over the Minami A*o area (this was taken today at A*obonosato Kugino) but if you want to see a lot visit the Minami A*o Sakura Koen near Aspecta where over 6000 sakura trees are planted.
Minamia*o Sakura Kouen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NVcnXC6FCxz3z8857
🌸Spring is coming🌱 which means and this is the month for plum blossom and plant markets in Kumamoto! The Ueki festival is on every day until February 26th from 09:00 to 16:00 at the Country Park in Miyoshi, Koshi.
Whether you're looking for a 250 year old olive tree at a bargain price of 20 million Yen (!) or just a pot plant there's something for you, including lots of food and drink stalls and free entrance to the park itself.
In Kumamoto city you can also visit the annual spring plant market which has been held for over 400 years alongside the Shirakawa river near Kumamoto station. This is on until March 11th from 09:30 to 17:30 every day.
I love A*o's winter colours but soon these golden hillsides will be gone. Grassland burning usually takes place over several weekends in February until early March clearing the winter grass, stopping the trees from taking over and allowing the new spring grass to flourish.
Had a great time being out and about in the ice and snow and steam this week
Statues in the snow
Unfortunately our friendly neighborhood volcano Nakadake has gone up to level 2. This means there's a 1km exclusion zone around the crater for the time being. This doesn't mean you need to avoid visiting the A*o area. You can still visit Kusasenri and the A*o Sanjo terminal it's just the area next to the crater that's out of bounds.
Also if you are thinking of driving up to Kusasenri in the next couple of days you will need winter tyres and chains as snow is forecast.
Just found out my favourite icy waterfall Nabegataki falls is currently closed to visitors until the end of March due to construction work.
Spent a fun afternoon with friends in Nagasu town at the Matobakai (Target scramble) festival of Shioji shrine. Dating back over 850 years this festival takes place on the 3rd Sunday of January. Up to 100 fundoshi clad men form a scrum and battle over a 6kg 60cm circular straw 'target'. Chanting 'Bakai Bakai' and carrying mouthfuls of sacred straw they slowly progress around the shrine then down to the seashore. To make it more fun (or possibly to stop the battle getting over heated) they are regularly doused with buckets of water. The scramble for the target ends in the sea and the tattered straw remains are then handed out to the festival goers as good luck charms.
Volcanic
Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu shrine
Spent a very special weekend in Kuju with Drum Tao on their monitor tour! Starting with a super chill(y!) but stunning Sunset Live performance on Saturday evening we then warmed up inside Tao no Oka with hot drinks and a storming taiko jam session which finished with a chance to talk to some of the performers. This was a fascinating chance to ask questions and realise just how intense their rigorous training has to be in order to pull off such dynamic performances.
While the performers headed off - probably to train some more - we headed to our hotel for a relaxing dinner, onsen and a star filled sky at the cosy Kuju Resonate Club, nestled in the foothills of the Kuju mountain range.
The next day began with a real bang as we had another taiko performance to enjoy. This time 3 drummers dressed only in fundoshi heralded the rising sun. What better way to start the day! Once the sun was safely in its place we headed off for a buffet style breakfast, a walk and horse riding before another amazing meal. This time at Kuju winery, complete with a complimentary wine tasting. The tour rounded off with one last performance by Drum Tao back at Tao no Oka on their famous open air stage overlooking the mountains of A*o.
There's a similar tour being held on Jan 23rd & 24th see info below:
1) Ultimate Journey 4,
January 23rd to 24th, 2024 (One-night and two-days tour)
https://select-type.com/p/?p=1jiZlaia0u8
2)DRUM TAO Premium Live Performance
January 23rd, 2024 (Live show event only)
https://x.gd/taopremiumlive
3)Sunset Bar & Live Performance
January 23rd, 2024 (Live show event only)
https://x.gd/sunsetbar
TAO Culture Promotion Foundation
[email protected]
TEL: +81-(0)974-76-0950
And if you'd like to visit Tao no Oka to see an unforgettable performance by Drum Tao performing at their open air stage you can! Afternoon performances are held from Friday to Monday every week from March 29th through to late autumn. The performance starts at 2pm and can be booked in advance through this link.
https://drum-tao.com/nature-theater/en/
Koushi Shi
Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto
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Every year I look forward to seeing the koi no bori at Tsuetate onsen. They will flying all month up to early May #kumamotophotospots #koinobori #kumamotoprefecture #tsuetateonsen #kumamotospring
Drum Tao is a dynamic world class taiko ensemble with a 30 year history based in the Kuju mountains at Tao no Oka in Oita, just a short drive from Aso and Kurokawa Onsen. From late March through to November, Fridays to Mondays they put on live performances at their stunning open air stage at Tao no Oka. The performance starts at 2pm and can be booked in advance through this link. https://drum-tao.com/nature-theater/en/ If you'd like to visit Drum Tao on a customised tour combined with either Kuju flower park, Mt Aso volcano or Kurokawa onsen, Nabegataki falls or somewhere else contact [email protected] #taikoperformance #drumtao #japanesedrums #kuju #taonooka #kujuwinery #kyushumusic #kyushuculture #oitatrip #kyushutrip #visitkyushu #explorekumamoto
Goodbye 2023! #takachihogorge #manaifalls #japanwaterfall #doublerainbow #kyushusightseeing #visit Kyushu #kyushutour #kumamotoguide #miyazakisightseeing #takachiho #explorekumamoto
Nabegataki Falls in winter #nabegatakifalls #oguni #kyushunature #kumamotowaterfall #kurokawaonsen #beautifulwaterfall #japanesewaterfalls #kyushuwintertrip #kumamototour
Winter in Aso #mtaso #asovolcano #asosnow #kumamototour #minus8c #visitkyushu #nakadakevolcano #minus8C
Aso shrine is finally rebuilt ! #asoshrine #kumamotoearthquake #aso #kumamoto #asosights
Einoo Shrine https://maps.app.goo.gl/EKhGypZACyuTBNc16 #toriigate #seashrine #toriigateinwater #kumamototour
Marigold field at Kuju flower park November 2nd 2023 #kyushuflowers #kujuflowerpark #visitkyushu #japanautumn #naturejapan #kumamotodaytrip #explorekumamoto #marigolds
Takachiho tour October 2023
Asobono Sato Kugino is a great place to stop in Minami Aso, to take in the beautiful views, enjoy some local foods, rent a bike, take your dog for a run, enjoy a game of gate ball, learn how to make soba noodles and now there are also flower fields to enjoy! Right now over 50,000 cosmos flowers are in bloom, in early spring there will be bright yellow nanohana and an expanse of sunflowers are planned for the summer #minamiaso #kumamotosights #cosmosflowers #autumninjapan #kyushuflowers #kumamoto #mtaso
Fishing experience on Utasebune traditional sail boats in Ashikita, Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan
Coming into my favourite season in Aso - autumn is here!! #asovolcano #nabegatakifalls #kumamotophotospots #kumamototour #kumamotosights #japanbestseason
Try, try and try again ! Yabusame at Aso shrine's Tami festival
The first sign of autumn in Japan - Higanbana
Gorogotaki Falls - Kumamoto's highest waterfall
Kumamoto's famous aqueduct - Tsujunkyo
Kikuchi Gorge - the coolest summer spot
