Kumamoto 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle

Discover the proud castle town of Kumamoto on this private, fully guided day tour with a licensed guide and a private vehicle and driver. The centerpiece is mighty Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's three great castles, famed for its black keep and steeply curved stone walls built by the warrior-lord Kato Kiyomasa. Your guide brings to life its history and its recovery from the 2016 earthquake, and you can pay respects at nearby Kato Shrine and the hillside temple of Honmyoji, where the lord is enshrined. Beyond the castle, wander the Edo-style streets of Sakuranobaba Josaien to sample local flavors such as basashi, and find calm in Suizenji Jojuen, an exquisite strolling garden recreating the Tokaido road in miniature. Visit a refined samurai residence and atmospheric shrines that reveal the city's deep samurai heritage. Because this is a private tour, the pace and itinerary flex around your interests, making it easy to enjoy the best of Kumamoto in a single day.