Family Days Out in Kumamoto

Aug 30, 2024

Family Days Out in Kumamoto

Located in the north of Japan’s Kyushu region, Kumamoto prefecture has a rich culture and plenty of affordable attractions if you’re looking for a day out that all the family can enjoy. From fun outdoor activities to educational experiences, here are a few great destinations if you’re looking to keep kids occupied while having a good time yourself.

Kumamoto Castle

This beautiful 17th century hilltop castle in the city center is one of Kumamoto’s most notable attractions and one of the best castle experiences in Japan. It only reopened to the public in 2021 after the devastating 2016 earthquake. The impressive size of the structure, abundance of artifacts on display and surrounding hilltop views of the city gives the castle a fairytale-like quality, making it a great place for kids. There are also many family-friendly events throughout the year.

Website: https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/en/

Kumamoto Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Anything involving animals is usually a winner with kids. Fortunately, Kumamoto has a nice little zoo that is located fairly centrally, close to Lake Ezu. It’s actually a zoo plus botanical gardens so you can spend a good few hours here checking out both animals and plants. There are approximately 120 creature species here including giraffes, lions, elephants and golden snub nose monkeys. The botanical gardens include a traditional Japanese garden area as well as a giant greenhouse containing tropical and subtropical flowers. Entrance to both is only 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for kids. There is also a small amusement park with rides including a ferris wheel, pirate ship and monorail (small additional costs apply).

Website: Kumamoto Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Sakae Dori (Sakae Street)

Right in the middle of downtown Kumamoto, Sakae Dori is one of the city’s night-time hubs. However, besides the bars and live music venues along this huge arcade there is a wide variety of shops and food stalls where you can wander around for hours. The most exciting thing for kids is the store dedicated to Kumamon, the popular Kumamoto mascot. If you’re lucky, you might see it greeting tourists outside.

Mifune Dinosaur Museum

One of Kumamoto’s lesser-known attractions but a superb one for kids as it’s dinosaur-related. The museum is in the town of Mifune, where a number of dinosaur fossils have been unearthed since the late 1970s. It opened in 1998 and houses an impressive 19,000 items. Children can also try out excavation activities onsite and learn more about dinosaurs and the town’s history. There are a number of dinosaur statues to see around the town if you want to make a day of it. Entry is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for kids.

Website: https://mifunemuseum.jp/

Sweet-making at Tenmeido

Tenmeido is a traditional Japanese sweet shop in Kawashiri town where you can not only buy hand-crafted sweets but also learn how to make them from a wagashi master with over 40 years’ experience. Wagashi are beautiful artistic sweets designed to look like things such as tiny flowers or fruit pieces. At this hour-long session, you will get to make the nerikiki wagashi often served at Japanese tea ceremonies as well as taste some sweets with a cup of matcha tea. The workshop costs 5,500 yen per person and is suitable for anyone aged 5 and above.

Website: https://www.kitagawa-tenmeido.com/en/company

pelican from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons