This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 12:19 meet @Kumamoto Station Shinkansen Exit (originally scheduled to arrive at 11:41, but they took a later train)
- 12:50 Sakura no Baba Josaien Eating while walking around the food stalls
- 13:30 Kumamoto Castle
- 15:00 Suizenji Jojuen Garden
- 15:50 Yusuitei
- 16:20 Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center
- 17:40 Disband @Kumamoto Station Amu Plaza
What Is a Private Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Garden Tour Like for Cruise Passengers? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests had arrived by cruise ship, and because immigration took longer than expected, the tour started at 12:19. The group had great physical stamina and did not mind the many stairs at Kumamoto Castle or the very hot weather, so the tour proceeded quickly and we were able to make up for the 30-minute delay. They were a wonderfully close group and truly lovely people. Some of the guests loved animals and happily fed the carp and turtles at Suizenji Garden. It was the kind of group that made me feel happy just to be with them.
Click here for more details: Kumamoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Free Pass | Kumamoto Station～Sakura no Baba Josaien | 800JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Shiyakusho-mae～Suizenji Koen-mae | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Suizenji Koen-mae～Shiyakusho-mae | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Kenritsu Bijutsukan Bunkan-mae～Kumamoto Station-mae | 0JPY |
| Total | 800JPY | ||
In 2016, I obtained the National Guide Certification and have been guiding mainly tours in Kumamoto City, but also in neighboring areas such as Aso, Takachiho, and Unzen. I have learned a lot from guiding and have had the invaluable experience of interacting with guests from many different countries. I love being a guide and also I think guiding job is physically wonderful because it is based on walking. I am interested in history, especially samurai culture. In Kumamoto, you can see the footprints of the castle lords, the Kato and the Hosokawa families. The Kato family is famous as strong warlords, while the Hosokawa family is famous as intellectuals who developed the culture of the samurai. Also, Kumamoto is one of the few cities in the world where all water is supplied by groundwater. Please enjoy Kumamoto’s history, culture, and water.
Mar 27, 2025
AnaBelenGP11
Wonderful MEIKO!
Tripadvisor review: Kumamoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We have the best time with MIEKO at Kumamoto. She…
Mar 27, 2025
AnaBelenGP11
Wonderful MEIKO!
Tripadvisor review: Kumamoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We have the best time with MIEKO at Kumamoto. She contact me to explain the best options to get from my cruise to Kumamoto. We visit Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Gardens. At Kumamoto Castle she suggest to rent ninja customs for my kids. Inside the castle she explain everything really nice. In Suizenji gardens she take us the best pintures and explain the Sakura Season.
Mar 5, 2025
lsmilburn2019
Such a knowledgeable guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kumamoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mieko was an incredible guide. I feel very…
Mar 5, 2025
lsmilburn2019
Such a knowledgeable guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kumamoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mieko was an incredible guide. I feel very fortunate that we got to spend a half day her. Her knowledge of Shoguns, emperors, Samurai, and Kumamoto is amazing! I always have about 1000 questions, and she knew the answers to 99% of them! She was also very receptive to customizing our tour to address our requests. I cannot recommend her more!
Nov 25, 2024
L
Lori_T
Mieko is Ichiban! The best guide for Kumamoto<3<3
Viator review: Kumamoto Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mieko was such a wonderful guide! She took our interests into consideration and showed us a special Shinto temple and let us drink from the "long life" spring. She also explained how to do a Shinto prayer and took us for a walk where the gods lived. We had lunch at the perfect place–we wanted to eat good seafood–the seafood was fresh and the service fast and friendly. The fresh grilled scallops were the best I've tasted. Also, we got to try horse sashimi which is a specialty of Fukuoka I think. It was very good. We also toured Kumamoto Castle and the surrounding areas. We ended the tour at a restaurant that served the Kumamoto Wagyu special beef–from black cows! I'd highly recommend having Mieko guide you!
Aug 15, 2024
Kris_F
Kumamoto with guide Mieko is a must!
Viator review: Kumamoto Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My family had the most…
Aug 15, 2024
Kris_F
Kumamoto with guide Mieko is a must!
Viator review: Kumamoto Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My family had the most wonderful time in Kumamoto with our special guide, Mieko. She knows he city inside and out as she guided us through castles, markets, museums and beautiful parks.
Mieko was so easy to understand and at every moment was finding some fun and informative piece of information to share with us about Kumamoto.
She is a guide you must have if you are to ever visit.