Kumamoto, Kyūshū Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Kumamoto (熊本市, Kumamoto-shi) is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto (熊本都市圏) is the wider metropolis. As of 2010, Kumamoto Metropolitan Employment Area has a GDP of US$39.8 billion. It is not considered part of the Fukuoka–Kitakyushu metropolitan area, despite their shared border.

The JR Kumamoto station provides rail links to Japan's extensive rail network. Fukuoka's Hakata station gives a direct high-speed rail link to Tokyo.

Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.

History Katō Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyō of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588. Afterwards, Kiyomasa built Kumamoto Castle. Due to its many innovative defensive designs, Kumamoto Castle was considered impenetrable, and Kiyomasa enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest castle-builders in Japanese history.

Edo period After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his son, Tadahiro, succeeded him. In 1632, Tadahiro was removed by Tokugawa Iemitsu and replaced with the Hosokawa clan. Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the third lord of Kumamoto, was the patron of the artist and swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

Meiji period The current administrative body of the City of Kumamoto was founded on April 1, 1889.

Showa period On July 1, 1945, near the end of World War II, Kumamoto was bombed in an Allied air raid that destroyed one square mile, which was 20% of the city's area.

After WWII After the war, the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii decided to construct a Peace Pagoda atop Mount Hanaoka in the city to commemorate all those lost in war and to promote peace. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 Peace Pagodas built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.

Heisei period On February 1, 1991, the towns of Akita, Kawachi, Tenmei, and Hokubu (all from Hōtaku District) were merged into Kumamoto. On October 6, 2008, the town of Tomiai (from Shimomashiki District) was merged into Kumamoto. On March 23, 2010, the town of Jōnan (also from Shimomashiki District) and the town of Ueki (from Kamoto District) were merged into Kumamoto.

A series of earthquakes struck the area beginning April 14, 2016, including a tremor with moment magnitude 7.1 early in the morning of April 16, 2016.

Geography Since April 1, 2012, Kumamoto has five wards (ku): 1 Kita-ku 北区; 2 Nishi-ku 西区; 3 Chuo-ku 中央区 (administrative center); 4 Higashi-ku 東区; 5 Minami-ku 南区.

Surrounding municipalities Kumamoto Prefecture • Uki • Kikuchi • Tamana • Uto • Yamaga • Kōshi • Mashiki • Kōsa • Kashima • Kikuyō • Mifune • Gyokuto.

Transport Local public transport is provided by the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau.

Transport: Air Kumamoto Airport is located in nearby Mashiki.

Transport: Rail High-speed rail On March 12, 2011, work on the shinkansen (high-speed bullet train) network was completed, establishing a direct high-speed rail link to Tokyo via Fukuoka's Hakata station: Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) • Kyushu Shinkansen: Kumamoto Station; Conventional lines The JR Kumamoto station provides rail links to Japan's extensive rail network: Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) • Kagoshima Main Line: Tabaruzaka - Ueki - Nishizato - Sōjōdaigakumae - Kami-Kumamoto - Kumamoto - Nishi-Kumamoto - Kawashiri - Tomiai - • Hōhi Main Line: Kumamoto - Heisei - Minami-Kumamoto - Shin-Suizenji - Suizenji - Tōkai-Gakuen-mae - Tatsutaguchi - Musashizuka - Hikarinomori; Kumamoto Electric Railway • Kikuchi Line: Kami-Kumamoto - Kankanzaka - Ikeda Station - Uchigoshi - Tsuboigawa-kōen - Kita-Kumamoto - Kamei - Hakenomiya - Horikawa - • Fujisaki Line: Kita-Kumamoto - Kurokamimachi - Fujisakigū-mae

Tramways Trams run to a few suburbs near the downtown area. Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau.

Transport: Bus A large bus terminus, called the Kotsu Centre, provides access to both local and intercity destinations.

Taxi Several local taxi companies serve the Kumamoto metropolitan area and are the only 24-hour public transport in the city.

Transport: Road Expressways • Kyushu Expressway; Japan National Route • Japan National Route 3 • Japan National Route 57 • Japan National Route 208 • Japan National Route 218 • Japan National Route 219 • Japan National Route 266 • Japan National Route 387 • Japan National Route 443 • Japan National Route 445 • Japan National Route 501.

Seaways • Port of Kumamoto; Ferry • Kyusyu Shosen: Kumamoto - Shimabara • Kumamoto-Ferry: Kumamoto - Shimabara • Korean Marine Transport: Kumamoto - Busan.

Education: University • Kumamoto University • Prefectural University of Kumamoto • Kumamoto Gakuen University • Sojo University • Kyūshū Lutheran College • Shokei College • Shokei Gakuin University • Tokai University.

Kumamoto Castle The city's most famous landmark is Kumamoto Castle, a large and once extremely well fortified Japanese castle. The donjon (castle central keep) is a concrete reconstruction built in the 1970s, but several ancillary wooden buildings from the original castle remain. The castle was assaulted during the Satsuma Rebellion and sacked and burned after a 53-day siege. It was during this time that the tradition of eating basashi (raw horse meat) originated. Basashi remains popular in Kumamoto and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in Japan, although these days it is usually considered a delicacy.

Within the outer walls of Kumamoto Castle is the Hosokawa Gyobu-tei, the former residence of the Higo daimyō. This traditional wooden mansion has a fine Japanese garden located on its grounds.

Religious sites The first of many peace pagodas around the world was erected by Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii atop Mount Hanaoka beginning 1947. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the first of over 80 built by Fujii and his followers all over the world.

Kumamoto is also the location of Takahashi Inari Shrine and Fujisaki Hachimangū.

Suizenji area Kumamoto is home to Suizen-ji Jōju-en, a formal garden neighboring Suizenji Temple approximately 3 km south-east of Kumamoto Castle. Suizenji Park is also home to the Suizenji Municipal Stadium, where the city's football team, Roasso Kumamoto, used to play regularly. The team now uses the larger KKWing Stadium in Higashi Ward.

Other notable sites Miyamoto Musashi lived the last part of his life in Kumamoto. His tomb and the cave where he resided during his final years (known as Reigandō, or "spirit rock cave") are situated close by. He penned the famous Go Rin no Sho (The Book of Five Rings) whilst living here.

The downtown area has a commercial district centred on two shopping arcades, the Shimotori and Kamitori, which extend for several city blocks. The main department stores are located here along with a large number of smaller retailers, restaurants, and bars. Many local festivals are held in or near the arcades.

Cultural venues include the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and Kumamoto Prefectural Theater.

Baseball • Hinokuni Salamanders of the baseball Kyusyu Asia League are based in Kumamoto.

Sport: Football • Roasso Kumamoto in J.League is the local football club.

Basketball • Kumamoto Volters of the basketball B.League are based in Kumamoto.

Volleyball • Forest Leaves Kumamoto of the Volleyball V.League (V2) are based in Kumamoto.

Sporting events The Kumamoto Castle Marathon is a yearly event in Kumamoto City. It was established in commemoration of Kumamoto becoming a designated city in 2012. The city also hosted the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship and the 2019 World Women's Handball Championship.