Kumamoto 熊本
Impressive castle town
Kumamoto (pop 750,000), the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture, is best known for its impressive castle, home to nearly 1000 cherry trees, making it a popular hanami spot in spring.
Reigandō is famous as the cave where the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645), who wrote ‘The Book of Five Rings’, a world renowned guide to swordsmanship and life, spent the last two years of his life.
The castle and city suffered serious damage in major earthquakes of April, 2016.
The city makes a good base for visiting other prefectural hotspots like Mt Aso and Kurokawa Onsen.