구마모토 여행 EP.1: 여기가 진짜 일본 소도시 로컬의 맛과 멋 ✨

This is Haneda Airport. I’ve taken a few days off and planned a trip to Kumamoto. In Japan, June has no holidays except for weekends, so it tends to be a rather boring time of the year. That’s exactly why people take time off and go on trips. It’s just before summer starts, so it seems like a good season for traveling, but since it’s also the start of the rainy season, planning a trip isn’t easy. It’s my first time visiting Kumamoto, which makes it even more exciting! All right, let’s go! Kumamoto is located in the center of Kyushu, where Fukuoka is also located. It’s about 870 kilometers from Tokyo, roughly a 1.5-hour flight. We’re about to arrive in Kumamoto, known as the “Land of Fire.” Why is it called the “Land of Fire”? Because Mount Aso, an active volcano, stands in Kumamoto Prefecture! I’ve arrived at Aso Kumamoto Airport. Even the airport’s name includes “Aso,” so you can imagine the influence. But that’s not all — Mt. Aso is also home to abundant, clear spring water. This spring water is essential to the lives of Kumamoto’s residents and helps create fertile land that grows delicious agricultural products. For that reason, Kumamoto is also known as the “City of Water.” There are several ways to get into the city from the airport, but I’ll be heading there directly by limousine bus. Next to the bus stop is an unmanned ticket machine. You can buy a ticket from the machine like this, or just tap your credit card when you board the bus. The limousine bus takes about 40 to 60 minutes to reach the city, and I’m going all the way to the terminal called “Sakuramachi.” I’ve arrived. This terminal is part of a large commercial complex — it’s huge! And who’s here to welcome me? It’s Kumamon. You’ve seen this cute bear character before, haven’t you? He’s the official mascot and tourism ambassador of Kumamoto Prefecture. Many cities create their own local mascots for marketing, right? There are countless local mascots across Japan. Many become popular for a while and then are quickly forgotten, but Kumamon is on another level… He continues to hold the top spot among local mascots and is beloved not only in Japan but around the world. Outside the building is Hanabata Plaza. It’s a grassy open space in front of the complex, and right now, a Taiwan Fair is being held. I looked it up — seems like this is a common place for markets and events. Sakuramachi is also connected to a covered shopping arcade, with lots of commercial buildings nearby like Tsuruya Department Store, forming a large shopping district. Over there, you can see the Sun Road Shinshigai shopping arcade. And there it is — a charming streetcar with real old-fashioned vibes. Isn’t this retro-style tram so lovely? It kind of reminds me of the streetcars in Sapporo… I booked a hotel close to Sakuramachi. It’s always more convenient to stay near downtown areas. Here’s Kumamon again! (lol) In the lobby, I saw a traditional Kumamoto toy. When you pull the string, it sticks out its tongue and flips its eyes to surprise people — it’s called “Ghost Kinta” a traditional puppet. Also, since Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the manga One Piece, is from Kumamoto, you’ll often see things related to One Piece during your trip. After dropping off my luggage at the hotel and taking a short rest, I headed back out. Ah, the streetcars are really beautiful. I stopped by the Taiwan Fair venue I passed earlier. As evening approaches, more and more people have started to gather. Even on the rooftop garden—there’s Kumamon! So cute. It seems there are quite a few Taiwanese people living in Kumamoto. That may be partly due to geographical proximity, but also perhaps because of the TSMC factory located here in Kumamoto. Now then, shall we go explore the arcade shopping street? It’s connected to other arcades too, so it’s quite a large area. One of the must-try specialties when visiting Kumamoto is horse meat. Especially raw horse meat, known as basashi, is very famous. There are so many horse meat restaurants, you’ll see their signs almost every block. Also, because Kumamoto has clean water and abundant groundwater, its sake—particularly shochu—is very well known. A glass of shochu with basashi? Ahh, perfect! Haha. Maybe that’s why people in Kumamoto are known to love their drinks. And then there’s Kumamoto ramen. Rich pork bone broth with sizzling garlic oil! One bite and you’ll be hooked—it’s addictively good! Then there’s Taipien, a dish originating from Fujian, China. It’s a soup with clear broth, filled with seafood, vegetables, and glass noodles. Also famous is the Akaushi, or “red beef,” raised in Kumamoto. You can enjoy it in a rice bowl called akaushi-don, or savor it as grilled red beef—both are must-tries. Other local specialties include karashi renkon, spicy stuffed lotus root, and hitomoji no guruguru, a dish similar to Korean green onion rolls— these local delicacies are truly amazing! Absolutely delicious! This is Shimotori Arcade, which seems to be the liveliest shopping street. And nearby, there’s a large department store. It’s Tsuruya Department Store, one of the most well-known in Kumamoto Prefecture. This is their main branch. You can even see Kumamoto Castle. Across the main street to the north is the Kamitori Arcade. There’s a shop here that claims to be the origin of Kumamoto ramen. Its soup blends pork and chicken broth, which defines Kumamoto ramen, and it’s one of the “Three Great Kumamoto Ramen Originals,” in business for over 70 years. The arcade ends here, but the shopping streets still go on for quite a distance. I strolled around, looking at everything, then started heading back the way I came. Perhaps because there are many Taiwanese people here, you also see a lot of Taiwanese restaurants. This is another shopping street, but it has a somewhat Chinese atmosphere to it. You can even see a shop specializing in aged beef, though this one is not akaushi but Kuroge wagyu—black-haired wagyu beef. Looks like they also have horse meat dishes on the menu. Wow, basashi! It really whets the appetite. This shopping street is called “Kagomachi Street.” It’s located near Kumamoto Castle and was once a gathering place for rickshaw pullers. It seems that’s where the name comes from. Oh! Is that a truck? It startled me for a second, but when I looked closely, it was just a truck advertising roasted sweet potatoes. I didn’t know roasted sweet potatoes were advertised like this! (laughs) Also, there are lots of bikers here, which you don’t see as often in Tokyo. They took some photos and then rode off again. Now then, it’s about time to head to dinner. We made a reservation at a place where you can enjoy Kumamoto’s local cuisine and basashi. I had it booked in advance. Karashi Renkon—mustard lotus root. It’s a traditional dish made by stuffing lotus root holes with mustard miso and deep-frying it. Hitomoji Guruguru. It tastes a lot like a Korean-style scallion wrap dish! (laughs) Alright, here comes the basashi platter. Horse meat is known for its clean flavor without any strong smell. This one here is the horse’s heart, called “shinzō.” The chewy texture is amazing. It goes perfectly with sesame oil. This white meat here is from the base of the mane, around the neck. It pairs excellently with shochu! Futaego is a part of the horse’s belly that has three layers of meat. You can enjoy it with ginger, garlic, or onion, depending on your preference. And shimofuri is the marbled cut with fat throughout. This meat can be taken from several parts of the horse. It tastes amazing with sweet, thick soy sauce—Kyushu-style soy sauce. The flavor matches perfectly and is absolutely delicious. Since Kumamoto is near the sea, it also has an abundance of fresh seafood. This cutlassfish, caught near the Kumamoto coast, is one example. It’s so tasty! There’s also mozuku seaweed. It has a refreshing acidity and a clean taste. This is Hinomoto Buta, a premium brand of pork from Kumamoto. It’s grilled and eaten like samgyeopsal, Korean pork belly, but instead of a metal grill, it’s cooked on a ceramic plate. Raised carefully in the clean air and water of Mt. Aso, it has no odor, and the fat is rich in flavor and aroma. That’s probably why it tastes even better! (laughs) This soup that came with the rice is dago-jiru. It’s like a Japanese-style miso soup with dumplings. In the local dialect, dumplings or “dango” are called “dago.” There’s also a stir-fried rice dish made with pickles. The balance of saltiness and spice is just right and so tasty. Since it has these “dago” dumplings, that’s why it’s called dago-jiru, right? And just like that, we fully enjoyed the first day of our trip! Today, we’re heading to Mt. Aso. First, we’ll take the streetcar to Kumamoto Station, and then go pick up the rental car we reserved. This is the streetcar stop in front of JR Kumamoto Station. The Kumamoto streetcars are nicknamed “Kumamoto Shiden.” This retro vibe is so charming! It matches perfectly with the cityscape of Kumamoto and adds a unique charm. We’ve come to the other side of the station. Even though it’s a holiday, I thought I heard children’s voices— —and there it was, an elementary school. And then I saw this Kumamon logo. Wow, Kumamon really is everywhere, isn’t he? Haha. Alright, time to pick up our rental car— —and off we go! We’re now around the Sakuramachi area. As we drive, we keep seeing the streetcars passing by like this. You really run into them quite often. If you stay here for two days, you might even see every design they have. It’s about 40 kilometers to Mount Aso, but we’ll make a quick stop at a service area along the way. This is “Michi-no-Eki Ōzu.” The guidebook says they have many local specialties here. But what surprised me even more— —was the “Biker Shrine” in one corner of the area. It seems this route is popular among motorcyclists. I’ve never seen a shrine like this before! Haha. The ema plaques have written wishes for safe travels. And inside the rest area where the local goods are displayed— —it seems like they’ve got just about everything Kumamoto is famous for. And once again, Kumamon is everywhere here too. I looked it up, and it turns out that Kumamoto Prefecture— —basically doesn’t charge any licensing fees to use Kumamon’s image. As long as it’s for promoting products or services from Kumamoto, anyone can use it for free! Maybe that kind of great policy is another reason why Kumamon is so beloved—not just because he’s cute. Now then, let’s hit the road again! It’s starting to drizzle a little. The forecast called for rain throughout our trip, but this much is still manageable. The road we’re driving on now is called the “Milk Road.” You can see wide grasslands and grazing cattle along the way, and perhaps it’s called that because it’s used to transport dairy from here. It follows the ridgeline of the Aso Outer Rim, and it’s extremely popular among people driving or touring on motorcycles, as it’s one of the best scenic routes in the area. It really is breathtaking! And now, we’ve arrived at— —the Nishiyunoura Viewpoint. This is also part of Mount Aso, which is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, and is called a double caldera. Let me explain slowly why it’s called a double caldera. The huge hollow-like terrain created by volcanic activity— —is called a caldera, right? (We’ve moved to another nearby viewpoint.) And within that volcanic caldera, a basin has formed— —and now, as you can see, towns and farmland have spread out across it. In other words, this whole area is a caldera formed by a massive volcano. Currently, around 40,000 people live within this caldera. Isn’t that amazing? Let’s head somewhere with an even better view. This is the sunrise viewpoint at Daikanbo. Earlier, I mentioned that many people live inside this giant caldera. As time passes, magma starts to rise again within this sunken caldera. The new magma erupts once more from the center of the caldera and accumulates. As a result, new peaks and small volcanic structures are formed. That crater over there in the distance is one of them. It’s a structure where a new volcano has formed inside a larger volcano. The place where you see smoke rising is the crater of an active volcano. That’s why Mount Aso is called a “double volcano.” Due to volcanic activity, the soil here is highly acidic. It’s said that large trees have a hard time growing in such soil. That might be why only grass grows so thickly here. Now, we’ll head over to the roadside station. This is the roadside station near the Daikanbo Observatory. It seems to be one of the tourist routes. There were also some Korean people on road bikes. Amazing! Riding this distance by bicycle… There’s a walking path above this roadside station, and if you go up this trail, you’ll reach the Daikanbo Observatory. This is said to be the best viewing spot in Aso. It’s located on the elevated outer rim of the caldera like this. “Daikanbo” means “a peak with a grand panoramic view,” just as the kanji suggests. It’s written that this is the best observatory to see the magnificent caldera of Mount Aso and the “Five Peaks of Aso.” I was curious what the “Five Peaks” are, so I looked it up. It refers to five mountains rising from within the Aso caldera. The tallest one is Takadake. Then there’s Nakadake, which still has an active crater today. And also Eboshidake, Kishimadake, and Nekodake. I think the biggest mountain we can see over there is Takadake. The weather isn’t very good, so it’s hard to see clearly, but the panoramic view is incredibly refreshing. I suppose you could say it’s overwhelming. In front of this beautiful and majestic scenery, you get this mysterious feeling of confronting yourself. Especially during autumn or winter at dawn, if the conditions are right, a sea of clouds can spread across the caldera, meaning you might be able to see a stunning ocean of clouds. Since the view is open in all directions, I think it’s also the perfect place to watch the sunrise or sunset. We’ve come down into a village inside the caldera for lunch. It doesn’t really feel like we’re inside a caldera, though. There’s a famous restaurant here that serves “Akaushi-don” (Red Wagyu Beef Bowl). And this is the place. The restaurant on the left called “Imakin” is very famous, but the wait time is long. The restaurant on the right has the same menu and a high rating on Google. I decided to go with the one on the right, called “Yamaichi.” This is the restaurant known for its Akaushi-don. Pickles are self-serve, and you can take as much as you like. I piled on a generous helping of pickles (laughs). “Akaushi” is a breed of cow raised on the vast grasslands of Mount Aso in Kumamoto. They’re raised through free-range grazing. This is the beef bowl made with Akaushi, and udon noodles with Akaushi beef. Then came a bowl of “Dago-jiru” (dumpling soup) as well. Compared to other Wagyu breeds, Akaushi has less fat and more lean meat, but it’s known for being very tender. I tried it with that in mind, and it really was tender. The udon soup had a taste kind of like Korean “Tteokguk” (rice cake soup), and it was delicious, of course. I felt like Akaushi has a very strong natural beef flavor. It was delicious till the very end—I finished it all beautifully! Thank you for the meal! Now, let’s head toward the very center of the volcano. Thanks for watching until the end! Be sure to catch the next episode too!

✈️ 일본 구마모토 여행 브이로그입니다!
도쿄 하네다공항에서 출발해 아소 쿠마모토 공항 도착!
사쿠라마치부터 아소산, 아카우시동 맛집까지—구마모토의 진짜 매력을 모두 담았어요.
1일차에는 사쿠라마치 아케이드 상점가, 화려한 야경과 함께 바사시 저녁식사 🍽️
2일차엔 노면전차 → 렌터카 → 미르크로드 → 아소산 → 대관봉까지 자연과 맛집 드라이브 🚗
구마모토 여행을 계획 중이시라면 이 영상 하나면 OK!
현지 맛집부터 숨겨진 명소까지 모두 소개합니다!
📍#구마모토여행 #일본브이로그 #아소산

📌 타임라인 (영상 하이라이트)
00:00 인트로
00:48 구마모토로 출발
02:04 아소 쿠마모토 공항도착
03:07 사쿠라마치 버스 터미널
06:23 하나바타 광장
07:17 아케이드 상점가 둘러보기
12:11 바사시와 향토요리 맛보기
15:10 노면전차를 타고 구마모토역으로
17:13 휴게소 오츠
18:42 밀크로드
19:37 니시유노우라엔치 전망대
20:13 아소 스카이라인 전망대
21:14 다이칸보 일출 뷰 스폿
24:06 다이칸보 절경
26:35 아카우시돈 점심

🍽 추천 맛집
Nana (Japanese Cuisine)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fxQ4Kp3YLwmKx7EWA
Meshino Yamaichi (Akaushidon)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AcbcSY6HxuKkA2p5A

📷 촬영 장비
카메라: Nikon Z6III
렌즈: TAMRON 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2
보조 촬영: iPhone 13

🎥 다른 여행 브이로그도 보러 오세요!
👉 도쿄 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCpIG2pAiieLNd16_4XI7wrf
👉 오사카 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCoTH7tZZhtDV2fQBlgzobDk
👉 오키나와 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCr44TOXdOJ_OqWcmVjl6345
👉 일본 추천 여행지: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCqvs-Y8jC5gYqJlRrnlu_tm
👉 대만 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCoEgcPnbbBSnG8IcsCsEsGl
👉 프랑스 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCr9NhuVC5YijSeQGfYhebir
👉 태국 방콕 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCpGEDuKGcPupGGTaL4EY4n8
👉 이탈리아 여행: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyI8QXTALJCrvuBAaDXZ2Jzr7dGVB5NnC

🎵 BGM 정보
사용 음악: Artlist 음원
가입 링크: https://artlist.io/LEE-3783075
(△ 링크를 통해 가입하면 추가 2개월 무료 혜택을 받을 수 있어요!)

😊 더 많은 일본 여행 꿀팁과 브이로그가 궁금하다면 구독과 좋아요 부탁드려요! 🧳💕
#사쿠라마치 #바사시맛집 #일본렌터카여행 #아카우시동 #구마모토맛집 #일본전통요리 #규슈여행 #밀크로드 #내마음의일본

41 Comments

  1. 요즘 여름이 되니까 뜨거운 일본이 생각나서 그리웠는데 영상보면서 미소짓게 되네요. 감사합니다 ♡

  2. 영상을 많이 기다렸는데요. 6월의 초록 초록한 날과 어울리는 지역을 여행하셨네요. 저도 구마모토 지역을 한 세 번 정도 갔는데, 날씨가 항상 악천후라서 아소산을 아쉽게 못갔던 기억이 납니다. 동영상에서 보이는 아소산 지역은 광활하면서 정말 아름다운 지역인 것 같은데 올려 주실 후속편으로 아소산 경치를 감상하는 것으로 위안을 삼아야겠어요. 오늘도 영상 잘 봤습니다. 감사합니다~!. 😀

  3. 아 너무나 멋진 영상, 이번엔 구마모토 가셨군요…. 좋은 곳이죠. 우리나라에선 보기 힘든 풍경, 아마도 백두산 근처의 개마고원에 가면 볼 수 있을 듯한 그런 풍경이랄까… 아소산 분화는 역사 전 파국분화 중 최대였다고 하네요. 칼데라가 40-20km 였나? 여튼 엄청난 분화로 우리나라 남한 지역에도 몇센치 이상 쌓였다는 거 같더군요. 10년전에 가족들과 캠핑장에서 보냈던 기억이 새록새록… 한여름 도시에선 40도에 육바하는 더위였는데 산 위 캠핑장 500 높이와 900 높이에서 잤는데 자다가 추워서 얼어 죽는 줄 알았습니다. 담요덮고 벌벌 떨면서 잤네요.
    다이칸보는 정말 멋진 정망을 선사하죠. 다시 가보고 싶은데… 이렇게 영상으로 보니 그떄 생각이 많이 나네요. 한여름엔 오후가 되면 상승기류가 생기면서 하루도 빠짐없이 소나기가 오더군요. 다이칸보 갔을 때는 갑자기 천둥번개가 쳐서 피신했다는… 캠핑장이 외륜산 근처의 구로카와 온천 근처라 온천에서 목욕하는 호사도 누렸죠. 좋은 시간이었습니다. 유명한 수원도 두군데인가 갔었는데 정말 깨끗한 물이 엄청나게 솟아나오더군요. 드넓은 방목지와 초지들, 그 옆에는 연기를 뿜어내는 화산, 아소산이 보여주는 특이한 풍경이죠. 기대됩니다, 다음영상.

  4. 오! 올해 겨울에 구마모토 여행 계획하고 있었는데 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 참고할게요. 고맙습니다!

  5. 20대에 일본으로 건너와서 40대가 될때까지 바사시를 못먹어 봤네요~
    아니… 생각해 보니 모스버거 조차 한번도 안 먹어 봤어요;;;

  6. 일본은 어느 도시를 가도
    인프라가 고르게 잘 갖춰줘
    있다고 느껴져요.
    저의 생애 첫 해외여행지가
    쿠마모토와 아소산 등이었어요.
    그때는 바사시 처음이라
    약간의 문화충격😅이..
    정겹고 반가운 영상 오늘도
    잘 보고 갑니다😊

  7. 구마모토 얼마전에 친구가 다녀왔는데
    너무 좋다고 강추 했거든요~~

    코스는 좀 다르지만 2편을 기대하면서
    메모장에 저장 합니다

    개인적으로 아소산은 꼭…가보고 싶네요
    이번주도 멋진영상 제 마음을 설레이게 하네요~~👍👍👍

  8. 오키나와에 이어서 오랜만에 일본 국내여행이네요 ㅎㅎ 올려주시는 영상 빼놓지않고 다 즐기고 있습니당 늘 감사드려요!!😊😊

  9. 도쿄 아라카와선이 생각나는 멋진 전차가 있는 구마모토군요~일본은 가고싶은 소도시가 너무 많네요. 주노스님과 함께 잘 걷고 먹고 구경했습니다 😊

  10. 11:51 일본에도 이런 라이더 민폐족이.. 있군요.. 사전에 지자체랑 협의하고 일정 금액 지불하고 사진 찍었을리는 없을테고..
    어쨌든 저의 최애 여행?워킹? 유튜버 주노스님 오늘도 잘 보고 갑니다. 난카이 대지진설 때문에 요새 일본은 조금 기피하게 되지만, 구독자 12명일 때부터 지금까지 쭉 너무 잘보고 있어요. 일본은 원래 많이 여행갔지만 이 채널 보다가 갑자기 땡겨서 비행기 끊은 적이 세 번은 되는 거 같아요.

  11. Another wonderful video of your travels in Japan, so very cinematic. You should be hired/paid by the local tourist boards to encourage tourism outside of Tokyo.

  12. 아소산 진짜 최고에요 계속 가고싶어지는곳…전 겨울에 한번, 여름에 한번 가봤는데 개인적으로 겨울이 더 좋았습니다 ㅎㅎ 가을~겨울에 황금들판이 보여요

  13. 현장감이 느껴지는 영상이네요 ㅎㅇㅎ 각종 차량 자연의소리가 너무 좋네요 🙂

  14. 初めまして。熊本へようこそ(*^-^*)
    懐かしい風景、馴染みの風景が情緒豊かに映し出されており嬉しく思います。
    素敵な動画をありがとうございます!

  15. 영상 잘봤습니다! 8월 달에 구마모토로 여행 일정 동안 비 소식이 있는데 흐리거나 비가 오는 날에 아소산에 가도 잘 보이지 않는다고 하던데 다녀오셨을 때 불편함이 없으셨나요??

  16. 一番緑が美しい季節の阿蘇にいかれて とても良かったですね🎉

  17. 주노스 님 여전히 아름다운 영상이네요~~
    잘지내시죠?
    요즘 일본 소도시 여행 중인데 구마모토는 아직이에요
    주노스님 영상 발판삼아 가봐야겠습니다^^
    늘 건강하시고요..!!!

  18. 地元の者ですが、映像が非常に美しく、また撮り方が上手くて街の魅力を最大に表現されていますね! 驚きました😮

    こんなに街を美しく撮影していただき感謝です!!✨✨✨😊✌️

  19. 사실 큐슈에 무슨 곰이 살았던 것은 아니고
    백제의 왕성을 고마성이라고 불렀던 것과 관련이 있지 않을까 싶어요

  20. 뚜벅이가 아소산이랑 가미시키미쿠마노자 신사 갈려는데 무리가 있을까요…?

  21. 영상 하나 하나가 정말로 전문가 수준 이네요
    정말로 멋진 장면들 감사 합니다.
    앞으로도 멋진 장면들 잘 부탁 드립니다. 감사

  22. 熊本に来てくださりありがとうごさいます✨
    東京も滞在されたのですか。
    次回は直行便を使うと羽田より近いし短時間で来れますよ😊