International Sports Tournament Special! Food&Service map
Teams from France, Uruguay, Wales, and Tonga are set to battle it out in Kumamoto as part of the Rugby World Cup 2019™, and so we put together a list of places where you can try some of the foods from each team’s country/region! We hope that both visiting rugby fans and locals will learn a bit about the world and try something new and delicious!
(Foods from each country/area include foods from the same region/continent)
Great for both shopping & dining!
（C）2010 kumamoto pref. kumamon #20348
The Kumamon IC Card is a prepaid card that is accepted on trams, buses, and electric railways within the prefecture, as well as participating restaurants and more. Spend money with your card to earn points that can be exchanged for shopping rewards.
Accepted by:
Sanko Bus Group
Kumamoto Dentetsu (bus/train)
Kumamoto Bus
Kumamoto Toshi Bus
Kumamoto Tram(no points awarded for tram)
Where to buy an IC Card
Available at the above bus/tram/train ticket desks, on-board (w/o personalization), participating shops (w/o personalization). Kumamon IC Card not available for purchase on trams. Price: ¥2000 (including ¥500 deposit).
Produced by: Kumamoto International Sports Promotion Office, Higo Bank, Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun With help from: Tokai University Kumamoto Campus
This project was planned by the Kumamoto International Sports Promotion Office, Higo Bank, and Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun
with interviews conducted by Tokai University Students! Let’s make sure the Rugby World Cup 2019™ is a huge success!
FRANCE
Rugby World Ranking 8th(as of 9/2)
Featuring their distinctive style of ‘champagne rugby’, France’s team is known for spreading its players out and passing the ball around to create stunning plays! Of course, nothing goes better with a match of French rugby than a glass of champagne!
（1）Taste the Seasons with Fresh French Cuisine
Assiette de Kimura／french
A popular eatery offering carefully prepared meals at reasonable prices. This dish features perfectly seared sous-vide Kumamoto Akaushi wagyu with fresh, thick-cut foie gras and figs from neighboring Uto. Customers in-the-know try to get window seats overlooking the castle walls and moat.
Healthy Akaushi wagyu seared til crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!
The grilled Kyushu chicken is cooked until crispy yet juicy and topped with a light and tangy sauce. The pasta tossed in an entire wheel of parmesan cheese is a treat both for the eyes and the mouth!
Assorted French cheeses ¥1,680, wine ¥250 & up (tax inc)
Joulium／european cuisine
Enjoy dishes made with local Kumamoto ingredients paired with wines starting at ¥250 (tax inc)/glass! Assorted cheeses, baguette, and some wine is the perfect post-match snack!
Uruguay is a Latin country in South America where Spanish is the common tongue and rugby and soccer are popular sports. Uruguay is also renowned for its beef and wine!
（4）Enjoy Mediterranean Delicacies
Lamb asado ¥1,000 (tax excl)
cocina uchida／dining bar
An eatery with an exotic atmosphere that features regular live music performances and cheerful staff who are always happy to chat and make you feel welcome. The most popular dish is sliced-to-order Jamón de Teruel cured ham, and the only thing that makes it even better is a glass of something nice to wash it down with!
A churrasco restaurant in a historical renovated Western-style house. Dinner is all-you-can-eat local Kumamoto beef, pork, chicken, and horse! The Texas-style American BBQ made once daily is also by itself worth the trip.
Wales is a country located to the east of England boasting a rugby team feared the world round. Famed also for its whiskies made from plentiful and delicious waters, Wales is also a big beer consuming nation.
（6）Rooftop Restaurant with Kumamoto Beers and a Beer-Loving Owner!
NY-Style Fish & Chips (full size) ¥1,580 (tax excl)
World Beer Terminal Kaen／beer hall
Offering 10 different beers on tap, including selections made by Kaen using local Kumamoto ingredients. And nothing goes better with a Kaen beer than some of their beer-batter fish & chips. This may be your only chance to try some beer from Kumamoto, so stop by and try a few!
［Open］ Mon-Thu, day before hol: 17:00-24:00, Fri & Sat 15:00-1:00, Sun & hol 15:00-24:00
［Closed］ Sunday
VISA/Mastercard/Amex/JCB/DINER/UC/DC
（7）Get fired up with whiskies & beers from around the world!
Guinness-stewed beef ¥790 (tax excl)
CELTS／Pub
Popular for its fish & chips, shepherd’s pie, and Guinness-stewed beef, made with slow cooking beef in demiglace sauce and Guinness beer until tender and flavorful. Planned to offer viewings of Rugby World Cup 2019™matches, so come enjoy a pint and a match!
Tour Plaza Kamitori is a comprehensive support desk for foreign visitors. Staff who speak Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean are always on duty. If you need tourist info or have any other problems, come here and we’ll help!
Information booths are located at 4 points in the downtown area offering info on events in the area, directions, and restaurant/shop information. Each booth will have English-speaking assistants on-call, so feel free to stop by if you have a question!
Dates available:
10/5 (Sat), 6 (Sun), 12 (Sat), 13 (Sun)
Info on Aso & North Kumamoto
Aso is one of Kyushu’s top tourist spots and boasts absolutely magnificent scenery. Take a trip to the northern side of the prefecture for some tasty food and a museum dedicated to Japan’s first marathon runner!
（A）Minamiaso Holiday Park
A great new place in Minamiaso to discover new goods, people, and activities
This complex was built on a hilly area surrounded by trees just to the right of the Tawarayama Tunnel entrance to Minamiaso. The 10,000-square meter site has a farmer’s market with fresh vegetables and souvenirs from all over the prefecture as well as a buffet restaurant where you can enjoy meals made with locally grown produce. Minamiaso Holiday Park is also a popular spot because it boasts great views overlooking the peaks of Mt. Aso. Be sure to visit a few of the tasty restaurants here and don’t miss the Jionga Hero Show!
Left: “We want you to buy, eat, play, and completely enjoy your holiday,” says Mr. Sato, in charge of Public Relations. Live concerts and other events are also held throughout the year. Right: Catch the Jionga Show held 3 times/day (on weekends & holidays)
Minamiaso Holiday Park
Address:3480-1 Kain, Minamiaso TEL: TEL 0967-65-8466 Hours: Farmer’s Market 9:00-18:00 Restaurant 11:00-16:30 (Closes at 17:00 on holidays, last entry 30 min before closing) (Some dining facilities have different hours) Open Year-Round Price: Buffet ¥1500 (JHS students and older, weekends & holidays ¥1800), Seniors over 65 ¥1200 (weekends & holidays ¥1400), 3yo to elementary school ¥700 (weekends & holidays ¥800), under 3 free URL:https://holiday-park.jp/
（B）Aso Adventure Trucks
These treaded Adventure Trucks make their debut in western Japan on top of Mt. Aso! Feel all the ups and downs of the rough terrain as you take in the mountain air, explore the wilderness of Aso, and marvel in its natural beauty. Tell us you saw us in Spice and we’ll throw in the extra tour option for free!
Read Buddhist texts and enjoy authentic Buddhist vegetarian cooking at this temple cafe born out of the wish to bring Buddhism closer to more people. Lunches prepared by temple master Ms. Kosho are limited to 10 meals a day by reservation. Come spend a special time in this 100-year old renovated old farmhouse.
This is where you can experience the world of the Taiga drama Idaten. In response to part 2 of the drama having started, some of the exhibition contents were renewed in July. The contents of the exhibition can also be enjoyed by those who have already visited, with panels for new personalities who appear in the drama and changes to the theater footage having been made.
Below are spots in Amakusa and southern Kumamoto where you can experience the sparkling blue Ariake and Shiranui Seas and Kyushu’s mountainous areas carpeted in deep green foliage.
（A）Tri-religion Goshuin in Sakitsu
The world’s first red ink stamp booklet to commemorate World Heritage registration
Goshuin are stamps you can purchase from shrines and temples you visit, but Sakitsu is the first to offer them for three different religions. These booklets were issued in commemoration of Sakitsu Village being registered as a World Heritage site last year. In Amakusa, the Shikoku- pilgrimage-esque Tour of 88 Sacred Sites in Amakusa, which was revived five years ago and now visits local churches and shrines, is truly unique to the Amakusa area. The goshuin booklet is drawing attention in Christian circles, as it is the world’s first Christian stamp for a religion that traditionally has no goshuin culture.
Left: Rare trifold goshuin booklet with three stamps (red is currently sold out). As well as those shown in the photo, there is also a ¥2,100 commemorative edition to mark the new Reiwa era (new Imperial era beginning May 1, 2019). Right: You can get a red ink stamp at Fuoken.
The seas of Ashikita are famous for Utasebune, a traditional fishing boat unique to the area, and the fishermen’s wives cook fresh seafood meals caught on the boats. Ebian specializes in ashiaka shrimp and ishi shrimp. The Ashiaka Shrimp Tendon (¥1,800) is a popular dish consisting of two ashiaka shrimp and fresh vegetable tempura topped with a tasty shrimp sauce.
Ashiaka shrimp may be unavailable due to weather, etc.
Itsuki is home to starry skies and the clear waters of the Kawabe River, and a new villa campground that lets you enjoy all this opened here this year in April. Enjoy glamping in our private villas, and indulge in a delicious Dutch oven-prepared meal at Keiryu Grill. The Forest Playground features a bouldering space, dog park, and hammocks and is available to day visitors as well.
Boating down the swift rapids of the Kuma River in a wooden boat dates back more than 100 years. A new boat was introduced this year that was designed by renowned designer Eiji Mitooka and is easier for people with physical disabilities to ride. The boat is painted in a traditional lacquer and is a thing of beauty on the water.
Address:333-1 Shimoshinmachi, Hitoyoshi City TEL:0966-22-5555 Departure times: 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 (depends on season) Closed: No set schedule Price: Seiryu course (about 50 min) for JHS students and up: ¥3,000 *Extra charge of ¥500 if you wish to ride the new boat. ES students: ¥1,600, kids >3 years old: ¥1,000, kids <3 years old: free URL:https://www.kumagawa.co.jp/
All the Best Kumamoto Info in One Single Site
The Kumamoto Prefecture Official Kumamoto Tourism Guide
All visitors to Kumamoto, whether from within Japan or from overseas, need information on sightseeing, food, and accommodations, and the Official Kumamoto Tourism Guide is your one-stop-shop for all this info and more. Visit this site to help make the most out of your time in Kumamoto.
From sightseeing info to useful tips, this website has all you need to make your stay fun and rewarding.
（1）5-Language Support
In addition to Japanese, the Kumamoto Tourism Guide is available in English, Chinese, Korean, German, and French! Chinese is available in both traditional and simplified, meaning visitors from all different countries can find out information useful for their stay in Kumamoto.
（2）Info on Sightseeing, Accommodations, Souvenirs and More, All in one Site!
The Kumamoto Tourism Guide site features useful information on sights, food, souvenirs, activities, and more. Information is organized conveniently so that you can search by what you want to see, eat, or buy and find what you want quickly and easily.
Under the Kumamoto Gourmet section, recommended shops are listed for each famous Kumamoto dish, so you can find exactly where to go to get the meal you want!
（3）Recommended Tour Routes to See the Best Sights
Featuring a wide variety of routes, from ones that show off all the popular spots, to others that bring you to the most photogenic locations, and more!
We’ve come up with a number of recommended routes to tour Kumamoto, with an emphasis on efficiency and showing you the best sights and things to eat, etc. We’ve got single-day courses as well as ideas for 2-day 1-night and even 3-day 2-night trips throughout Kumamoto Prefecture.
（4）Lots of Useful Info to Help You on Your Travels!
The Kumamoto Tourism Guide puts all kinds of info to make your trip easier right at your fingertips. Tourist info centers, volunteer guides, Wi-Fi spots, car and bicycle rentals, directions and more are organized based on different areas in the prefecture so you can find out what you need, when you need it.
（5）For When You’re Low on Time and Need Some Quick Info… (in Japanese only)
Look for this button!
If you’ve ever found yourself in the conunundrum of wanting to find something out quick but don’t have time to read through long webpages, the Kumamoto Tourism Guide offers quick 5-minute primers on interesting parts of Kumamoto. Learn about Kumamoto’s culture and traditions, food and hot springs, that loveable mascot Kumamon, and more!
【Rugby World Cup 2019 SPECIAL EDITION】WELCOME TO KUMAMOTO!
