Surrounded by majestic mountains and cerulean seas, Amakusa is one of Kumamoto's true gardens of paradise. Comprised of about 120 islands of various sizes, Amakusa boasts breathtaking views. This article invites you to visit Amakusa by train, ferry and rental car. Why not spend a night and two days taking pleasure in the spectacular scenery, hot springs and gourmet delights that can only be found in Amakusa?

*To cooperate in preventing the spread of Covid-19, please check the latest information and requests released by Kumamoto Prefecture and local governments before visiting any of the following destinations. You are also asked to thoroughly follow basic infection prevention measures （the new travel etiquette）such as washing your hands, wearing a mask, and keeping a safe distance from other people.

・Amakusa Pearl Garden
・Spectacular Spot #1: Mount Takabuto Observatory
・Spectacular Spot #2: Kuratake Shrine
・Shimoda Onsen
・Spectacular Spot #3: Eight Views of Amakusa Sunsets

Photo / Courtesy of JR Kyushu

Your journey starts from Kumamoto City. First, you will board the limited express A Train, featuring a black and gold trim on a classic car body. This stylish train will head to Misumi Station, the gateway to Amakusa.

Photo / Courtesy of JR Kyushu

The guest rooms boast chic wooden interiors and vividly colored stained glass windows. These recall the churches of the Spanish and Portuguese cultures that were introduced to Amakusa in the 16th century. While taking in the coastal scenery, sit back and enjoy the 38-minute ride. (As of March 12, 2022)

■ JR Kyushu / Limited Express "A Train"
*For more details on fares and schedules, please visit the website below.
https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/trains/atrain/

Following the pleasant 38-minute train ride, you'll arrive at Misumi Station, with its impressive European-style retro exterior. Once you pass through the gate, you will be greeted by the ocean! It spreads out before you in a wide, open space. Just in front of the train station is Misumi Ferry Terminal, the next transfer point. Head there on foot. 

After arriving at the Misumi Port Ferry Terminal (called "Umi no Pyramid"), you will transfer to the Amakusa Takarajima Line, a regular service connecting the Misumi Port Ferry Terminal and Matsushima (Maejima) Port in Amakusa City. Since this line operates in connection with the limited express A Train, boarding is smooth and speedy. The line's popularity lies in its cruising ride, offering impressive views of Amakusa's Five Bridges, Unzen Fugendake Peak, and Amakusa's pine-covered islands, called Matsushima. (Travel time: approx. 20 minutes).

Tickets may be purchased directly on board, or included in plans with a JR ticket (the Limited Express "A Train"). Ticket sets are available on the JR Kyushu website above.

■ Amakusa Takarajima Line
*For more details on fares and schedules, please visit the website below.
https://www.seacruise.jp/teiki/

The Amakusa Takarajima Line arrives at Matsushima (Maejima) Port in the Maejima area of Amakusa City, a popular tourist resort. It is located next to the L'isola Terrace Amakusa complex, which offers everything from cafes with ocean views to local specialties and sundries, as well as the Amakusa Pearl Garden & Underwater Aquarium, Sea Donuts. This spot is recommended for both selecting souvenirs and having lunch. Relax and enjoy taking a break while feeling the pleasant sea breeze.

It's now 12 o'clock, you must be starving!
While a variety of gourmet dishes can be enjoyed on the premises, let's have lunch today at Donburi Tei Amanoya, a restaurant in Amakusa Pearl Garden specializing in seafood and tempura rice bowls.
 

From a menu of about 10 different rice bowls, you may try the Zeitaku Sanshoku Don (a lavish 3-bowl meal with a small side dish, miso soup, pickles, and dessert). This is all for 2,000 yen.
This lunch set includes Tendon, topped with tempura made from plump prawns and seasonal vegetables; Kaisen-don, featuring fresh seafood from Amakusa; and Steak-don, boasting tender meat with a perfect balance of sauces. It's a rare chance to taste all three rice bowls at once. At first, you may wonder if you can finish all of it, but the small size of each dish makes it so easy to eat. You might just polish it off in a few bites!

The chic yet relaxed ambience of the restaurant includes magnificent window views.

This trip is designed especially for seekers of spectacular scenery. To take in all the sights around the islands of Amakusa, renting a car is a must.
After lunch, head for Mio Camino Amakusa, a shopping complex near the ferry boarding area. You can rent a car at the Tourist Information Center in the facility. If vehicles are available they can be rented on the same day, but it is best to make reservations in advance.
 

Time to get in a cute blue car and take off!

■ For more details on renting a car, please visit the website below.
https://www.kyusanko.co.jp/miocaminoamakusa/rental/#car
Cars may be rented for 3 hours or more, and it costs 8,000 yen for 24 hours (there is an extension fee beyond that). *Excluding taxes

About 20 minutes from Amakusa's Maejima area, where Mio Camino Amakusa and Amakusa Pearl Center are located, you will reach 117-meter-high Mount Takabuto, nationally designated as a place of scenic beauty. At the end of a narrow mountain road, there is a parking lot, and the observatory is a 3-minute walk away.
The view from this location can only be described as incredible!

A panorama view spreads out from the high vantage point here.
In addition to the panoramic scenery of Mount Unzen and Amakusa's Matsushima pine islands, this location also overlooks the Five Bridges connecting all the islands of Amakusa. By the way, the sunset viewed from this vantage point has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Sunsets in Japan.

The next stop is a photogenic spot that has been getting attention on social networking sites lately. Rising 682 meters above sea level, Mount Kuratake, the highest point in the Amakusa Archipelago, has long been revered as a sacred mountain by Amakusa's people.
From the foot of the mountain, it's about a 20-minute drive. The road to the summit is narrow and steep. However, there is a parking lot just below the summit, so even if you're not confident in your physical strength, you can reach the top safely. After parking the car and climbing the stairs...

This is what awaits you, this spectacular view!
Walk through the Torii gate of Kuratake Shrine, where worshippers pray for safe voyages, and take in the 360-degree panorama that stretches beyond it. The calm waters of the Yatsushiro and Ariake Seas, along with the islands of Gosho-ura, spread out below you. While viewing this splendid scenery, let your whole body experience the magnificent nature of Amakusa!

Such exhilarating views will make you feel like spreading both of your arms out!
This Torii gate looks like it's floating in the sky, so it's called "Tenku no Torii". It just feels so good to be high up here!
 

The weather was fine on the day these photos were taken, so a whole panorama from Mount Unzen to Kirishima could be seen.

One more scenic spot awaits you on the first day, but first, why not check into a hot spring hotel to relieve your travel fatigue? This plan includes a stay at Shimoda Onsen on Amakusa's west coast, facing the Amakusa Sea.
Designated as a national recreational hot spring resort, the hot water temperature of this carefully chosen spa is 51 degrees Celsius. Shimoda Onsen boasts pure, natural hot spring water that is not boiled, diluted, or circulated.

There are currently over 10 hot spring inns at Shimoda Onsen. Among them, "Boyokaku" was selected for its ocean view facing the west coast of the Amakusa Sea.
There are various room types, including Japanese-style, Western-style, and cottages, but the ocean-side room stands out. In the photo, the horizon stretches as far as the eye can see when seated on the sofa by the window. Let time stand still as you listen to the pleasant rhythm of ocean waves lapping against the tetrapods.

These refreshing hot spring baths will entice you to take several dips during your stay, leaving your skin silky smooth! The popular Mirable shower head has also been installed here.
By the way, Shimoda Onsen is also known as Shirasagi (White Egret) Onsen. This name derives from a legend that hot water was discovered gushing from here as an egret was healing her injured wings.
 

(L) A total of 11 dishes were served for dinner that day, including four pieces of local Amakusa fish, an Amakusa Rosary Pork hot pot, and sea bream served fisherman's style on udon noodles with dashi broth. Satisfy your hunger pangs with cuisine centered on fresh seafood caught in the Amakusa Sea and other dishes that are locally produced for local consumption.
(R) At the restaurant, enjoy exquisite cuisine in an open space while watching the ocean. This is the venue for both dinner and breakfast.

Look at how big this is!
One advantage of staying at a local in is that you can order Amakusa Tenryo Iwa oysters grown in Reihoku, a town in Amakusa. Tenryo Iwa oysters, which are in season from spring to summer, are creamy but not fishy, and their taste overturns conventional wisdom. Whether or not you like oysters, your taste buds will be delighted with this delicacy.

The 4th floor also offers terrace seating. Here is one place to enjoy a panoramic view of the sunset on Amakusa's west coast, selected as one of the 100 Best Sunsets in Japan. Why not watch the moment the sun sinks into the horizon while wearing a cotton yukata robe, with a drink in hand?
Be sure to check out a mural on the terrace with trick art drawn by students of Kumamoto University's Faculty of Education.

The first day's last stop features one of Japan's most spectacular sights, the sunset over the west coast of Amakusa.
Dubbed the "Amakusa West Coast Sunset Line," the drive along Route 389 is dotted with many places that make ideal sunset viewing. While sunsets over the East China Sea vary by location and season, they always impress visitors with their beauty.
The 8 most outstanding views have earned the title of "Eight Views of Amakusa Sunsets". The scenic spots selected among the 100 Best Sunsets in Japan are also included, so after dinner at the inn, you must not miss out on it.

★Sunset over Shimoda 
(Shimoda-kita, Amakusa-machi, Amakusa-shi)
Located within walking distance from Shimoda Onsen, this spot offers an expansive 180-degree view of the coast. It was also chosen as one of the 100 Best Sunsets in Japan.

Courtesy / Amakusa Tourism Promotion Division

★Sunset over Jusanbutsu Park 
(Takahama-kita, Amakusa-machi, Amakusa-shi)
This park is on a hill overlooking views from Myoken-ura to Hakutsuru Beach. The stunning sunset turning the white beach sands red will take your breath away.

Courtesy / Amakusa Tourism Promotion Division

★Sunset over Ogase 
(Oe, Amakusa-machi, Amakusa-shi)
Watching the sun slowly sink behind Ogase, a group of reefs carved by the rough waves of the Amakusa Sea, is a truly magical moment. Also listed among the 100 Best Sunsets in Japan, the best season to visit here is fall through winter.

Courtesy / Amakusa Tourism Promotion Division

★Sunset over the Statue of Mary 
(Sakitsu, Kawaura-cho, Amakusa-shi)
See the sun set over a statue of Mary, who watches over the safety of the local fishermen as they navigate the seas. The best season to view this sunset is from fall to winter.

■ The other Eight Views of Amakusa Sunsets
★Sunset over Ogamise and Naruse 
(Sakitsu, Kawaura-cho, Amakusa-shi)
★Sunset over Oniki and Kuroishi 
(Oniki-cho, Amakusa-shi)
★Sunset over Tomiyama Park 
(Ushibuka-machi, Amakusa-shi)
★Sunset over the Komori Coast
(Ushibuka-machi, Amakusa-shi)
 

This concludes the first day of your Amakusa trip. Enjoy an evening soak in the hot springs and get a good night's rest at your lodgings. Part 2 will start tomorrow!

■The article on Part 2 of this tour is HERE