Finding Serenity in the Heart of Kyushu: Exploring Kikuchi

Earlier this year when the pink blossoms of Sakura were beginning to be replaced by summery green foliage, and the sun was shining with some semblance of warmth, we took a day trip to Kikuchi. The aim was to revisit Kikuchi Gorge, a place we had not been to in quite a few years. 

The last time we visited Kikuchi Gorge it was an offshoot of an Aso trip, as it's location is actually a bit closer to the Aso Caldera than it is to Kikuchi Town! This time though, with the shorter sightseeing days with our little girl, we opted to visit the town of Kikuchi itself for a spot of lunch before heading on to the Gorge.

Kikuchi Park

Kikuchi Town

Heading northeast from Kumamoto, our rental car's navigation took us on surprisingly narrow streets until we were out into the semi-countryside. Like many of the flat populated areas in Japan, they tend to either never end or you simply cannot tell when one town or city ends and the next begins. It was a little like that leaving Kumamoto in this direction. 

We saw the briefest stint of actual countryside just before we came over a rise that greeted us with a view of the entire district sprawled out in front of us, and it was quite something. The Town of Kikuchi was front and centre, with the plains extending west to Yamaga, and all with a backdrop of some ominous looking mountains.  Naturally I can't remember the road or where this was, nor did I stop to get a photo... I'll do better next time I promise!

Kikuchi town viewed from Kikuchi Park

Now I'll admit we did not explore enough of the Town or the region that includes nearby Yamaga to do it justice, but I got great vibes from Kikuchi. I use the word vibes as it's more a feeling than tangible things. 

It's a nice little town, quiet with just enough bustle to seem alive.

It's in a great location and setting, with the Kyushu mountains on the doorstep and nice views all around. I certainly got the feeling that it would be a nice place to live, but probably limited in opportunities to make a living, such is life.

The town has a population of around 46,000 according to Wikipedia. It is mostly known for Kikuchi Gorge, the remains of Kikuchi Castle, and its various onsen's. Google maps link is here

Kikuchi Park

Kikuchi Park

Upon arriving in Kikuchi we headed straight to Kikuchi Park. The Park is situated atop some small hills at the north end of town providing nice views. It's draw card though is that it is home to over 3,000 Cherry Blossom Trees! There are many walkways snaking in and around the hillside park making it a very tranquil and relaxing place for a walk or just some quiet contemplation. 

Torii gates at the entrance to Kikuchi Shrine and others.

Within the wider area of the park grounds you will find a number of shrines, a memorial park,  and sports fields. The area is very multi functional and popular with the locals as you would expect. 

I have been to a number of Japanese Parks now, including stunningly and carefully curated ones such as Suijenzi Jojuen in Kumamoto. Kikuchi park hits a bit different, with the heavy foliage and by virtue of being on some small hills it has that slight wilderness feel to it, which helps you feel that little bit more separated from the trials and tribulations of life. Having some great views over the town and the surrounding mountains doesn't do it any harm either!

Cherry Blossoms at Kikuchi park

At the foot of the hillside park you'll find Kikuchi City Square. Now it doesn't seem much of what you might envision for a City Square - there's a statue, a carpark, a sports field, a playground and a few buildings housing souvenir shops, some restaurants and tourist information. Those may or may not be of interest, but what I guarantee will draw you in is the long public foot bath. At all hours of the day you'll find people sitting around the bath with their feet soaking in the lovely hot water. There's a nice community feel around the bath as strangers would often strike up conversation with each other. I sat there for quite some time, resting my weary feet after the mornings walk before we headed off to find lunch.

Foot bath at Kikuchi City Square

We enjoyed a quiet lunch at a nice small restaurant called Chim Chim that seemed to be popular with the locals despite the town being a bit sleepy for a Wednesday lunchtime. With full stomachs we got back into the car (which was rather hot by this point) and headed off on the 20 minute drive following the Kikuchi River up into the mountains to the Gorge. Windows were rolled down and we enjoyed the cool breeze of the mountains. 

Kikuchi Gorge

Kikuchi Gorge

The gorge had been shut for quite some time. Even a year ago when we started doing our list of places to visit for this trip, Google maps said it was closed and every time I checked it was still closed.  This seems to be a regular occurrence due to the area being somewhat prone to landslides during periods of heavy rain.  The Gorge was closed for 2 whole years following the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, and that was due to the sheer time it took to clear the debris and make it safe again. Some of the enormous boulders in the river were not there before 2016, which is quite something when you see the size of them up close!

Visitor map of Kikuchi Gorge

Kikuchi Gorge is a 4km Gorge located in the hills to the north east of Kikuchi Town. The Kikuchi river flows from the mountains and the gorge, down to the plains and then out to sea. 

The Gorge is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with many waterfalls set amidst native forest. Much of the landscape and waterfalls in this area were as a result of eruptions from Mt Aso, dating back hundreds of thousands of years ago. The cold water is known for being not only very clean but also soft, almost completely devoid of any chemicals or minerals related to volcanic activity.  

There are four notable albeit small waterfalls in the gorge: Kakemaku Falls, Reimei Falls, Tengu Falls and Yonjusanman Falls. There are also a number of interesting pools and other features. For more details see the official website

When visiting the Gorge you'll most likely be travelling by car. A few hundred meters before the entrance to the Gorge you'll find a car park that requires a small fee of around 200 Yen. Once parked you'll need to walk up the road on the footpath until you reach the entrance. The Entry Fee is 100 Yen but small children are free. There is also a visitor centre where you can learn more about the area, find snacks or use the toilets.

Reimei Falls, Kikuchi Gorge

The gorge is a loop walk, with options of a 1km short loop and the 2km full loop. Cross the bridge from the start to take the trickier leg of the walk that although not difficult, requires you at least to watch where you are putting your feet most of the time. On this side of the river you'll have the best views of the various waterfalls and with ample opportunities to venture off the path and get closer to the river, particularly in the wide rocky areas with pools. Just a note though, swimming is not allowed, though you can sit with your feet in the cool water. 

Whether you are doing the short or full walk, a bridge will take you back across the river, where the path is essentially a nice smooth road under the shade of the forest, all the way back to the entrance.

Kikuchi Gorge really is a lovely place. I was disappointed with all of my photos and when I look back it's largely because of the time of year. Most of the forest is still very much brown from winter and there is not the luscious greens you would expect to see a bit more into the spring months so bear that in mind when choosing when to visit.  I can imagine that soaking your feet in the cool pools would be quite blissful in the height of summer too!

In Closing

Kikuchi Gorge, and the town that lends it it's name are a bit out of the way for a lot of travelers, and so tends to be more popular with domestic tourists than foreign. 

It's not far out of the way, but awkwardly in-between common routes between popular destinations. For instance, travelling between Kumamoto and Fukuoka, it's quite a large detour from the expressway, or between Kumamoto and Beppu, you wouldn't blame most people on spending their time going through Aso instead. 

That being said, if you are basing yourselves in Kyushu, and Kumamoto in particular, it makes for a nice day trip that I recommend, as you can incorporate it into a round trip with Aso, as the Gorge itself is around half way between Kikuchi town and the edge of the Aso Caldera.