Hello, fellow travelers!
This is Asukarando, your Sarukuma writer.

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a delightful spot located in Mitsugi-machi, Kita-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture:
“Sugi Bee Garden SUBACO HONEY SHOP”.

Sugi Bee Garden is a beloved Kumamoto brand whose products are sold in department stores throughout the prefecture — many locals know it well!
This particular shop sits right next to the Sugi Bee Garden Headquarters, and I had the pleasure of paying it a visit (^-^)/

Located within Foodpal Kumamoto, this is the very first building you’ll spot when arriving by car.

Foodpal Kumamoto also has a wonderful park on-site, making this shop the perfect place to drop by after the kids have tired themselves out playing (^-^)/

Step inside, and you’ll be greeted by rows of beautifully displayed Sugi Bee Garden products.
The building has been newly renovated, so everything feels fresh and pristine (^^)

Toward the back, there’s a comfortable eat-in space where you can take your time savoring honey soft serve and other sweet treats (^-^)

Outside, you’ll find a charming terrace seating area too.
Nestled in cool shade, it’s the ideal spot to enjoy your treats on a pleasant day — somehow the flavors taste even better outdoors (^o^)

Here’s the menu (^-^)/

A specialty unique to a honey farm:

Honeycomb Soft Serve (^o^)

This one’s a real treat to savor when you visit solo — pure indulgence! (^^;

They also offer refreshing honey drink floats.

And tucked at the back of the shop is something truly special — a real honeybee home!

A live beehive is on display, and you can observe the bees up close through a glass window.

My son was absolutely thrilled and stood there watching them for ages (^^;

It’s the kind of place kids fall in love with instantly (^^)
Even adults get drawn in! (^^;

Here are the adorable worker bees in action! (^-^)/

Apologies for the window glare in the photo… m(_ _)m

There’s also a museum tour available, though it was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 precautions during my visit.

It would make for a wonderful educational field trip experience!

Another activity that was paused due to COVID-19:

The Beeswax Workshop (^-^)/

For just 100 yen and about 30 minutes of your time,

you can craft your very own beeswax candle… but it’s currently on hold.
To be safe, we recommend calling ahead to make a reservation before you visit.

The shop also displays actual honeycombs, with products thoughtfully arranged at children’s eye level so little ones can learn how honey is made.

There are also photo spots for capturing adorable memories (^-^)

The restrooms include an accessible/multipurpose option with a diaper-changing station.
And the walls are decorated with a honeycomb pattern! (^-^)/

So charming, right? (^-^)

Parking is available right in front of the shop.

Be sure to take note of the visitor guidelines shown here before your visit.

Recommended Menu Items

On this visit, my son chose:

Honey Soft Serve with Blueberry & Honey

He also wanted to do some shopping, so we picked up:

Honey Sesame Karinto (Japanese fried sweet)

If you sign up for a membership card on the spot, you’ll receive the member’s price immediately.
A nice little discount that’s always welcome (^-^)

And when it comes to Sugi Bee Garden, this is THE product (in my personal opinion):

They offer many flavors, but…

My top pick is the Yuzu Honey! (^^)

It’s wonderful mixed with water or sparkling water as a refreshing drink, or drizzled over yogurt for a delightful breakfast (^-^)/

Their website even features recommended recipes.

For elegant gifts for grown-ups, I’d recommend these beauties:
A selection of honey varieties in adorable little jars (^-^)

Lovely with bread, of course, but they also bring rich aromas to tea or coffee.

These caught my eye too!

Reasonably priced and perfect for a small gift.

Speaking of bee products, they also have an extensive selection of royal jelly.

Bringing your own eco-bag is encouraged, but for gift-giving, the shop’s original paper bags are wonderfully cute too (^^)

After playing at Foodpal Kumamoto, why not stop by the Sugi Bee Garden shop to watch the adorable honeybees at work and enjoy the delicious honey they’ve worked so hard to gather?

Important note: Honey can be dangerous for very young children, so please exercise proper caution before serving it to little ones.

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information accurate as of the time of reporting. Prices and hours are subject to change. Please confirm before your visit.