A New Festival Spot Born at Shirakawa Spring

Hi! I’m Aikero, a SaruKuma writer with a soft spot for horses — and for the kind of local gem that doesn’t show up on any tour bus itinerary.

Today I’m taking you to 祭屋 EN (えん), a brand-new spot located inside the free-access zone of Shirakawa Spring (白川水源) in Minami-Aso Village, Aso District, Kumamoto. Shirakawa Spring is one of Minami-Aso’s most iconic natural landmarks — a crystal-clear spring that bubbles up from the earth at a constant, refreshing temperature. Families flock here in summer for water play, but the area tends to go quiet once the weather cools. 祭屋 EN is changing that.

This lively new spot is all about eating, playing, and lingering — right beside the spring. Think shooting galleries, all-you-can-stuff dagashi candy bags (dagashi are bite-sized traditional Japanese snacks — a guaranteed nostalgia trigger for anyone who grew up in Japan), grilled chicken skewers, deep-fried chicken wings, fries, and churros. Equal parts food stall and festival, it’s designed for the whole family.

Opened in February 2026 by a local dad who grew up in Shirakawa, 祭屋 EN was born from a simple wish: “I want this place to be somewhere kids can truly have fun.” To get here, use the Shirakawa Water Source parking lot nearby, walk past the Shirakawa Spring nature produce hall (物産館自然案), and 祭屋 EN will come into view. The Suishokan crystal shop is directly across the road, and a public restroom is right next door.

【白川水源】水源だけではない！めちゃくちゃ当たる〇〇が…？！《熊本県阿蘇郡南阿蘇村白川》

Just outside the entrance, there’s a small corner selling locally grown vegetables and miscellaneous goods — a nice touch that reflects the community roots of the shop.

Step inside and the full picture comes into view — a cozy, colorful space with plenty going on in every corner.

There’s a zashiki floor-seating area — a traditional Japanese-style space where you remove your shoes before settling in. It’s relaxed and spacious, and chairs are also available for those who find floor sitting uncomfortable. Great for families with small children.

Play Like It’s Festival Season: Shooting Games, Dagashi, and Lottery

On the opposite side of the room is a shateki (射的) shooting gallery — a beloved Japanese festival game where you use a cork-pellet gun to knock prizes off a shelf. You rarely encounter it outside of summer festivals, and the owner says it’s already drawing big enthusiasm from international visitors.

Shooting gallery pricing:

・5 shots　　¥500
・10 shots　¥1,000
★ Free 3 shots for kids who help out!
Put on a traditional happi coat (a short festival jacket) and help tidy up litter or fallen leaves around the area — children in elementary school or under earn 3 free shots as a thank-you. Purchases at the shop also earn bonus shots: 2 extra shots per qualifying spend.

This is the dagashi bag-stuffing corner. Pick your bag size and cram in as many traditional Japanese candy snacks as you possibly can — rice crackers, gummies, little chocolates, and all manner of retro treats.

・Small bag　¥300
・Large bag　¥500

There’s also a lottery draw corner — a classic Japanese game of chance that never fails to bring out everyone’s competitive side.
・Lottery draw　¥200 per try

That alone is enough to win over just about any kid — but 祭屋 EN doesn’t stop there.

Street Food That Will Stop You in Your Tracks

祭屋 EN serves a full food menu, ideal for eating as you wander or for settling in to make an afternoon of it.

・EN Teba-Kara (house deep-fried chicken wings)　¥250 each / ¥2,200 for 10
・Horse Meat Croquette　¥350
・Salt Karaage (Japanese fried chicken)　¥500
・Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)　¥200 each / ¥1,800 for a plate of 10
・Hurricane Potato (spiral-cut fried potato)　¥300
・Long Churros　¥300

・Soft Drink　¥200
・Lemon Sour (alcoholic)　¥500
・Non-Alcoholic Beer　¥400

The menu covers everything from easy walk-and-eat snacks — those chicken wings, the yakitori — to kid-approved karaage and fries. If you fancy a leisurely daytime drink while the kids play, you’re in luck; alcohol is on the menu, and the non-alcoholic beer option is a considerate touch for the designated drivers in the group.

Make a same-day reservation by noon and the shop can host private evening sessions from 18:00 to 22:00. Value set menus are also available. Add ¥200 to any set drink and upgrade it to an alcoholic option. Sightseeing and a cold one? Absolutely.

Here’s a bonus worth knowing: spend ¥1,000 or more and earn 2 free shooting gallery shots; spend ¥2,000 or more and get 5. Games and great food — you really can have both in a single visit.

The absolute must-order is the EN Teba-Kara — deep-fried chicken wings marinated in the house’s secret sauce. The aroma alone will have your stomach growling before you take your first bite.

The skin is shatteringly crispy; the inside is steaming hot and juicy. The seasoning is bold but not at all spicy, so kids can go at them just as eagerly as the adults.

The yakitori arrived as a natural consequence of the chicken wings being too good to stop at. From front to back: tsukune (ground chicken meatball with crunchy cartilage for extra bite), chicken skin, negima (chicken and spring onion), chicken thigh, and pork belly. Crispy skin, satisfying tsukune — every skewer delivered.

My daughter took on the dagashi bag stuffing challenge. She managed to cram in a surprisingly generous haul — that look of quiet self-satisfaction at the end said everything.

Then came the shooting gallery, which she barely wanted to leave. “I want more shots!” — her exact words on the way out.

Knock down the Ultraman figure on the shelf and you walk away with a toy prize like this one. Parents — your aim is about to be put to the test in front of an audience.

Picture this: the kids are deep in dagashi and shooting games while the grown-ups raise a glass over chicken wings and yakitori. That’s the 祭屋 EN afternoon in a nutshell.

The owner and his staff. He grew up right here in Shirakawa and always felt the area lacked places for children to truly play — and for families to eat well — outside of the summer water season. That feeling became the seed for 祭屋 EN. He’s also a father of seven, and has poured that experience into building a spot that keeps families smiling and helps put Shirakawa Spring on the map all year round.

A new community gem built on genuine local love. Whether you’re visiting Minami-Aso for the first time or making a return trip, 祭屋 EN is worth working into your plans. Come make some memories the whole family will be talking about on the drive home.

【白川水源】水源だけではない！めちゃくちゃ当たる〇〇が…？！《熊本県阿蘇郡南阿蘇村白川》

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Frequently Asked Questions

※ Information is correct as of the time of our visit. Prices and opening hours are subject to change. Please confirm before you go.