Hello there! It’s Gussan, your SaruKuma travel writer!

One of those rainy weekends when grown-ups just want to relax… but the kids don’t care about the weather!
“Where are we going today?” “What are we doing today?” they ask, again and again.
“Hmm… somewhere indoors… and easy on the wallet… (haha)”
So off we went!

[Kumamoto Municipal Museum]

《Admission Fee》
Adults: ¥400 | High school & university students: ¥300 | Elementary & junior high students: ¥200
Wow! What a steal!
And since both of our kids are still in preschool, they got in for FREE!!!
Tada!
Kumamoto Museum doesn’t have its own parking lot,
but if you’re driving, the Kumamoto Castle Sannomaru Parking right in front (paid) is super convenient.
If you’re using public transit, hop off the Kumamoto Castle Loop Bus at the “Museum & Former Hosokawa Gyobutei” stop—the museum is just steps away.
We were hoping to catch the planetarium too (additional fee required), but…
Oh well—shaking it off, we walk a bit toward the entrance. The atmosphere here is wonderful!
And here we go—into the museum!
As soon as you step inside, there’s a small shop on the left where you can grab drinks!
And right across from the shop, there’s a cozy rest area!

Highlights & Things We Loved

The 1st floor is dedicated to Kumamoto’s history and culture.
Detailed dioramas show what daily life looked like in the old days—super easy for kids to grasp!
[Kato Kiyomasa] No story of Kumamoto’s history is complete without this legendary samurai lord—the founder of Kumamoto Castle!
There’s even a traditional rain-praying drum on display,
and a beautifully recreated old-fashioned Japanese kitchen and living room!

The kids were fascinated by the Goemon-buro (a traditional iron cauldron-style bath). “Looks hot…” they said, looking concerned! Haha!
The 2nd floor focuses on Kumamoto’s natural environment.
Petrified wood—a tree turned to stone! There’s even a stone-turned-tree version on display too!
[Stegodon] An extinct relative of the elephant. “It’s HUGE!” my eldest yelled with excitement.
The fish of Kumamoto,
the mammals of Kumamoto,
the birds of Kumamoto,
and even the local plants—you can observe everything in one place!
That said, even the hands-on learning area was affected by COVID-19 precautions…
A bit of a bummer, but the kids still had a blast!
Next time, we’re definitely catching the planetarium show!

Visitor Information

Frequently Asked Questions

※ Information is current as of the date of the visit. Prices and opening hours may change. Please check before visiting.