【熊本観光vlog】老舗洋菓子店スイスのケーキカフェ｜上乃裏通りのコーヒースタンド＆40年分の“タンクマ”が並ぶブックカフェ｜熊本城の妖精、ひごまるの幻｜ロコディのお笑いデザート配達人【旅行1泊2日】

【熊本観光vlog】老舗洋菓子店スイスのケーキカフェ｜上乃裏通りのコーヒースタンド＆40年分の“タンクマ”が並ぶブックカフェ｜熊本城の妖精、ひごまるの幻｜ロコディのお笑いデザート配達人【旅行1泊2日】

This is my second trip to Kumamoto this year, and I’ll be staying overnight again. Recently, we’ve been seeing more comedy shows. This time, we won tickets to a Kumamoto performance by comedian Long Coat Daddy, so we decided to take a trip along the way. The Kyushu Shinkansen’s fastest train, the Mizuho, ​​is the equivalent of the Nozomi on the Tokaido Shinkansen. Similarly, the Sakura and Tsubame trains are the equivalent of the Hikari and Kodama, respectively. The stylish “white and indigo” color, reminiscent of celadon, is a great choice. When I lived in Kumamoto, the Kyushu Shinkansen hadn’t yet opened, and the journey from Kumamoto to Hakata took 1 hour and 20 minutes by express train. Taking a cheaper express bus would take about 2 hours. However, the Mizuho Shinkansen takes only 32 minutes from Hakata to Kumamoto at its fastest. It’s surprising to see Kumamoto City within commuting distance of Fukuoka City. It’s a rough estimate, but it seems to be about the same distance as Tokyo to Atami. After a stop in Kurume, we arrived in Kumamoto in no time. First, let’s go to the hotel to drop off our luggage. As on my last trip to Kumamoto, I stayed at a JR-affiliated hotel just a short walk from Kumamoto Station. It was AMU PLAZA! As usual, I left my suitcase at the self-baggage area. Now, let’s head out into the city. The weather was lovely and warm under the sun. I could hear the sounds of the event in the station plaza. Let’s start with lunch inside Kumamoto Station. It’s my favorite sushi restaurant. There were already a few people in line, even though it was before opening time. Last time, I went there at the end of my trip, but this time, I’ll be eating there for my first meal. The name of the restaurant, “Ushibuka,” comes from a fishing town at the southern end of Amakusa City. When I was a university student, it was still called “Ushibuka City” before the merger. The fish caught in Ushibuka this morning was fresh and shiny. People living outside of Kyushu don’t often think of Kumamoto Prefecture as a place with delicious seafood. However, I highly recommend giving it a try. After a quick look around AMU PLAZA, I headed toward the city center. The sky was clear and refreshing. The most common way to travel from Kumamoto Station to the city center is by streetcar. While usually crowded, it was relatively empty on this day, considering it was the last day of a three-day weekend. There are also local buses. However, since last fall, local buses within Kumamoto Prefecture no longer accept transit IC cards. This has left tourists with no choice but to pay with cash, which has been inconvenient. However, as of February of this year, credit card contactless payments have been accepted. The streetcar will also discontinue transit IC cards in April of next year, so please be careful when traveling. There’s apparently an event going on in the plaza. Let’s take a look. The “KUMAMOTO Taiwan Festival” is being held. It’s incredibly lively. Following the establishment of TSMC, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, in Kumamoto Prefecture, cultural exchanges with Taiwan have been deepening in recent years. It’s a shame we couldn’t eat the food since we had just had lunch. I wanted to try the Lu Rou Fan. The NHK Kumamoto Broadcasting Station, formerly located in Chibajo-machi, has moved to Hanabatacho. We headed via Ginza Street to Shimotori Arcade, the heart of downtown. HOTEL SUN ROUTE had been rebranded. Located in one of Kyushu’s largest arcades, we stopped at the cafe of SWISS Patisserie , a long-established establishment known to all Kumamoto residents. Of the several SWISS Patisserie locations in Kumamoto Prefecture, only two—in Shimotori and Kamitori—have cafes attached. This was our first visit to the Shimotori location, which was damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and renovated in 2020. The spacious, white-themed basement space was a delight. SWISS opened in 1962 as Kumamoto’s first Western-style pastry shop. Its sister store, Korantei, is also the originator of the Kumamoto specialty, Tai Ping Yen. Both SWISS and Korantei are beloved as iconic Kumamoto restaurants. That being said, the wide variety of cakes is a challenge. I can’t decide what to order. After careful consideration, I chose the classic eclair and the Kumamoto Chestnut Shortcake, a popular autumn chestnut dessert. It matches my wife’s nail color. I still sip on cold drinks during the day. The eclair has a firm choux pastry, and the chocolate and custard are delicious! The shortcake even has chestnuts in the whipped cream inside. I wish Fukuoka had a cake cafe where I could relax like this. I went to the gachapon shop in “HAB@,” which opened after Parco closed. It seems I’m trying out the “Ninetje 70th Anniversary Collection.” I got a cute square pouch. (You can never have too many pouches, after all.) The view of Kumamoto Castle from the south side of Torichosuji is a symbol of Kumamoto. It’s often featured on TV news and in travel brochures. Across the intersection, on the north side, is Kamitori Arcade. I stopped by a book cafe on Namikizaka. We decided to wait for the evening comedy live show at a quiet, self-service cafe. The cafe boasts a total of approximately 5,000 books, selected by the owner and other Kumamoto creators. We enjoyed coffee from Coffee Kairo, a popular Kumamoto cafe. A limited-time event featured back issues of the monthly magazine “Kumamoto Town Information,” which ceased publication in 2020. I also read it when I was a university student. This is the November 2004 issue. It’s hard to believe 21 years have passed since then… It’s time to head to the venue. Even in the city, the scent of osmanthus wafts from somewhere. From Suidocho intersection, we followed the streetcar line across the Shirakawa River and headed to Kuhonji intersection. The old commercial building had been demolished. 😢 We arrived at the Kumamoto Prefectural Theater. Personally, it felt strangely nostalgic, as it had been my first visit since my university entrance ceremony. My wife and I commented that it resembled the Fukuoka Art Museum in Ohori Park, Fukuoka City. (Actually, both works are apparently designed by the same architect, Kunio Maekawa.) It’s not yet time to open, but the crowds are already gathering. The doors will open soon. Off we go! Oh, that was fun. Long Coat Daddy recently won the “King of Conte” competition. Congratulations! We returned to town and went to YOKOBACHI, a restaurant we’ve visited many times, to discuss the performance. We ate almost the same food as on our last trip to Kumamoto. It’s getting chilly. My hands are cold. Let’s hurry back to the hotel. I booked the same moderate double room as last time. There’s a large public bath on the front desk floor, but I’m too tired to go there today, so I use the shower in my room. Good night. Our room on the 12th floor overlooks Prefectural Route 28. Today, we’ll spend another relaxing day in Kumamoto City. On the second day, my husband and I swapped outerwear. As with last time, we put our suitcases in the self-baggage locker. For some reason, there are more passengers today than yesterday, which was a national holiday. As yesterday, I got off at Karashimacho stop and entered SunRoad Shinshigai. At approximately 18 meters wide, SunRoad Shinshigai is the widest arcade street in Japan. Since I ate only Japanese food yesterday, I wanted to try Western food for lunch today. This is comedian Shinya Ueda and Teppei Arita, both originally from Kumamoto. A bakery in Nakameguro, Tokyo, known for its daily queues, has opened in Kumamoto! The interior is stylish, and the windows face Torichosuji Street, making for a great location. I ordered the pasta lunch, which includes their specialty sliced ​​bread, soup, salad, and a drink. It seems to be popular in Kumamoto, too. The seats were filling up quickly. I’m glad I arrived early. The corn soup was warm, rich, and delicious. Apparently, this bread is made with a 100:100 ratio of flour to water. It was moist and fluffy! It also came with a salad with delicious dressing and coffee, leaving me feeling very satisfied. The “Chestnut Pumpkin and Bacon Cream” pasta had a delicious flavor, like Japanese dashi, with the sweetness of the pumpkin intertwined with the bacon and fried onions. Let’s take a short walk around Kumamoto Castle. A straight stone wall runs along the Tsuboi River. The 242-meter-long “Nagabei” Long Wall was partially destroyed in the Kumamoto earthquake, but was restored in 2021. This is a statue of Kato Kiyomasa, enshrined with his castle behind him. We stopped by a tourist facility at the foot of the castle. When I visited before, “Higomaru” was dancing on this stage. I had some footage from that time saved on my computer. They had light steps! It was a dance called “Higomaru Ondo.” As of 2025, Higomaru still appears on stage, mainly on Sundays. We arrived at Kaminoura Street. Before heading home, we stopped for a final cup of coffee. There was seating in the attic. It was completely booked, just like “Ciatre” in Nagoya. Whenever milk brew is on the menu, I can’t help but order it. On our last trip to Kumamoto, we also drove to Aso. However, this time, we didn’t have any plans, so we were able to relax and enjoy the time. Nostalgic Japanese rock music was playing. We took a shared bicycle to Kumamoto Station instead of the streetcar. To conclude our trip to Kumamoto, we ate the famous Kumamoto ramen. The main store used to be near Shimodori Street, but I never had the chance to go back when I was a student. The light pork bone broth and burnt garlic powder were delicious! My wife, who prefers thin noodles, was also impressed. It was a very leisurely, two-day, one-night trip. I wish I could follow a relaxed itinerary like this on my regular trips, but I was able to do it because I’ve already been to Kumamoto many times. In a big city or an unfamiliar town where there are so many places to go and eat, it wouldn’t be possible. This trip to Kumamoto made me realize this once again. The christmas market has started at Hakata Station. Please subscribe to my channel!

2025年11月、夫婦で1泊2日の熊本旅行に行ってきました。

TSMCの進出以来、台湾との文化交流が進む熊本。
今年も市中心部で九州最大級の台湾フェスティバルが行われました。
からし蓮根や馬刺しはもちろん、海の幸も美味しい熊本。
熊本で初めて誕生した洋菓子専門店のケーキカフェ、
休刊した「月刊タウン情報クマモト」を揃えるブックカフェ、
東京・中目黒で連日行列のカフェランチも。
県立劇場でのお笑いライブに絡めてゆったり熊本観光した今回の旅行vlogです。

【Kumamoto Travel Vlog】Top Things to do and eat in Kumamoto City.
Exploring Kumamoto, Japan in 2 Days.

📝目次
0:00 オープニング

Day 1
0:18 九州新幹線「みずほ」最速32分で博多の通勤圏内と化した熊本
1:35 「THE BLOSSOM KUMAMOTO」熊本駅から至近！
2:15 熊本は海鮮も美味しいよ（「天草HERO鮨 牛深丸 熊本駅店」）
3:18 熊本市電&バスの交通系ICカード廃止・クレカタッチ決済の話
4:12 九州最大級の台湾フェア「KUMAMOTO台湾祭2025」
5:00 銀座通り〜下通アーケード
5:22 「SWISS（スイス）洋菓子店」は「中国名菜 紅蘭亭」の隣
6:10 スイス下通店はカフェ併設。ケーキ休憩
7:03 HAB＠熊本はパルコの系列なんですよ
7:46 下通から熊本城を臨み、上通アーケードへ
8:26 並木坂のブックカフェで「タンクマ」バックナンバー展示（「本と音楽と珈琲と、共栄堂」）
9:46 水道町から白川を渡り九品寺へ歩く
10:12 大江のダイエー（イオン熊本中央店）とグランパレッタが閉館してる！
10:24 思い出の熊本県立劇場に到着
10:44 ロングコートダディのお笑いデザート配達人 熊本公演
11:14 やっぱり「YOKOBACHI（ヨコバチ）」で晩ごはん
11:52 「THE BLOSSOM KUMAMOTO」モデレートダブルの客室

Day 2
12:45 客室から嘉島、御船方面を見渡す〜チェックアウト
13:36 平日なのに熊本市電が混んでいる
13:49 「サンロード新市街」は日本一の広さ（幅員）を持つアーケード商店街
14:07 上田晋也と有田哲平を生んだ街、熊本
14:30 中目黒発「flour+water」でパスタランチ（「フラワーアンドウォーター熊本」）
16:17 坪井川に沿って加藤清正公像まで歩く
16:50 熊本城下の観光施設「桜の馬場 城彩苑」
17:21 思い出の「ひごまる音頭」（2019年撮影）
17:56 熊本・上乃裏のスペシャルティコーヒー「AND COFFEE ROASTERS」
19:18 チャリチャリ（シェアサイクル）で熊本駅まで帰る
19:35 「ラーメン 天外天 熊本駅店」で最後の晩餐

20:02 エンディング

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福岡在住、40代フリーランス夫婦のsiosaiです。

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