At Kumamoto Castle, the order is set by which place closes first.
The castle first most of the year, Suizenji first in summer and during Shiro Akari
Kumamoto City has Kumamoto Castle, where you can go up the keep, and Suizenji Jojuen, a garden you can walk round in 30–40 minutes, linked by one city tram line in about 20 minutes. But most of the year the castle stops admitting visitors at 16:00, you cannot eat inside the paid area, and there is only one kiosk where you can sit and rest. So that a three-generation big family can go round without rushing, this article sets out the order worked out from closing times, and the places where grandparents and children can rest.
This article contains promotional content (PR). We include Klook affiliate links for booking airport transfers, transport tickets, experiences, and luggage delivery. If you book through these links, we may earn a commission to help run the site (at no extra cost to you). Options not covered by our partners, such as JR and other public transport, are compared neutrally.
The orderThe order is set by which place closes first
In short: from September to June, Kumamoto Castle's last entry (16:00) is earlier than Suizenji Jojuen's (16:30), so go to the castle first. In July and August, and during the autumn "Shiro Akari" period, the castle admits visitors later, so the order is reversed.
In 2026 the Shiro Akari period is October 2 – November 1. You can go up Kumamoto Castle's keep until 16:30 from September to June and until 18:30 in July and August. From the official sites of Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Jojuen (retrieved October 12, 2026).
| Place | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Kumamoto Castle (Sep–Jun) | 9:00–17:00 | 16:00 (the keep until 16:30) |
| Kumamoto Castle (Jul–Aug) | 9:00–19:00 | 18:00 (the keep until 18:30) |
| Kumamoto Castle (Shiro Akari; in 2026 October 2 – November 1) | 9:00–21:00 | 20:00 |
| Suizenji Jojuen (all year) | 8:30–17:00 | 16:30 |
- All year, Suizenji Jojuen opens (8:30) 30 minutes earlier than Kumamoto Castle (9:00).
- The castle's Ninomaru ticket office sells admission tickets until 16:00. During Shiro Akari the north gate ticket office also opens (weekdays 17:30–20:00, weekends 8:45–20:00).
- "Shiro Akari" is an autumn event that lights up the castle grounds, including the square in front of the keep. Expecting crowds, Kumamoto Castle asks visitors to buy admission tickets by the day before and to come by public transport.
The day plan (staying in Kumamoto City)
In short: from September to June, Kumamoto Castle in the morning, Josaien at lunchtime and Suizenji Jojuen in the afternoon. In summer and during "Shiro Akari", Suizenji Jojuen in the morning, Josaien at lunchtime and Kumamoto Castle in the afternoon.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 9:00 | Enter Kumamoto Castle (on weekdays by the south gate only; on weekends and holidays the north gate can also be used). Head for the keep first |
| Until about 10:30 | The keep and the special viewing path (about 90 minutes on the official model route) |
| From 11:00 | Lunch at Sakura-no-koji in Josaien (restaurants open from 11:00) |
| Around 13:00 | City tram from Kumamoto-jo/Shiyakusho-mae to Suizenji Koen (about 20 minutes, no change), then about 5 minutes on foot from the stop |
| Until 16:30 | Suizenji Jojuen (about 30–40 minutes round the garden; last entry 16:30) |
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | Enter Suizenji Jojuen (about 30–40 minutes, plus a break at the rest house) |
| Morning | City tram to Kumamoto-jo/Shiyakusho-mae (about 20 minutes by the timetable), then about 7 minutes on foot to Josaien |
| From 11:00 | Lunch at Sakura-no-koji in Josaien |
| Afternoon | Kumamoto Castle (about 90 minutes for the keep and the special viewing path). If you buy admission tickets by the day before, you do not have to worry about the Ninomaru ticket office closing at 16:00 |
| Shiro Akari evening | Last entry is 20:00. If you rest at your hotel and come back at night, we have not confirmed whether the same ticket lets you back in; if not, you need another ticket. The free shuttle bus from Josaien runs until 17:00 |
- A free shuttle bus runs from Josaien to the castle's south gate every 10–15 minutes (9:00–17:00). It saves the grandparents' and children's legs.
- The city tram takes transport IC cards, and one card can pay for all 6. You pay when you get off; tell the crew how many you are before you tap the card. From October 29, 2026, the city tram also has a period when fares are half price by contactless card (no end date announced). During that time, paying by contactless card makes it ¥500 one-way for 6 (calculated by halving ¥200 per adult and ¥100 per elementary-school child).
- Getting here from Aso Kumamoto Airport or Hakata is in Kumamoto Airport & Hakata to Kumamoto for 6: Bus for ¥7,000, and places where 6 can share one room are in Kumamoto for 6 in One Room: fav Kumamoto or Tomaru. (45㎡)?.
Admission for 6 is ¥6,200 (Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Jojuen)
The amounts in this article are calculated for 6: a couple + 2 children (elementary school) + grandparents.
In short: for 4 adults and 2 elementary-school children, Kumamoto Castle is ¥3,800 and Suizenji Jojuen ¥2,400, making ¥6,200. 2 city tram rides cost ¥2,000, so the day comes to ¥8,200 (lunch and coin lockers extra). From October 29, 2026, while city tram fares are half price by contactless card, 2 rides cost ¥1,000 and the day ¥7,200 (no end date announced).
| Place | Adult | Elementary-school child | Child not yet at school |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kumamoto Castle | ¥800 (high school and up) | ¥300 (elementary and junior high school) | Free (collect a free ticket at the ticket office) |
| Suizenji Jojuen | ¥500 (16 and over) | ¥200 (ages 6–15) | No fee category for 5 and under (ask at reception) |
| Party | Kumamoto Castle | Suizenji Jojuen | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 (4 adults + 1 elementary-school child) | ¥3,500 | ¥2,200 | ¥5,700 |
| 6 (4 adults + 2 elementary-school children) | ¥3,800 | ¥2,400 | ¥6,200 |
| 7 (4 adults + 3 elementary-school children) | ¥4,100 | ¥2,600 | ¥6,700 |
- If your party is different: the child categories differ between the two. Kumamoto Castle is free for children not yet at elementary school, but Suizenji Jojuen charges the child rate of ¥200 from age 6, so a 6-year-old not yet at elementary school pays only at Suizenji.
- Grandparents pay the adult rate. Kumamoto Castle's free admission for those 65 and over is limited to residents of Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Kitakyushu and Kagoshima cities; visitors travelling from abroad are not eligible. Suizenji Jojuen has no senior discount.
- Kumamoto Castle's ticket offices and Suizenji Jojuen take credit cards, transport IC cards and QR code payments (Kumamoto Castle also takes WeChat Pay and Alipay).
- Skip the combined ticket with Wakuwaku-za in Josaien (the 2-site ticket): Wakuwaku-za is closed, so a Kumamoto Castle-only ticket is enough.
Admission for 4 adults and 2 elementary-school children (Kumamoto Castle + Suizenji Jojuen).
Add ¥2,000 for 2 city tram rides and the day comes to ¥8,200.
Where grandparents and little ones can rest, and where to eat
In short: you can take a pushchair into Kumamoto Castle's paid area, and the keep has lifts that pushchair users can use. But you cannot eat inside the paid area and there is only one kiosk to rest at, so have lunch and long breaks outside the castle at Josaien.
1. The keep: there are lifts Official
There are 3 "Omoiyari" (consideration) lifts for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs and for those who find stairs hard. Ask the staff at the keep entrance. Luggage on wheels cannot be taken into the keep.
2. Paid area: no eating Official
The only thing you may bring into the paid area is drinks with a lid. The only kiosk to rest at is "Honmaru Oyasumidokoro" (9:00–16:30). For lunch, go to Sakura-no-koji in Josaien (restaurants 11:00–18:00).
3. Suizenji Jojuen: a heated and air-conditioned rest house Official
There is a heated and air-conditioned rest house, "Oyasumidokoro" (8:30–17:00), and a nursing room in the exhibition hall. 4 wheelchairs can be borrowed (main gate ticket office).
- Luggage: there are no coin lockers for large luggage inside Kumamoto Castle's paid area. Use the coin lockers in front of the Josaien tourist information centre or in front of the Ninomaru rest area.
- Nursing rooms: Kumamoto Castle has 3 (shared with the first-aid rooms): at the south gate ticket office, the Sukiyamaru toilets and the Ninomaru rest area.
- Wheelchairs: at Kumamoto Castle you can borrow power-assisted wheelchairs free of charge (at the Ninomaru, north gate and south gate ticket offices; a companion is required; not on rainy days, and no reservations). Useful if you are worried about the grandparents' legs.
- Rainy days: the castle grounds get slippery, so wear non-slip shoes.
- Suizenji Jojuen entrance: people unsteady on their feet and wheelchair users are directed to enter by the north approach on the north gate side (the north gate is open 9:30–16:00).
- If you are unsure whether to order raw meat or fish such as basashi (raw horse meat) at dinner, what to do about the children's and grandparents' portions is in Can Kids Eat Raw Food in Japan? Basashi, Sashimi, Raw Egg.
What you can see after the July 2026 earthquake
In short: Kumamoto Castle closed after the July 2026 earthquake and reopened on August 13; as of September 18, Kumamoto Castle's official information shows it operating normally. Only Wakuwaku-za in Josaien is temporarily closed, with reopening planned for December.
- Kumamoto City announced that the areas open before the earthquake, such as the keep and the special viewing path, would be open.
- Sakura-no-koji in Josaien (food and souvenirs) and the tourist information centre are operating normally.
- Because Wakuwaku-za is closed, plan on not being able to use the pushchair rental, nursing room and lift on its ground floor.
- Suizenji Jojuen closed for one day only, July 29, and has been open as usual since July 30.
- Kumamoto Castle's official site notes that the areas open may change because of aftershocks or safety inspections. Check the official "Notices" before you go.
Buy admission tickets in advance
In short: during "Shiro Akari", Kumamoto Castle asks visitors to buy admission tickets by the day before. Buying tickets for all 6 in advance saves buying 6 tickets at the ticket office.
- Kumamoto Castle's official site also sells tickets in advance (e-tickets; no cancellations, date or time changes or refunds after purchase).
- Children not yet at elementary school are free, but the rule is to collect a free ticket at the ticket office, so you still stop at the ticket office even if you bought tickets in advance.
- If a booking site lists a set that includes Wakuwaku-za, choose the Kumamoto Castle-only ticket. Until Wakuwaku-za reopens (planned for December), part of the set cannot be used.
Buy Kumamoto Castle tickets in advance
Check the date, child categories and cancellation terms on the booking page before you book. Choose the Kumamoto Castle-only ticket, not a set with Wakuwaku-za.
Check prices, availability and what is included on the booking page.
Honest notes (5 things we could not confirm)
These are things we have not been able to verify, so we do not assert them.
Whether a pushchair can go along the special viewing path
Kumamoto Castle's official site says pushchairs can be taken into the paid area and mentions the lifts in the keep, but does not say whether you can go along the special viewing path without folding the pushchair. Ask the staff on site.
Whether the same ticket lets you back in on a Shiro Akari evening
We have not confirmed whether a ticket used during the day lets you back in at night after leaving. If not, you need another ticket for the evening.
Kumamoto Castle's opening hours from November 2
We have written on the assumption that when Shiro Akari ends (November 1 in 2026), the castle goes back to its normal hours (last entry 16:00). Check the official notices before you go.
Suizenji Jojuen fees for 5 and under
Suizenji Jojuen's fees start from age 6 (child rate), and no category for 5 and under is given on the official site. Ask at reception.
Time at each place and how crowded it gets
We used about 90 minutes from the official model route for Kumamoto Castle and the official 30–40 minutes for Suizenji Jojuen. Busy times and waiting times are not given officially, so we have not written them. Time spent at each place in the day plan is a guide.
A day at Kumamoto Castle (big families): FAQ
Can we see Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Jojuen in one day?
Yes. Kumamoto Castle takes about 90 minutes on the official model route, Suizenji Jojuen about 30–40 minutes, and the city tram between them about 20 minutes. From September to June do Kumamoto Castle, which stops admitting at 16:00, first; in July and August and during the autumn "Shiro Akari", do Suizenji Jojuen first.
Can we take a pushchair into Kumamoto Castle?
You can take one into the paid area. The keep has lifts that pushchair users can use, so ask the staff at the entrance. Luggage on wheels cannot be taken into the keep.
Can we go up Kumamoto Castle's keep after the earthquake?
Yes. Kumamoto Castle reopened on August 13, 2026, and as of September 18 its official information shows it operating normally. The areas open may change after safety inspections, so check the official notices before you go.
Is there a senior discount for grandparents?
Not for visitors travelling from abroad. Kumamoto Castle's free admission for those 65 and over is limited to residents of Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Kitakyushu and Kagoshima cities, and Suizenji Jojuen has no senior discount.
Can we get a guided tour of Suizenji Jojuen?
There are garden guides in Japanese and English (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; reception 9:00–15:00). It is ¥1,000 per person, or ¥5,000 per group for 5 or more, so ¥5,000 for 6. One guide takes up to 8 people (as of October 2026).
📍 One of the articles in our Kumamoto trip plan (Kumamoto | Trip plan for large families / all tickets and experiences articles)