Wi-Fi and Travel Information in Kumamoto, Japan: Your Ultimate Guide

When visiting Kumamoto, a major producer of agricultural products, be sure to check the local Wi-Fi situation during your visit. Free Wi-Fi enables you to access information, and to prevent yourself from being lost in translation.

Also, we will also introduce you to our favorite Wi-Fi rental service "WiFiBOX".

[Rent Now] Wi-Fi rental for use in Kumamoto and throughout Japan with surprisingly simple booking, pickup, and return. From 440 yen per day

Free Public Wi-Fi available in Kumamoto

In Kumamoto, you can use "Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi". Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi is a public wireless LAN service available free of charge, provided for the purpose of improving the convenience of visitors, and strengthening the ability to spread tourism and traffic information, etc., and enhancing connectivity in the case of large-scale events and disasters.

You can use it at any facility with the Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi logo attached. As of July 1, 2022, it is available in the following areas in Kumamoto Prefecture.

• Kumamoto City Area
• Kamimashiki/Uki area
• Arao, Kikuchi, Yamaga, Tamana area
• Aso area
• Yatsushiro area
• Minamata/Ashikita area
• Hitoyoshi/Kuma area
• Amakusa area

The Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi logo is designed with Kumamoto's nationally known local mascot character, making it easy to find.

From here, we will explain the SSID's and login method of Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi.

Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi SSID

When connecting to Wi-Fi, you must select the designated SSID (network name) . Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi's SSID is as follows.

• kumamoto-free-wifi

When you arrive in Kumamoto, look for the above SSID on your smartphone or tablet's Wi-Fi settings screen.

How to log in to Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi

You can log in to Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi in the following way. Once the registration is completed, you can connect to it simply by selecting "kumamoto-free-wifi" from next time.

1. On the Wi-Fi setting screen of your smartphone or tablet, select the SSID "kumamoto-free-wifi".
2. Launch your browser.
3. Once you have registered as a user on the registration screen, you can connect to the Internet.

Note that Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi is not encrypted. Refrain from sharing important information, because a malicious third party may be able to steal your personal information or the contents of your communication.

Reference(in Japanese) : Kumamoto Prefecture "Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi", Kumamoto Prefecture "List of "Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi" Facilities"

Other free Wi-Fi services available in Kumamoto

In Kumamoto, there are free Wi-Fi services available at cafes, hotels, stations, etc., in addition to Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi. Just like when using Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi, you need to be aware that there are risks of eavesdropping, snooping, and device hijacking etc. in some cases.

From here, we will introduce other free Wi-Fi services available in Kumamoto.

Cafes

Free Wi-Fi is available at various cafes in Kumamoto. Starbucks for example. It has 18 stores in the prefecture, and you can use free Wi-Fi there by selecting the SSID "at_STARBUCKS_Wi2".

Free Wi-Fi is also available at Komeda Coffee and Tully's Coffee;each has five stores in the prefecture (as of March 25, 2023). When connecting, select "Komeda_Wi-Fi" for Komeda Coffee and "tullys_Wi-Fi" for Tully's Coffee.

Hotels

Free Wi-Fi is available at hotels in Kumamoto. One of the notable hotels with free Wi-Fi is "THE BLOSSOM KUMAMOTO", located next to JR Kumamoto Station.

Since free Wi-Fi is not always available at other hotels in Kumamoto Prefecture, it is a good idea to check with the front desk or hotel staff before your stay.

Stations

According to JR Kyushu's press release on March 14, 2019, the free Wi-Fi service "JR-KYUSHU FREE Wi-Fi" is available at the following stations in Kumamoto Prefecture.

• Kumamoto Station
• Shin-Tamana Station
• Shin-Yatsushiro Station
• Shin-Minamata Station

You can also use Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi at Kumamoto Station, Shin-Tamana Station, and Shin-Yatsushiro Station.

Reference(in Japanese) : JR Kyushu "We will start offering 'JR-KYUSHU FREE Wi-Fi'!"

[Wi-Fi Self-Rental] WiFiBOX: a must-have all in one Wi-Fi + power bank for traveling in Kumamoto, and throughout Japan. From 440 yen per day

WiFiBOX is recommended for Your Wi-Fi in Kumamoto.

As mentioned above, tourists in Kumamoto can use public Wi-Fi or free Wi-Fi provided by cafes, and hotels. However, the drawback of free Wi-Fi is that it is not stable and not the safest thing to use, as the communication speed may be slow depending on the time and location, and there is a risk of a third party intercepting the content of the communication. Depending on the hotel where you stay, free Wi-Fi may not be available in the first place.
If you want to use the Internet comfortably and securely while sightseeing in Kumamoto, why not rent a portable Wi-Fi router?
In particular, we recommend WiFiBOX, a Wi-Fi rental service that completes every step of the process, from reservation to return, all contactless.

Here are the simple steps to rent a WiFiBOX.

Flow of usage and setting

The flow of using and setting up WiFiBOX is as follows:

1. On the official site of WiFiBOX (https://wifibox.telecomsquare.co.jp/en), select your travel destination ("Japan", if you are going to use it in Kumamoto), select the desired usage period and plan, and tap "Proceed to checkout".
2. If you are using WiFiBOX for the first time, create a new account. Log in if you already have one.
3. Complete the payment procedure with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or American Express) or a debit card.
4. After reserving, you will receive an email with the subject "How to Pick Up Your Wi-Fi Unit". When you are in front of the rental machine, open the "QR code (*) scanning page" from the email, and scan the QR code at the top right of the display on the rental machine.
   (* "QR Code" is a registered trademark of Denso Wave)
5. Tap "Pick-up" on your smartphone, and pull out the Wi-Fi unit from the slot to receive it.
6. Turn on the power of the unit , then on the Wi-Fi setting screen of your device, select the SSID written on the back of the unit, and enter the password to.

Please refer to the following for more detailed usage procedures:
(Link to WiFiBOX quick guide)
https://wifibox.telecomsquare.co.jp/en/pages/guide

Wi-Fi router pickup/return location

As of April 2023, WiFiBOX rental machines are installed at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport, Chubu International Airport, Fukuoka Airport, Tokyo Station etc. It is also now available in Shinjuku and Shibuya Station area.
We recommend you to pick up your Wi-Fi unit at the airport or station you plan to pass when traveling to Kumamoto.
Please check the following for details on the locations of WiFiBOX

WiFiBOX Location List

About Kumamoto

Kumamoto, which is located in the central part of Kyushu, refers to "Kumamoto Prefecture", which is adjacent to four prefectures (Fukuoka, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima), and "Kumamoto City", which is the prefectural capital. Kumamoto Prefecture is also known as the "Land of Fire", because of Mount Aso, which boasts one of the world's largest calderas.

Kumamoto Prefecture has an area of 740,945 square kilometers (as of 2020) and a population of 1,727,902 (as of 2021). There are more than 100 hot springs in the prefecture.

The climate of Kumamoto Prefecture depends on whether the area is the "Kumamoto region", "Aso region", "Kuma region", or "Amakusa-Ashikita region". The Kumamoto region, to which Kumamoto City, the prefectural capital, belongs, is characterized by hot and humid summers and severely cold winters, especially on the Kumamoto Plain.

Kumamoto's appeal lies in its majestic nature and scenery, as well as its traditional culture that has been handed down from ancient times. In recent years, its local mascot character is also attracting attention.

In addition, Kumamoto Prefecture is rich in gourmet food. Foods such as horse meat, shrimp, and tomatoes are available, as well as local delicacies such as Kumamoto ramen, mustard lotus root, dagojiru (dago soup), and local sake.

Reference(in Japanese) : Kumamoto Prefecture "Reiwa 4 (2022) Statistical Yearbook", Kumamoto Prefecture "The charm of Kumamoto"

What to see in Kumamoto

Kumamoto has many attractions, such as places where you can enjoy nature and buildings that evoke history. Among them, we have selected the following spots that we think will provide you a great time:

• Suizenji Jojuen Garden (Suizenji Park)
• Kurokawa Hot Spring
• Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine
• Mount Aso
• Kumamoto Castle

Let's check each one.

Suizenji Jojuen Garden （Suizenji Park）

Suizenji Jojuen Garden was originally created as a teahouse by Tadatoshi Hosokawa, the first lord of Higo Hosokawa feudal domain, and was developed as a garden by Tsunatoshi Hosokawa, the third lord of the domain. The name of "Jojuen'' is quoted from Tao Yuanming's poem, "Gui Qu Lai Ci".

"Kokin Denju no Ma", which is an important cultural property in the park, is a historic building that was moved from Kyoto in 1912. From this building, you can see a pond with constant spring water in the center of the garden.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the spring water in the area including Suizenji Jojuen has been selected as one of the 100 best waters of the Heisei era. At the inner sanctuary of Izumi Shrine in the park, you can drink the sacred water called "Longevity Water".

Izumi Shrine is a shrine that was founded in the hope that it would stabilize the hearts of the people devastated by the 1877 Seinan War, and that the city of Kumamoto would develop. As deities, Hosokawa Fujitaka, Tadaoki, Tadatoshi, and Shigekata, who are the founders of the domain, and other successive domain lords, as well as Hosokawa Tama (Mrs. Garasha), are enshrined.

Suizenji Jojuen is about a 4-minute walk from the streetcar station "Suizenji Park", or about a 10-minute walk from JR Hohi Main Line's "Shin-Suizenji Station".

Business hours	8:30 AM - 5 PM (admission until 4:30 PM) north gate is open 9:30 AM - 4 PM
Regular holidays	Open every day of the year
Address	8-1 Suizenji Park, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Reference(in Japanese) : Suizenji Jojuen "Suizenji Jojuen now, then", Kumamoto Prefecture "Suizenji Jojuen (Suizenji Park)", Kumamoto City Sightseeing Spot Suizenji Jojuen

Kurokawa Onsen

Kurokawa Onsen is a hot spring village located in the slightly northern area of Kyushu (further inland than Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture). They have a concept "Kurokawa Onsen is a single inn", which means that the 30 inns and the scenery of the woodland close to the living area can be seen as a single inn.

The mechanism for turning the entire hot spring resort into a single inn is the "bathing bill". If you purchase a bathing bill at an inn in Kurokawa Onsen, you can bathe in 3 hot springs you choose per ticket.

One of the three places can be used for eating, drinking, and shopping for souvenirs instead of entering the hot spring. There are a wide range of choices available such as chocolate banana smoothies, dried sweet potatoes, Tsukudani (small seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin), soft serve ice cream, highballs, and tea cups, etc.

Kurokawa Onsen's charm lies in its long history. In the middle of the Edo period, it was known as a place for hot spring cures, and was used by officials of the Higo Hosokawa clan.

If you use public transportation, it takes about 3 hours by direct bus from Kumamoto Station, and about 2 hours and 45 minutes from Hakata Station.

Business hours	8:30 AM - 9 PM (Bath time)
Regular holiday	Varies by inn
Address	6594-3 Manganji, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture (Kurokawa Onsen Tourist Inn Cooperative Association)

Reference (in Japanese) : Kurokawa Onsen "What is Kurokawa Onsen?", Kumamoto Prefecture Hot Spring Site "Kurokawa Onsen"

Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine

Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine is a shrine that has been loved by people for over 400 years as the guardian deity of Kumamoto Castle. Since the enshrined deity is Shirahige Daimyojin, it is sometimes called "Shirahige-san".

One of the main events at Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine is the Hatsuuma Grand Festival, which celebrates the arrival of spring (the first day of spring in February). The Hatsuuma Grand Festival is held every year on the first day of the Horse in February, and worshipers gather to pray for a bountiful harvest, family safety, and prosperous business.

To get to Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine, take the streetcar and get off at "Kumamoto Castle/Shiyakusho-mae" and walk for 3 minutes.

Business hours	9:30 AM - 4:30 PM (reception hours for prayers)
Regular holiday	ー
Address	3-13 Honmaru, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Reference(in Japanese) : Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine "Information on the Hatsuuma Grand Festival", Kumamoto City "Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine", Kumamoto Prefecture "Origin and Benefits of Kumamoto Castle Inari Shrine"

Mount Aso

Mount Aso is the collective name for the mountain range centering on the five peaks of Aso. The somma and crater floor are sometimes included in "Mount Aso".

The somma of Mount Aso (the outer ring that surrounds the compound volcanoes) is one of the world's largest volcanoes, stretching 25 km north to south, 18 km east to west, and 128 km in circumference. After the eruptive activity of the volcanoes ended, which started all at once 100,000 years ago, a massive collapse occurred, and it shaped the original form of the current somma.

Mount Aso belongs to three municipalities (Aso City, Takamori Town, Minamiaso Village). About 50,000 people live on the crater floor.

Specifically, the five peaks of Aso are the following mountains:

• Takadake (1,592m)
• Nakadake (1,506m)
• Nekodake (1,433m)
• Eboshidake (1,337m)
• Kishimadake (1,321m)

Takadake, the highest peak of the five peaks of Aso, is a cone-shaped mountain with a rounded shape overall. "Nakadake" is the only one of the five peaks of Aso that is still active today.

It takes 35 minutes by bus from Aso Station to Mount Aso (Aso Sanjo Terminal).

Visiting time	8:30 AM -6 PM (March 20-October 31) 8:30 AM -5:30 PM (November 1-30) 9 AM -5 PM (December 1 -March 19) Gates close 30 minutes before each closing time.
Regular holidays	Open all year round (access may be restricted due to volcanic activities, etc.)
Address	Kurokawa, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Reference(in Japanese) : Aso City "Mt. Aso", Japan Tourism Agency "Highlights of Mt. Aso", Kumamoto Prefecture "Aso Nakadake Crater"

Kumamoto Castle

Photo provided by "熊本城総合事務所"

Kumamoto Castle is a famous castle that Kiyomasa Kato (a Japanese daimyo during Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods) built. It was completed in 1607. The castle is vast with a circumference of 5.3 km and a total area of 98 hectares, and it has a tower, 49 turrets, 18 turret gates, 29 castle gates, etc. in the past.

Another feature of Kumamoto Castle is the use of stone walls and natural topography, as well as the use of unique castle construction techniques. During the Seinan War in 1877, government forces were inside the castle for about 50 days. Kumamoto Castle was proved to the people that it was an impregnable castle.

The current castle tower was restored externally in 1960 with steel-framed reinforced concrete, because the castle tower and the main building were destroyed by fire. In addition, the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake caused damage to it, such as fallen tiles and shachihoko roof ornament from the top floor and collapsed stone walls, but it was completely restored in March 2021, and people can enjoy the view from the top floor.

If you choose public transportation, get off at the streetcar station "Kumamoto Castle/Shiyakusho-mae" and walk for 10 minutes.

Visiting time	9 AM -5 PM (Last entry 4:30 PM , castle tower entry until 4:30 PM )
Regular holiday	December 29th - December 31th (There is a possibility of changes.)
Address	1-1 Honmaru, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Reference(in Japanese) : Kumamoto Castle "Current Usage Status", Kumamoto Prefecture "Kumamoto Castle"

Wrap-up of the Internet and Wi-Fi situation in Kumamoto

In Kumamoto Prefecture, public Wi-Fi service "Kumamoto Free Wi-Fi" is available for all. You can also connect to free Wi-Fi at cafes, hotels, and stations in Kumamoto.

However, when using free Wi-Fi, you must be aware that there are risks of eavesdropping, snooping, and device hijacking, etc. You might want to consider your own private connection for the sake of your safety.

For that, we totally recommend WiFiBOX. WiFiBOX is a Wi-Fi rental service with a super simple procedure from reservation to return without any human contact. If you plan to visit Kumamoto for business or sightseeing, try to give it a go!