Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza

As an able-bodied person, I'd rate the experience here 3 or 4 stars. But considering the lengths they went to to ensure it was accessible to those with disabilities, I have to give it 5 stars. We saw visitors in motorized wheelchairs being able to tour the castle, which was wonderful. There is an elevator inside as well, and places to sit. The displays are interesting and there is a view of the city at the top. There are QR codes posted throughout to help people read a translation of the information posted. That being said, if you are someone able to walk and climb stairs, I highly recommend visiting Matsuyama Castle - incredible experience as you get to walk around the actual castle on the old wood and it feels more like you're in a castle. This castle experience definitely feels more like a museum. Still very lovely and lots of history behind it.

Visited in July 2025 The more hands-in, all-age exhibition of the Kumamoto history compared to that in the castle keep. The access is included if one buys the ticket for the museum and the castle (850 yen). The collection and exhibition aren't big, but can be enjoyed by the entire family. For example, the photo set with kimono for a family of four (or more?) and the horse replica with its traditional decoration. The second floor has this VR-enabled documentaries showing - be sure to check the schedule of the viewing.

Comes with a package ticket for the castle. If you buy the 2 attractions package, this is only 50 yen. They utilize very cool projections to show the earthquake damage on the castle. There are also some history quizzes and games, along with sort of a cardboard cutout show. A few live cameras you can look at as well as some photo op places.

100% recommend to have a walk especially for family visit/interactive way to know about the history and culture. The animation(half cartoon) at 2/F HIGHlY recommended to watch, many craftsmanship and Japanese traditional art are used for the production, you can find your own way to enjoy no matter the age. The staff are professional and comprehend the whole experience.

Recommended place to visit. You can wear Japanese costume and take picture for free. There are movies which has English subtitle talking about Japanese culture.

-Easy access from Kumamoto station via bus. We bought the one day bus pass. -Staff was friendly and recommended the 2 attraction ticket instead of the single attraction ticket (even though we had discount from the one day bus pass) as it was more worth it. Easy to get tickets from the ticket machine. -We visited on a Wednesday and it was not that crowded -The first floor of the exhibition was interactive and interesting.

It is a museum where you can learn more about the castle. It has interactive displays such as putting stones in the castle realia ir display, touchscreen views of where you can see the castle in different angles, a castle made of lego on the 2nd floor and a bit of mini movie about the castle and its history. The displays do not have English translation so I dont think those who can't read Japanese would enjoy this. On the other hand. The movie on the first floor as well has no English subtitles, but the movie on the second floor has. You may translate the captions through an app and they have English translated brochure on the first floor. I can say this museum is child friendly too. Staff is very accommodating and asssited us in purchasing our tickets via machine. Pretty good place to explore in Kumamoto. This place could be very busy specially at a weekend and good weather. We went on a weekend but it was on a rainy day so I would say we dont hve to wait as much as other days.

This small museum can be visited with slightly pricier ticket than just castle . The lower part has few interactive areas which are nice. The upper part has some exhibits and a stage. It prepares you a bit for the actual castle, but it can be missed as well.