Search hotels in Takachiho

We arrived in Takachiho after a morning at Mt Aso. When we arrived, we visited the gorge and did the walk from the free car park. Our boat ride was first thing the following morning but as we’d been the day before, we’d taken lots of photos and got the lay of the land. It made our morning very efficient as we were able to get on the road straight after our boat ride!

I loved Takachiho! It was such a quaint and local Japanese town. The surrounding mountains were beautiful and even accentuated by the downpour of rain I had on the first day. Visiting the gorge was a bucket list item and I was pleasantly surprised when I found the Amanoiwato Shrine to visit the following day.

We first visited Takachiho 14 years ago during March and decided to go back during a different season in October .The town has grown in size with a plush hotel and a local supermarket and getting around ismuch more easier . The only thing we would change would probably be the fun we had with the language barrier on our first visit . The Gorge is the main stay to the trip and we had the same reaction as last time that it blew us away again

Takachiho is about 1 hrs. 20 minutes drive from Kumamoto Airport and is easy to reach in a rental car. The scenery en route is amazing! The Gorge is stunning but not very long. The rowing boat trip is relatively expensive, ¥5100 for 30 minutes for a max of 3 people, but it is great fun with wonderful photo opportunities! You can walk some of the way along the river but part of the path is still damaged. There are several nice shrines in the area, one of which does nightly Kagura dance performances (1 hour for ¥1000). We stayed 2 nights in a lovely Ryokan at the end of our holiday and it was a great way to finiour trip to Japan.

A hiker's dream. Lots of trails, stairs, nature, waterfalls. The rice terraces' views are amazing. Farm animals. My kids and I loved it all. The boating on the Gorge was a great fun experience!

Takachiho is an absolutely beautiful place! The gorge was one of the most incredible places I have ever been in my life and I will definitely be returning one day with my family. I cannot recommend this place enough. The locals were so friendly! Literally everyone I spoke to was so kind and helpful, when I panicked and got myself lost they were so wonderful. Even kids walking home from school said hi as they passed me! The only catch is that if you’re flying into Kumamoto Airport, there is only one bus that will take you to Takachiho and it’s over two hours to travel and only comes twice a day. You have to be very organised because if you miss that bus, it’s not easy to get there if you aren’t renting a car. While you’re in the area, you should also check out Iwato Shrine and the Amaterasu Railway. The railway is a great way to get a better view of the valley from above -so long as you have a head for heights! Overall, I would say seeing Takachiho is a must if you’re visiting Japan!