中古の軽バンで日本一周、熊本でとある人に会ってきました…
Hey guys, it’s Yuuka! I finally made it to Kumamoto Prefecture! Yaaay! Last time on my Japan trip, I went to Miyazaki Prefecture. I wrapped things up at Aoshima Shrine. Then I drove nearly 200 km to get here to Kumamoto. If you’ve seen my Japan trip series, you know I set a budget. But the last video hasn’t been uploaded yet. So today, I’m gonna do a little “advance borrowing.” Let me borrow $33 for now. And I still had $41 left from the Miyazaki budget. So that gives me a total of $74 to spend today. I’m gonna make the most of this and enjoy Kumamoto to the fullest! *There’s actually someone(?) here in Kumamoto I’ve been wanting to meet. Not sure if I’ll actually get to see them though. Alright then… Let’s gooo! *Activating “Kyoro-chan” safety check mode. First time setting foot in Kumamoto! So excited! I was literally in Miyazaki just a while ago, and you can totally feel the vibe change a bit here. Look! There’s a super long, skinny train! The forecast said 90% chance of rain today, but somehow, the weather’s holding up. On the way here though, it poured several times, kept raining and stopping over and over, but once I entered Kumamoto, it stopped for me. *The “Rain Girl” has officially retired. Since it’s my first time in Kumamoto, there’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I’m driving there right now. Where do you think it is? Hint: it’s pretty famous. Ah—oops, the sign just gave it away. Guess I spoiled it… It’s one of those “Kumamoto = this place” spots. I figured I’d start with a classic tourist spot. Oh! It’s Kumamon! Whoa, ran into him already. Let’s see how many times I can spot Kumamon today. Mind if I keep count? I’ve been wanting to meet Kumamon in person. But I’ve actually never met the real one before. So I don’t know if I’ll see him today. But I’ll count every sign, merch, and photo I spot. Let’s see how many times I “meet” him today. I think we’re almost there. Oh, here it is. This is the parking lot for the place I wanted to visit. Anyone figure out where we are just from this view? *Parking time… my arch-nemesis, even worse than shots. Done! Having this backup camera now makes parking soooo much easier. Alright, let’s go check it out! We’ve arrived—this is Kumamoto Castle. I’m kinda hiding out of shyness right now, but you can see a little peek of it over there. Entry to Kumamoto Castle is $5.20. Got my ticket and brochure! Now I can get closer to the castle. First time here at Kumamoto Castle. When you think Kumamoto sightseeing, this is the spot. It’s a must-see, no skipping it. The castle finally peeked out from behind the trees. Wow, what a presence. It’s so impressive up close. The colors are kinda cute, don’t you think? Looks like a castle… oh wait, it is. Hold up—am I taller than it? We’re like the same height. Oh, totally the same. Guess that makes me Kumamoto Castle now. (Basically.) This is the entrance to the main keep. Might as well go inside! Apparently, going up the keep is called “toukaku.” Learning something new every day. Wow… It’s surprisingly high-tech in here. So modern. Inside, it looks like this— there are all kinds of explanations about the castle. This is apparently a model of the top floor we’re heading to. It even has proper tatami mats inside. They’ve recreated it so well. Finally made it up to the very top floor. Ahhh… I’m so tired… There’s an elevator here, but at Kumamoto Castle apparently healthy people can’t use it. So I climbed all the way up. Wait… hold up… I’m so out of shape, I’m dead. But wow, the view is gorgeous. Totally worth the stairs. This is the view from the top of Kumamoto Castle. Amazing… Ooh—spotted Kumamon! That’s number two for today. And over there—that’s Mt. Aso, apparently. Aso! I really wanna climb Mt. Aso someday. *Found Papa Clipper abandoned under the blazing sun. Why do I feel like I’m just… standing out all alone? I saw so many beautiful views today, so I kinda wanna take the elevator back down. But nope… walking all the way to the first floor. Leg day in Kumamoto. After coming down from the castle, I spotted a little rest area, so I came in for a break. It’s way too hot, so— I bought myself a manju ice cream. Haven’t had this in ages—so good. It’s 88°F (31°C) today, and apparently that’s considered “cool” here. If it gets any hotter, honestly— I’ll melt faster than this ice cream. *Please don’t expect footage of me turning into liquid. Went for a little stroll and ended up at Sakura-no-Kouji shopping street. This street is called Sakura-no-Kouji, and it’s right behind Kumamoto Castle. There’s a shop here called “Ikinari-ya Watanabe,” and I’m gonna try their ikinari dango. Got it! Let’s dig in. Mmm, so good~ (humming) It’s got sweet potato and red bean paste inside. Ikinari dango is apparently a Kumamoto specialty. “Ikinari” in Kumamoto dialect means “easily” or “right away.” Isn’t it crazy that you can make something this tasty so easily? If I made it, it’d turn into… “muzukashi dango.” (complicated dango?) *And please, ikinari—subscribe and give this video a thumbs-up! I actually wanted to do more food-hopping, but I still wanna have lunch later, so I’ll stop here for now. Ever since I customized the back of my van, I’ve been carrying way more stuff. Feels like my gas mileage’s gotten a bit worse. But even when I first got this car from my dad, he told me the mileage wasn’t great. And yeah, it was already pretty bad. So even if it gets worse now, I’m not really that bothered. It is what it is, I guess. I’ve spent about $9.30 of my budget around Kumamoto Castle, so I’ve got roughly $64 left. I’ve been spending in tiny amounts this time, ‘cause I’m super frugal and can’t help but save. But since it’s all thanks to the likes you guys gave me, I do wanna make sure I actually use up the budget. Normally, I even feel like buying water from a vending machine is kinda a waste of money. I mean, it’s cheaper at the supermarket, right? ← Even made this holder out of a soda can lid. But today, I’m gonna spend freely. Just for today, I’ll try to break my saving habit and really go for it. I’m here at Kumamon Square. Apparently Kumamon comes on Sundays, so I came to see him today. *Current time: 2:05 PM. Gotta hurry over there! Run, run! Wait for me, Kumamon! Don’t leave me behind! Oh no… there’s a capacity limit. He’s insanely popular… Guess I’ll try lining up. *So crowded people can’t even worship Kumamon. Uh-oh… only 10 minutes left before his shift ends. Will I make it…? I’ve been in line this whole time, just waiting to be called. They said there’s a chance I won’t even get in. What do I do? Came all this way, and I might not see him? *After several minutes of waiting… the miracle finally happens. *The Don of Kumamoto—Kumamon—appears. *Way more hype and energetic than I ever imagined—totally overwhelmed. *Moves about 500 times faster than me—amazing. Apparently Kumamon’s coming over to give high-fives now. I’ll finally meet him up close! *Me, super nervous right before meeting Kumamon. *Kumamon collab moment. Yes!! So happy! Yay, I met Kumamon! And he even faced me for a long time—love it. Totally satisfied I got to meet him. But yeah, saying “I wanna meet Kumamon” so casually— I get now it’s not that simple. He even had an interpreter on stage with him—what?! And there was a present box too. Total superstar. But I’m glad he gave me a high-five at the end. That made me so happy. Now that I’m separated from Kumamon, I’m on my way to the next spot. Isn’t this view amazing? Alright, where do you think we are? It’s famous, so I’m sure most of you know. That’s right—Mt. Aso. I’m heading to a scenic spot called Daikanbo. It’s about 935 meters above sea level, and I’ve already climbed pretty high. It’s famous as a place with absolutely stunning views, where you can see both the Aso Caldera and the Five Peaks. I already got a little peek while driving up here, and wow—seriously incredible. I’m so excited to get to the top. And I’ll share that view with all of you too. It took about 90 minutes by car from Kumamoto City, and now it looks like just 5 more minutes to the top. Can’t wait! *This view is unreal… We’ve arrived. Here we are—Mt. Aso. Let’s go enjoy the view from Daikanbo. We should be able to see it soon. We’ve arrived at Daikanbo in Aso National Park. Isn’t this scenery insane? It’s absolutely beautiful. It’s a bit cloudy today, so some clouds are covering it. But even so, it’s gorgeous. It’s stunning in every direction—360 degrees. The air is so fresh—it feels amazing. Daikanbo has me “daikando” (deeply moved). I went up to the observatory too. The view was so breathtaking—I was seriously moved. On the way back, I grabbed a Nishime Manju from the shop. I actually haven’t had a proper meal today, and I wanted to eat more. But since I’m short on time, I’ll just eat a bunch of light snacks. Let’s eat. I went with the Akaushi beef nikujaga bun. Inside, it’s filled with meat and potatoes like this. Delicious. I mean, meat buns are always good. The shop was closing at 5 PM, so all the fried foods were half-off. But since I still plan to have dinner later, I skipped the fried stuff. All done. The nikujaga manju was absolutely delicious. Drove about 30 minutes from Daikanbo, and now I’m at Kokutei for Kumamoto ramen. I’ve been craving Kumamoto ramen so bad. Doesn’t this look insanely good? Here, let me show you properly. I ordered the ramen with egg. It’s got pork shoulder chashu, boiled bean sprouts, and—get this—two eggs. I’m starving, so… let’s dig in right away. Itadakimasu! Delicious. It’s technically tonkotsu ramen, but it’s got a deeper flavor, and with garlic in it, it doesn’t taste like just regular tonkotsu. Look at these noodles—not too thick, not too thin. Healthy, and probably the most “popular” type. (lol) Alright, let’s crack the egg. Apparently they really care about the eggs too. They use fresh eggs delivered straight from a local egg farm. Once the egg’s in, it gets even creamier. The flavor’s so much gentler now. Kokutei is technically a chain restaurant, but it only operates in Kumamoto. There are just four locations total, including this one. The soup here… so rich and tasty. All done. Whew, I’m stuffed. (me) Kumamoto food is just too good… Finished my ramen and now I’m on the move again. When I’m on my Japan trip or driving long distances, I usually blast my favorite music and sing along. Singing makes the trip go by in a flash. And I can’t exactly show this on camera, but— sometimes I hang my laundry on the passenger seat. Since I’m a “rain girl,” my socks get wet all the time. So if you ever see me drying laundry in here, just… pretend you didn’t. When I drive on these bumpy roads, I always wonder if the custom setup in the back is okay, but it’s actually pretty sturdy and never comes loose. And with the curtains closed, I can’t hear a thing. Drives just fine. I wonder if anyone can recognize this scenery. It’s the last place I’m heading to today. You know where it is—kinda my signature spot. We’re almost there. We’ve arrived. This is Aso Kumamoto Airport. Wow… this is my first time here. So this is what it looks like. Oh, Kurokawa Onsen is famous too. Didn’t get to go this time. They sell tons of airport-exclusive Kumamon goods here. I’ve basically become a Kumamon fan today, so I came here just for him. Got some stuff from the souvenir shop. I’m gonna decorate Papa Clipper with this. On my Japan trip, I always buy a souvenir from each place I visit and put it on display—this time, of course, it’s Kumamon. And this—when I do my makeup, I use hair clips. I happened to lose mine, so I’m switching to Kumamon. Starting today, this is my new one. After this, I was gonna head back to the station and eat basashi (horse sashimi), but it’s gotten pretty late and I might not make it. But I found a basashi place right here in the airport. So I’m heading there now. I ordered the 5-kind basashi platter. I haven’t really eaten much basashi before, so I don’t really know what’s what, but I’m gonna taste and compare. Let’s toast today with a ginger ale. Holding it like this kind of makes it… look like beer, right? But nope, totally not beer. (I swear!) It even came with a straw. Alright, let’s start with the loin. They say to dip this in soy sauce. Oh wow, that’s delicious… How do I put it… it’s got a nice chew to it, and the moment you swallow, you get this burst of flavor. That’s what it feels like. *Hopeless at food reviews. But it’s seriously tasty. I think this one’s the marbled cut? *?! Oh wow… this is insanely good… Way more delicious than I imagined. “Basashi umai” (in broken Japanese) I looked up this place, Suganoya. It’s a long-established horse meat specialty shop that represents Kumamoto. They’re famous for serving super fresh basashi Looks like they have other direct-run locations too. There’s one on Ginza Street and one near Kumamoto Station. Guess I nailed the restaurant choice again. I’m actually pretty good at finding places, huh? *Well, the real MVP is Google Maps reviews. I went for it—ordered the fatty cut. Splurged a little, but I still had a bit of budget left. So I treated myself to the fatty cut. I mean, this HAS to be amazing. Look at that—it’s gorgeous. This is… too good… *Breaking out the Uma-Uma Dance I’d kept sealed away. Didn’t expect such a perfect treat to wrap up Kumamoto. So glad I drove all this way today. Well… Papa Clipper did the driving. Alright, I’m turning off the camera, finishing the rest, and heading to that classic “airport spot.” Aso Kumamoto Airport. *So embarrassed I might just take off myself. There are so many planes here. Oh, ANA. Watching planes gives me this strange feeling. Makes me wonder where each one is headed. Every time I see the letters “ASO,” I just have to say “Aso” out loud. That’s a wrap on the Kumamoto edition of my Japan van trip. The total budget I used this time was about $74. I started with $74.40, so I’ve got $0.40 left. That was close. If I’d ordered one more basashi dish, I would’ve gone over budget. That was a near miss. Kumamoto was seriously so much fun. The thing that left the biggest impression on me was definitely the view from Mt. Aso. It was like a painting—absolutely stunning. I was so moved. And of course, meeting the real Kumamon made me super happy too. He treated me so kindly, I’ve become a total fan. I’ll definitely keep supporting him. So please give this video a thumbs-up so I can have a bigger budget for the next prefecture. Pretty please. Thanks for watching all the way to the end today. If there’s a prefecture you want me to visit in my van or a spot you’d like me to check out, let me know. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and comment. Bye-bye!
おすすめ動画♡
中古の軽バンで日本一周、初めての長距離カーフェリーで快適に移動するつもりが…
築160年の古民家で人生初の五右衛門風呂。火加減が難しすぎて…
予算1万円だけでハワイ旅行、さすがに物価が高すぎて…
🔑メンバーシップに加入すると限定動画・秘密のライブ配信がみれます♡
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkex1wLTvYFnF0hfLXGE1kQ/join
🛍️公式グッズの購入はこちら【ゆうか屋さん】
https://suzukiyuuka.base.shop
ゆうかです🤍
毎週水・土の夜8:15に動画をアップしています·͜· ♡
ぜひチャンネル登録してね
毎週月の夜9時〜YouTubeで生配信もしてるよ！
X（旧Twitter） https://x.com/SUZUKIYUUKARIN_
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yuuka_chan815
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@yuuka_chan815