Kick off your private shore excursion with a handy pick-up straight from Yatsushiro Cruise Port. Enjoy the convenience of your own private transport, complete with a dedicated professional driver. This allows you to explore at your leisure, free from the constraints of other travellers' schedules.

Immerse yourself in the history and traditional culture of Yatsushiro. Start at Yatsushiro Shrine (Myoken-gu), an ancient shrine intrinsically linked with the renowned Yatsushiro Myoken Festival.

Next, journey to the Yatsushiro Castle Ruins. There, stone walls and moats bear witness to the city’s past castle and feudal history. Following this, pay a visit to Shohinken, a historic villa and quintessential Japanese garden established by the Matsui family, previous lords of Yatsushiro. If time allows, make a stop at Mizushima Ryujin Shrine before heading back to the port.

After immersing yourself in the history and traditional culture of Yatsushiro, your driver will ensure you're back at Yatsushiro Cruise Port in good time for your ship’s departure.

Why you’ll love this…

You'll explore Yatsushiro at your own pace on a private shore excursion
There's a chance to visit Yatsushiro Shrine, a historic site linked to the Myoken Festival
The tour includes discovering the Yatsushiro Castle Ruins and their feudal history
You can stroll through Shohinken, a historic villa and traditional garden

Important to know

Accessibility:

Not suitable for guests in wheelchairs

Not allowed:

This activity doesn't allow pets

Extra fees to be paid on site:

The entrance fee to Shohinken is ¥500

Know in advance:

Car capacity: 4 participants / Van capacity: 9 participants
Before your tour, you'll receive an English audio guide and digital guidebook, downloadable to your own device, with information about the itinerary, sightseeing locations, local history, and points of interest
This is an outside tour and does not include any optional entrances to sites
The tour is conducted in a private vehicle with a professional driver
Your driver is speaking Japanese, so the communication with the driver will be assisted by a translation device
It's recommended that you wear comfortable shoes
A full refund will be provided if your cruise ship is unable to dock

Remember to bring:

Please bring a valid form of identification or a copy of your passport
Please have Japanese yen ready, as some shops do not accept credit cards

Cancellation policy

Receive a 20% refund if you cancel up to 20 days before the experience begins., Receive a 50% refund if you cancel up to 7 days before the experience begins., Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins.

What’s included

Audio guide
Transportation in air-conditioned vehicle
Private tour
Driver
Parking
Insurance

What’s not included

Food and drinks
Entrance fees
Tour guide

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Location

Kumamon Port Yatsushiro, 1 Chome-２５ Shinminatomachi, Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, Japan

Meeting point:

You'll be picked up at the exit of Yatsushiro Cruise Port Terminal, where your ship actually docks. The driver will be waiting for the guests with a name sign.