Hello from Tabeena, your go-to explorer for active adventures around Kumamoto! 🐝

In our 10-part series of recommended day trips, this time we’re off to Arao—a city steeped in history and packed with thought-provoking stops that might just inspire a whole new kind of summer homework!

Let’s dive into this academic mini-journey through Arao!

1. HERO’S DINER

A burger joint run by a local American motorcycle shop that decided to do things big. Think handmade patties, classic hot dogs, and portions worthy of a road trip refuel. The vibe is bold and the food unapologetically hearty—just the way diner food should be.

📍 Address: 573-3 Kunai, Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture (Japanese: 熊本県荒尾市宮内５７３−３)
🕒 Hours: 11:30–14:30 / 17:30–21:00
❌ Closed: Wednesdays

Birthplace of the Miyazaki Brothers (Miyazaki Brothers Museum)

This historic house and museum honors the Miyazaki brothers—notable figures in Japan’s Freedom and People’s Rights Movement during the Meiji period and famously closely linked to Sun Yat Sen, a key leader leader of the movement which overthrew the last Chinese imperial dynasty and widely recognized as the father of modern China.

Designated a Kumamoto Prefectural Historic Site, it’s an insightful stop into the political ideals that helped shape modern Japan.

📍 Address: 949-1 Arao, Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県荒尾市荒尾９４９−１)
🕒 Hours: 9:30–17:00
❌ Closed: Mondays

Manda Pit Station (Mandakō Station)

Once a key part of the Miike Coal Mines, an industrial area of coal mines straddling southern Fukuoka Prefecture and northern Kumamoto prefecture, Manda Pit was instrumental in Japan’s industrialization between the Meiji and early Showa eras.
Recognized in 2015 as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution, the site includes preserved red-brick buildings, mining machinery, and the mine shaft entrance used by coal workers.　

📍 Address: 200-2 Haramanda, Arao, Kumamoto (熊本県荒尾市原万田２００−２)
🕒 Hours: 9:30–17:00
❌ Closed: Mondays

🚗 Suggested Itinerary

12:30 – Lunch at HERO’S DINER
14:35 – Visit the Miyazaki Brothers’ Historic House & Museum (3 min drive)
16:00 – Explore Manda Pit Station (7 min drive)

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This history-packed day in Arao isn’t just fun—it’s a treasure trove of ideas for summer research projects and homework!

Thanks for reading, and I hope this itinerary inspires your next outing!
Stay tuned for more adventures from Tabeena! 🐝

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The above was translated and adapted from an article on our Japanese-language sister website ALT Kumamoto. For the original content, see the article below!

＼アカデミックな学びお出かけ！／ 🖊️夏休みの宿題にも◎🖊️～荒尾エリアのおすすめお出かけプラン～