kumamoto on a student loan: castles, congee, and the quest for free wifi

so i'm crashing in a hostel dorm that smells like a mix of wet socks and someone's failed experiment with kimchi jjigae, and i just checked the weather app because my nose is cold. it's sitting at 12.86°c but feels like 11.14°c thanks to a sneaky wind that slips through my hoodie like it's Swiss cheese. humidity's 36% which means my hair's actually behaving for once, and the pressure's 1022 hpa - whatever that means, but the sky's that crisp blue that makes you think winter's not that bad. anyway, kumamoto.

i arrived on the cheap bus from fukuoka after spending 2500 yen and four hours staring at mountains that looked like they were photoshopped by a bored teenager. the bus station is a concrete maze of lockers and vending machines. i grabbed a map (paper, because my phone's dying and i'm too cheap to buy a charger) and hoofed it to the cheapest hostel i could find: 'kumamoto budget stay' - 1200 yen a night, dorm with eight beds, and a bathroom that's basically a closet with a shower. the owner, a grizzled guy named takashi, gave me a key that looks like it's from the 80s and said, 'the castle's still closed for repairs, but the outside is free.' not exactly uplifting but hey, free is my middle name.

first order of business: the castle. kumamoto castle is massive, a black and white fortress that's supposedly one of japan's premier castles. too bad half of it is wrapped in scaffolding and plastic sheeting like a giant christmas present gone wrong. i paid the 500 yen entry anyway, because i'm a sucker for history and i needed to use the bathroom. according to TripAdvisor's top attractions in Kumamoto the castle is number one, but they also note the scaffolding situation. the stone walls survived the 2016 earthquakes and they're legit - huge boulders fitted together without mortar, some the size of cars. i overheard a guide telling a group, 'these walls are a testament to the resilience of the people,' and i'm like, cool story, but can i take a selfie? the inside's mostly empty, with a few exhibits of armor and swords that probably cost more than my entire trip. the main keep is still under reconstruction, but they've set up a temporary observation deck with a view of the city. it's okay, i guess.

after the castle i wandered into the bustling shōtengai covered arcade. there's a shop that sells fresh 'basashi' (horse meat sashimi) and i have to admit, i chickened out. maybe next time. instead i got a bowl of kumamoto ramen for 900 yen at a tiny counter where the cook was slinging noodles like a ninja. the broth is tonkotsu but with a garlicky, slightly sweet kick that makes it unique. i added extra garlic and a raw egg because i'm living on the edge. the guy next to me, a local salaryman, told me the real hidden gem is a place called 'ichiban ramen' near the bus terminal. 'if you go after 2pm it's closed because they sell out by noon,' he said. i took note.

later i found a 24-hour family mart that sells onigiri for 150 yen and hot buns for 100 yen. i bought a couple and sat on a bench outside the castle moat, watching ducks fight over breadcrumbs. the weather's holding up - it's around 13°c now, sunny but that wind still bites. i'm glad i brought my beanie; i almost forgot it. the forecast says low of 6.92 tonight, so i'll be borrowing an extra blanket from the hostel. no rain in sight, which is good because my shoes have holes.

i've been trying to save by cooking at the hostel kitchen. i bought a bag of rice for 300 yen, some canned mackerel for 200 yen, and a packet of miso soup mix for 100 yen. the rice cooker is ancient and takes forever, but it works. i made a 'rice bowl' that looks like a pile of gravel with fish. it's edible. i also discovered a discount supermarket called 'maxvalu' near the station that has bento boxes for 450 yen after 7pm. that's my dinner sorted.

i met a couple of other budget travelers in the common room: a french girl doing a working holiday, and a canadian guy who's 'just passing through' but has been here for three weeks because he found a part-time job at a bar. they gave me the scoop on the nightlife: there's a bar called 'the cave' that's literally a basement with cheap beer and live music. i might check it out later, but i'm exhausted.

if you're itching to explore beyond kumamoto, fukuoka's just a 40-minute shinkansen ride if you snag a student discount ticket (book early on JR Kyushu's website). beppu's a bit further but famous for its 'hells' - hot springs that look like boiling mud. i'm not sure i'll make it that far, but it's good to know.

i also stumbled upon the kumamoto city official guide online: Kumamoto City Official Guide. it has a list of free museum days and walking tours. i missed the contemporary art museum's free day, but i did wander through the sakura no baba area, which has some cool street art and old temples. there's a tiny temple with a giant buddha that's supposed to grant good luck if you rub his belly. i did it, obviously.

reviews? yeah, i heard from a drunk aussie at the hostel that the best tonkatsu place is 'tonkatsu marugo' near the tram stop. he said, 'mate, the line starts at 10:30 and by 11 it's around the corner.' i showed up at 11:30 and it was indeed a line of about thirty. i turned around, but i heard it's worth it if you have time. i also saw on Yelp that a place called 'kumagorou' has the best yakitori. maybe i'll try that tomorrow.

oh, and the vending machines here are on another level. i saw one that dispenses fresh cooked rice for 200 yen, another with hot corn soup, and even one with a raw egg. i think i might try the egg one for my breakfast tomorrow. japan never stops surprising.

now, to give you a sense of where i'm ranting from, here's a map:

and here are some random pictures i pulled from unsplash to make you jealous:

that's all for now. i'm off to find that free wifi spot near the river so i can upload this. catch you later, and remember: travel cheap, eat weird, and always carry a spare pair of socks.

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