If you are under 20, please refrain from entering.
Also known as new-downtown
New Downtown (Shinshigai) is one of Kumamoto City's covered shopping streets. A Kumamoto City planning document notes that the arcades of Kamitori, Shimotori and New Downtown run on from one another within walking distance.
The same document says the Kotsu Center, a hub for buses, is close by, with services across Kumamoto Prefecture and to Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Oita. On the city tram, travel between the Kami-Kumamoto Station side and the Tasakibashi side requires a change at Karashimacho. For Kumamoto–Hakata, JR Kyushu’s published minimum on its Kyushu Shinkansen is 32 minutes.
For the Shimotori arcade that continues from New Downtown, Kumamoto Prefecture's tourism site gives a length of 510 m and a width of 15 m. The Kamitori, Shimotori and New Downtown arcades run on from one another within walking distance.
This page will display any future New Downtown listings; at present it has none. Kumamoto City’s page is the destination for city-wide entries, while the Lower Street area page carries the district listings.
Kumamoto City's anti-touting ordinance makes a central area enclosed by city roads, including the Jotomachi-Kamibayashimachi No. 1, Konyaimamachi-Hanabatakemachi No. 1 and Konyaimamachi-Karashimacho No. 1 routes, a prohibited zone, and bans touting or having others tout there. Failing to follow an order can lead to publication or a non-criminal fine.
New Downtown is generally fine for a night out. The main risk is bottakuri, a padded bill at the end. Stick to venues that post their prices, skip street touts steering you into ‘free’ bars, and confirm the set fee plus any nomination or bottle charges before you order.
Payment methods vary by venue. Check the listing and confirm with the venue before booking.
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