Kebumen, district in Kebumen Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia
Kebumen is a trading town in Central Java that serves as the administrative center for the region and is marked by markets, shops, and residential areas. The city has a compact structure with parks in the center, streets full of small shops, and neighborhoods that spread in different directions.
The town grew around the school of an Islamic scholar named Kyai Pangeran Bumidirja, who came from a noble family and was exiled to the area. During the Mataram Sultanate period, Kebumen served as a base for military campaigns.
Kebumen takes its name from an Islamic scholar called Kyai Bumi, whose school shaped the settlement and was called Ki-Bumi-An before the name shortened to Kebumen. Today, you can see in the parks and streets how Javanese people keep their traditions alive in everyday life, with local markets run by craftspeople and farmers.
You can explore Kebumen easily on foot since the town is small and can be crossed from one side to the other in less than an hour. For longer distances, motorcycles, becak (pedal-powered rickshaws), angkot minivans, and taxis are all easy to find and affordable.
A local specialty is sate ambal, chicken served with a spicy, salty, and rich dipping sauce, and lanthing, a cassava snack shaped like numbers with a slightly salty taste and various seasonings. Local coffee brands like Cap Djempol and Yum Roasted Coffee are highly valued and can be bought in cafes or at markets.
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