Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Kyushu From Top to Tail Cities, Hot Springs & Volcanoes
Japan – Kyushu – Fukuoka – Nagasaki – Sukarajima
Kick off your adventure with stays in the cultural epicentres of Fukuoka and Nagasaki, where you can sample local specialities and duck into fascinating museums. Then, nip into Kumamoto for a night to visit its spectacular castle before delving into nature in Kuokawa, Takachiho and Kirishima Kinkowan National Park. What a lineup.
Well and truly reconnected with nature, round out your time in Kyushu with a couple of days in Kagoshima, gateway to the Sakurajima volcano. When you’re not trekking through the park to reach breathtaking viewpoints, you can visit more museums, savour local flavours, indulge in a spot of retail therapy and kick back in a string of photogenic parks. Talk about ending on a high note.
Itinerary
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Passports at the ready – your off-the-beaten-track escape to Kyushu kicks off today. Head to the airport, whizz through security and slip away to the lounge for some peace and quiet before departure. Flights to the capital, Fukuoka, connect through another Asian transit city and take around 16-and-a-half hours, so you'll need a good holiday read to keep you company.
Land the following day, ready to grab your bags and hop in a car for the private transfer to your hotel. Check in, divvy up the sides of the bed and freshen up before heading out for a preliminary stroll this afternoon. Or, if you’re tired from your travels, simply shake off the jet lag with some downtime.
This evening, celebrate your first night in Kyushu by reaching out to our local Concierge for some stellar restaurant recommendations. Let’s dig in.
After tucking into a delicious breakfast at your hotel this morning, meet a local guide for a private tour of the city. Fast gaining a reputation for its culture, entertainment and forward thinking, Fukuoka is full of things to do and sights to see.
Start with a stroll through Canal City Hakata, a complex of hotels, cinemas and shopping built around a semi-circular strip of water. Then, delve into traditional culture at the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum. Here, you’ll find the folk crafts Fukuoka is known for, including textiles, ceramics, dolls and Buddhist altars. Cameras at the ready...
To round out your exploration, you could try the local speciality: fugu (blowfish). But, if you don’t fancy tasting this infamous dish, there’s also an abundance of yatai (food carts) to peruse – yum.
Swap urban buzz for waterside calm this morning by hopping on a train after breakfast to Yanagawa. Set 50 minutes south of Fukuoka, this charming canal town is ideal for a fantastically photogenic day trip.
Delightfully dubbed the ‘Venice of Kyushu’, Yanagawa boasts a network of serene, tree-lined waterways. On any given day, you’ll see traditional punt boats (or donkobune) gliding gently beneath the low bridges and willow trees that stretch over the water. If that’s not photo-wall-worthy, we don’t know what is.
After a day of scenic strolls, return to Fukuoka for a spot of R&R and another delicious dinner. Anyone up for Hakata ramen (the city’s traditional noodle dish)?
Leave Fukuoka behind today and ride the rails to Nagasaki, via Takeo Onsen. The journey takes around an hour and a half, giving you plenty of time to dip back into your holiday read.
Once you arrive in Nagasaki, check in and start exploring. We’ve left your time in this picturesque port city completely free, so you can let curiosity lead the way over the next few days.
Travelling with a history buff? Nagasaki is known for being the target of the second atomic bomb at the end of WWII, and you can learn more about this at the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Monument and the nearby Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. The city is also chock-full of incredible architecture, from shrines and temples to Catholic churches and European-style buildings.
At night, take a cable car to the top of Mount Inasa for dazzling views. Afterwards, celebrate your sightseeing with a bowl of champon (a local noodle dish).
Leap out of bed and grab your bags – you’re scratching off a bucket list experience today. After breakfast, head to the station to hop on back-to-back bullet trains for the two-hour journey south to Kumamoto, via Shin Tosu.
When you pull into the station this afternoon, head to your hotel and check in for an overnight before heading back out to hit the streets. Be sure to visit Kumamoto’s famous 400-year-old castle, one of the largest in Japan. While the original was destroyed in 1877, the faithful construction that stands today is certainly worth a visit.
Afterwards, nip into the beautiful gardens at the Suizenji temple for a scenic stroll. Then, to refuel, you could try the local speciality: raw horse meat. But if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, don’t worry – there are plenty of other tasty treats on offer, too.
It’s time to kick off the road trip leg of your journey. Tuck into a tasty breakfast before collecting your hire car and strapping in for the one-hour-and-15-minute drive east to Kurokawa Onsen, a scenic spa town.
After checking into your hotel for an overnight stay, step out to immerse yourself in the lush landscape. Not far from Mount Aso (the second-largest active volcano in Japan), Kurokawa is tucked away among flowing gorges and steep mountains. It's also home to 23 open-air hot springs, some of which are hidden in caves or under waterfalls.
Spend the rest of the day simmering in these steamy waters before returning to your hotel to dry off and freshen up before another delicious dinner tonight. This is the life.
Roll back onto the road this morning to travel to Takachiho, one hour and 20 minutes south. And, if your road trip tunes are in need of a refresh along the way, check out our destination-specific playlist.
Having passed through a series of rural landscapes and small villages bordered by rice fields, you’ll reach your next hotel early this afternoon. Check in for a two-night stay before heading out to explore your suave new digs.
Over the next few days, slip into a slower pace of life as you delve into nature. The showstopper here is the Takachiho Gorge and Manai Falls, and you can explore this incredible landscape on a gentle boat trip or a walk along bridges and trails.
For more spiritual splendours, visit Shonenji temple and Jodo Shinshu, a 16th-century school of Pure Land Buddhism (which centres around rebirth). Cue oohs and ahhs from all in tow.
Keep the natural wonders coming today by following up your time in Takachiho with a couple of days in Kirishima Kinkowan National Park. The drive takes two and a half hours and winds through even more stellar scenery, so don’t forget to glance out the window every now and then.
This afternoon, park up outside your next hotel and check in for another two-night stay. Then, let the exploration commence. Kirishima Kinkowan National Park spans 140 square miles and is home to 23 volcanoes and 15 crater lakes, so it’s safe to say you’ll have your hands full…
The big hitters here are Shinmoedake – an active volcano that regularly emits plumes of smoke – and Onami-ike, a crater lake ideal for birdwatching and kayaking. Elsewhere, the southern part of the park boasts beautiful white sand beaches and enticing sulphur-rich waters. What are you waiting for?
Luxuriate in a slow start this morning before waving goodbye to Kirishima Kinkowan National Park and loading up the car to continue your journey south. Just an hour’s drive away is Kagoshima, the final destination of your trip.
After arriving, settle in for the next two nights and indulge in a spot of post-car-journey stretching. The rest of the day is free for you to nose around your new surroundings.
Backdropped by the Sakurajima volcano, Kagoshima is a pretty city full of museums and gardens. Spend the afternoon strolling the streets and ducking into various places that pique your curiosity – we’ll save the volcano for later...
Come evening, try one of the local specialities at dinner. A favourite of ours is satsuma sumoji, a traditional type of scattered sushi.
Rise and shine – a volcanic island awaits. After breakfast, pack your day bags and catch a local bus to Sakurajima. It takes just 20 minutes to reach the shore by ferry, so you’ll be on volcanic ground before you know it.
With over 100 eruptions a year, Sakurajima is Japan’s most active volcano. Despite the potential risks, it stands as an emblem of pride for the locals. Set off on an independent stroll around the Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark today to scope out this geothermal gem – eruptions permitting, of course.
Afterwards, head towards the visitor centre to enjoy the natural foot bath (or ashiyu) nearby. The waters are warmed by the volcano, and the location offers a stunning panorama over the sea. Not bad for some post-trekking R&R.
Sadly, your off-the-beaten-track escape to Kyushu comes to an end today. Enjoy a slow start this morning before checking out and hopping on a train to Fukuoka, an hour and 35 minutes away.
Here, catch a connecting flight back to the UK. The whole journey takes around 18 hours, so you’ll arrive home the following day. In the meantime, there's nothing left to do but sit back, slip on an eye mask and start dreaming up your next far-flung adventure.
Why visit Japan with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Japan
- Our local Concierges
- The Original Travel app
- Wi-Fi router and e-Sim
- Destination Dossier
- 24-hour helpline
- Expert guides
- 100% carbon absorption
