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Visit Kyushu
The Official Kyushu Travel Guide

Seasons

Seasons

Four Distinct Seasons, Limitless Experiences

A Unique Kyushu Experience Anytime of the Year

From the craggy peaks of its powerful volcanoes to the sandy shores of its distant islands, the variety of the natural beauty of Kyushu leaves visitors in awe. But it only gets better; Kyushu has four distinct seasons, each bringing about changes in the natural landscapes and seasonal cuisine around the region.

Let’s start with summer, when the land is green and bright, including the fields of rice and vegetables that grow abundantly in the fertile soil of Kyushu. Cool your heels in the ocean on Takahama Beach in the Goto Islands or the wild coast of Miyazaki around the Calm Lanai Harbor glamping facility. Enjoy trekking the Kyushu Olle trails or eating sashimi from seasonal fish caught off the coast of Kyushu.

Autumn brings brilliant fall colors to the region, especially beautiful against the backdrop of ancient architecture like Akizuki Castle, or the stunning view from the Unzen Ropeway in Nagasaki, one of the 10 best places to view autumn foliage in Kyushu. The autumn harvest brings many of Kyushu’s specialties like matsutake mushrooms and fresh harvested oysters to your plate.

Winter is the time to warm yourself up, so head to one of the many onsen hot spring resort areas of Kyushu, such as Kumamoto’s Kurokawa Onsen with its many luxurious ryokan. Feast on cuisine made from seasonal ingredients such as freshly harvested barbecued oysters from the Itoshima Oyster Huts in Fukuoka.
And let’s not forget Spring, when the warming weather heralds the planting season for rice paddies and vegetable fields. Japan’s colorful holidays are celebrated like the gorgeous Hinamatsuri festival in Yanagawa, which is held for young girls but is a delight for everyone. And Japan’s iconic cherry trees blossom against incredible natural backgrounds like Mount Yufu in Oita.

Which season is the best time to visit Kyushu? Take your pick, and return to Kyushu again and again until you’ve experienced the beauty and delights of them all!

Spring

Cherry Blossoms & Hina Matsuri Festival

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Summer

Beach & Glamping

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Autumn

Autumn Leaves and Pottery

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Winter

Gastronomy and Hot Springs

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