Discover Japan's nature-rich,
southwestern island of Kyushu
While many people may associate Japan's main islands with temperate forests and snowcapped mountains,
the climate is very different in the deep south of the country.
Kyushu is a subtropical paradise with warm seas, verdant gorges and glorious beaches.
See another side of Japan in this unique region.
Nature
Get off the beaten track in Kyushu
There are parts of Kyushu that appear to come straight from a dream, and Yakushima is one such place. The ancient forests on this island are at least 2,000 years old, but some estimates put that date as far back as 7,000 years. Also, get up close and personal with monkeys at the Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden, an educational and eye-opening experience with nature, and witness majestic volcanoes in Aso-Kuju National Park.
Culture
Discover the many faces of Kyushu
There is no one Kyushu. Instead, this diverse region is home to many different cultural traditions. One powerful example is Kagura, a sacred dance dedicated to Shinto gods. Stop for dinner at a yatai, a traditional hand-drawn food cart in Fukuoka City. In Okawachiyama Village, discover a unique pottery style developed with Korean influence called Nabeshima ware.
Activity
Unforgettable experiences unique to Kyushu
Some activities in Kyushu can be experienced nowhere else in Japan. Take kayaking through the mangrove forest of Amami Oshima, for example. Elsewhere, visitors to the Hells of Beppu are mesmerized by these boiling hot springs that reach temperatures of more than 100 degrees Celsius. While visitors to Hirado must book a night in Hirado Castle, an original fortification perched high above the city.
Recommended Itineraries
in Kyushu
Kyushu in the News
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Outdoor adventures, healing quests and cultural deep-dives in Kyushu, southern Japan
BBC
Japan’s third-largest and southernmost main island, Kyushu is blessed with sunny skies, friendly people and pristine nature. The island also has a cosmopolitan present, rooted in a long history of trading with Chinese, Korean, and European merchants. The gateway to the island today is the modern city of Fukuoka, a two-hour flight from Tokyo, or two and a half hours by shinkansen (bullet train) from Osaka.
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Discover Japan: Forest Bathing and Spiritual Connections
CNN
Known for its majestic old-growth forests, Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture houses towering Japanese cedar trees—some over 1,000 years old.
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Discover These One-of-a-Kind Marvels in Japan
Travel + Leisure
On the southern island of Kyushu lies an otherworldly paradise: two towering rock walls flanked by ancient trees, with misty waterfalls tumbling into a flow of emerald water at the base. This is Takachiho Gorge — a narrow chasm formed over 100,000 years ago by eruptions from the volcanic Mount Aso nearby. It was in this mystical setting that one of Japan's most famous mythological stories unfolded — when the sun goddess Amaterasu, angered by her brother, retreated into a cave and deprived the world of light.
Kyushu
While many people may associate Japan's main islands with temperate forests and snowcapped mountains, the climate is very different in the deep south of the country. Kyushu is a subtropical paradise with warm seas, verdant gorges and glorious beaches. See another side of Japan in this unique region.
Hokkaido
Tohoku
Greater Tokyo
Central Japan
Kansai
San'in
Setouchi
Shikoku
Kyushu
Okinawa
