Recommended Itineraries
in Kyushu

The most southwestern island in Japan’s main island chain, Kyushu has a wonderful temperate climate, but people head to the island for much more than the weather. If you enjoy cycling, Japan is a go-to destination and the cycling routes on Kyushu are spectacular. Start your journey around Kyushu with a cycle trip along a former railroad before heading two hours by car to the Matsunaga Japanese Sword Forge, where you can have a go at making a Samurai sword. If hiking in Japan is on your bucket list, then the next leg of the tour will no doubt tick that box. Explore Miyazaki's jaw dropping crater lakes before completing your trip at the Sakurajima Volcano on a guided kayak tour.

Kyushu has a vibrant history and many of the island’s historic sites have been preserved to this day, giving visitors the opportunity to experience life as it was some centuries earlier. Start your tour on Hashima Island, an abandoned island that was once home to a bustling community of coal miners. From there, travel by boat and car to Takeo Onsen, a historic hot spring town renowned for its healing waters. Traditional Japanese villages are a real draw for visitors and the next stop on the tour takes in a particularly fine example, Yanagawa, with its winding network of calm canals. Finally, finish your trip on one of the best hikes in Japan, a mesmerizing trail through a lush forest to the beautiful Nabegataki Waterfall.

Kyushu's wild, raw landscapes and stunning natural formations are intimately tied to some of its most prized cultural features.
Geothermal activity from its numerous volcanoes have given rise to mineral-rich waters that make Kyushu one of Japan's top destination for onsen bathing, while deposits of kaolin clay resulted in Japan's first porcelain wares—and some of the country's foremost locales for yakimono (pottery).

Explore the fascinating history of Kyushu from the ancient volcanoes that formed the land to samurai battles and the area's Christian history, and the events of 20th century.
As you travel from Kumamoto to Nagasaki you can feel the history of this dynamic region come alive.

Put on your hiking shoes and ditch the crowds as you go on a spiritual journey from Japan's main island to Kyushu's historical and spiritual sites.
Follow in the pilgrims' footsteps along the Kumano Kodo in Mie Prefecture, trek through deep forests of Oita's Kunisaki peninsula, and explore the home of the Sun Goddess in Miyazaki prefecture — and uncover the country's rich mythology and history along the way.