Tour Duration: 10 days
Price: USD 2,880 (price per person, based on twin/triple room occupancy)
Tour start and end place is Fukuoka
Day 1 – Meeting place at Fukuoka City
You will arrive at Fukuoka Airport today and be transferred to your accommodation. The remainder of the afternoon and evening can be spent at leisure in Fukuoka, a lively city with some great attractions such as the green rooftop garden, the flowers in Uminonakamichi Seaside Park and the pagoda of the Tochoji temple, and the world-famous ramen noodles best sampled in Yatai.
Day 2 – Shrine Visit
After your complimentary breakfast, your guide will meet you in the van and take you to the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, a refuge for study, culture, and the arts. Lunch will be served at Yame, which is known for producing some of Japan’s highest-quality tea. We will next ride to Toho Village, where you will get the opportunity to photograph the famed terraced rice fields of this area. We arrive at the Yufuin ryokan in the afternoon. for a traditional supper.
Day 3 – Yufuin tour to Beppu
Next morning, we tour Yufuin, including the Folk Craft Village and Yunotsubo Street, which has many adorable souvenir stores and local delicacies to enjoy, as well as the scenic Kinrin Lake. After lunch, we will ride to the famed hot spring village of Beppu, where we will see the three most famous ‘hells.’ Then we travel to the ryokan for a traditional meal.
Day 4 – Sightseeing on Mt. Aso and scenic view in Takachiho
The first stop is at Daikanbo, a spectacular lookout point with stunning views of the surrounding area. We will then go to Mt Aso, where we will visit the Volcano Museum and witness the views of Komezuka and Kusasenri Meadow, as well as eat lunch with a view. Then it’s back on the bus to Takachiho Gorge, where you’ll enjoy a boat ride. Dinner will be served at your accommodation, followed by a renowned traditional dance performance at the Takachiho Shrine, which will tell you the story of one of Japan’s most revered Shinto gods.
Day 5 – Scenic view in Aoshima and Arimura Observatory
First stop will be at Aoshima to observe the ‘Devil’s Washboard,’ a stunning natural structure along the shore. You may bring your own lunch on the way, and we will arrive in Kagoshima about 2 p.m. to see the lovely Sengan-en Garden. During the feudal period, a strong clan developed this garden, which makes excellent use of its natural surroundings. The Arimura Observatory on the active volcano Sakurajima is our next visit before spending the night in Kagoshima.
Day 6 – Crane Park Izumi and Kumamoto Castle
After your complimentary breakfast, our team will pick you up in your hotel and head directly to our first destination, the Crane Park Izumi, where you can learn more about these wonderful birds and see thousands of cranes throughout the winter. The journey continues, and you may stop for lunch along the route. Our next destination is Kumamoto, which was damaged by an earthquake in 2016. From the outside, you will view Kumamoto Castle, which is presently being reconstructed, and you will visit the lovely Suizenji Park. In Kumamoto, you may spend the evening there.
Day 7 – Hell Unzen
Our team will pick you up right in the morning and take the ferry to Shimabara where we visit the ‘Hell of Unzen’. Here you can walk through the ‘hellish’ environment of heated gas and billowing steam on a wooden walkway.
Next will be the Atomic Bomb Ground Zero the site of the explosion on August 9, 1945, and the Peace Statue in Peace Park, which was built to pray for global peace. After lunch in Nagasaki, followed by a visit to the Atomic Bomb Museum to hear more about Nagasaki’s terrible past. Before heading to the hotel, we climb Mt Inasa to get a bird’s-eye perspective of Nagasaki.
Day 8 – Spectacular view of Glover Garden
We initially visit the Glover Garden and Oura Church before departing Nagasaki to discover more about Nagasaki’s past international relations. We next ride to Arita, a pottery town, to see the Fukagawa Seiji studio, which belongs to the family that has made some of the world’s most famous porcelain since the 17th century and even supplies china to the Imperial Family. We’ll eat lunch at China on the Park, where you can also browse for authentic or reduced things that didn’t match the rigorous criteria. After lunch, you’ll go to Okawachiyama, another porcelain village known as the “Village of the Secret Kilns” because of its remote position and well-defended borders.
Day 9 – Karatsu day
Today is dedicated to Karatsu, which is known for its ceramics, festival, and castle. In the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall, you will discover more about the event, explore how a wealthy family used to live in this region in the Former Takatori House, and take in the panorama from Karatsu Castle. Finally, in the afternoon, you may try your hand at creating clay in a pottery workshop. You will return to Fukuoka in the late afternoon and will have free time to explore the city.
Day 10 – Last day
Today is the tour’s final day; breakfast will be given at the hotel, and we will organize your transfer to Fukuoka Airport. Thank you for visiting Kyushu, and we hope to see you again soon!
