Relive the history of the Island through a nostalgic journey
Embark on a journey through the past of Kyushu, a land where western and Japanese culture live side by side. Rediscover its present heritage through the guidance of local experts and learn about various craftsmanship that contributed to shape the spiritual and natural aspects of the island. Onsen towns such as Beppu and Ureshino, natural wonders such as Aso and Takachiho Gorge, Christian churches and Japanese Castle together with historic Edo traditional districts filled with art shops and local foods awaits you in this memorable trip.
Highlights on the tour
Stay at authentic Japanese Onsen Towns and enjoy Kyushu delicacies from many regions
Private visit to local Ceramic factories and Sake breweries tours with tasting experience
Exclusive guided tour and access to catholic churches and buddhist temples, including private blessing buddhism ritual Gomataki in Kunisaki
Visit spectacular natural wonders such as Aso mountain and Takachiho Gorge
Day 1 — Fukuoka
Reach Fukuoka City airport where our local guides, who will be with you for the entirety of the tour, will meet you up and guide you to your private shuttle bus to reach Hotel Nikko Fukuoka. Check-in and enjoy your free time in your first night in Kyushu visiting the vibrant Hakata Station and nearby attractions.
Included accommodations
Hotel Nikko Fukuoka
It is one of the most deluxe hotel in Fukuoka and it is
well-situated only three minutes' walk from JR Hakata Station,
which offers a direct subway access to Fukuoka Airport.
Perfect for pre-post tour arrangements.
Day 2 — Hirado
After checking out from your hotel, jump onboard our private bus and start your journey in Kyushu by visiting the city of Hirado,
where Western culture and Japanese culture live side by side. Originally, the city of "Firando" played the role of port of call for ships between the Asian mainland and Japan, and most of this trade took place at the Hirado Dutch Trading Post, built in 1609 and still intact with its unique features.
A local guided tour with plenty of cultural activities will fill your day, as you will learn more about this picturesque city.
In the evening, relax at Kaijo Hotel, a local ryokan including hot spas where you can enjoy a panoramic
view of Hirado-Kaikyo Strait and authentic local food.
Included attractions
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church stands in Hirado,
commemorating the first introduction of Christianity
to the Nagasaki Region by Saint Francis Xavier in 1550.
The memorial church is surrounded
by bamboo groves and temples
and therefore offers a “view of a Christian church
and a Japanese temple,” representing a mixture of
Japanese and Western influence in the culture of Nagasaki.
Dutch Trading Post
Built in 1609 as centre of trade between Japan and the Dutch East India Company
Hirado Castle
Hirado Castle, built on a hill overlooking Hirado Strait,
has stunning sea views and digital interactive exhibitions
telling the story of clan Matsura.
Mori Sake Brewery
Enjoy a sake tasting experience at this Local Sake Brewery founded in 1895.
The concept behind this sake lies on a "brewing sake that expresses the climate of Hirado".
Tsutaya Wagashi Shop
Enjoy Casdoce and tea at the "Kyushu's oldest sweetshop" founded in 1502.
This shop has long been an official supplier of sweets to the ruling Matsura family of Hirado
and still today much loved sweetshop from locals.
Included accommodations
Hirado Kaijo Hotel
This hotel provides an onsen stay where you can enjoy a panoramic
view of Hirado-Kaikyo Strait from your room and authentic local food.
Day 3 — From Hirado to Arita
Start your day visiting the Romanesque-style brick church of Tabira, one of the finest and most representative Christian architecture examples in Japan. Later, the tour will proceed to Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain and still nowadays one of the most influential hubs for the national pottery industry. You will be guided through its museum specialized in ceramic ware, including the prestigious ceramics of Hizen area and entire Kyushu, as well as visiting the Sueyama Shrine.
This shrine is dedicated to the fathers of pottery to pray for the town and the prosperity of Arita porcelain. You will be surprised to find that its guardian dogs and torii are unique on their way as made by local porcelain. In addition, get an exclusive glimpse of local artisans at work on their Arita-style hand-crafted ceramics at Genenmon, a kiln with more than 250 years of activity.
End your day by indulging in the renowned Ureshino Onsen, celebrated as one of Japan’s top three hot springs for promoting radiant skin.
Included attractions
Tabira Catholic Church
The Romanesque-style brick church with the colorful brick-piling technique
and the decorative soot-painted black bricks
are said to be at the finest level of a brick church construct in Japan
Saga Prefectural Kyushu Ceramic Museum
Museum specialized in ceramic ware,
including the prestigious ceramics of Hizen area
and entire Kyushu
Genenmon Kiln
With more than 250 years of activity,
at Genenmon Kiln, you can see artisans at work on their hand-crafted ceramics
being made in the famous Arita Style.
Included accommodations
Hotel Sakura Ureshino
Excellent in-house onsen with water from the famous Ureshino source.
Indulge in the renowned Ureshino Onsen, celebrated as one
of Japan’s top three hot springs for promoting radiant skin.
Day 4 — Nagasaki
After a relaxing night at Ureshino Onsen, our next stop will be the famous city of Nagasaki. Our first stop will be the Glover Garden, an open-air park exhibiting Western mansions of the 19th Century.
To follow, we will head to Oura Cathedral, the oldest-standing and most famous Christian church in Japan, definitely a must for everyone interested in catholicism.
For lunch, we are going to discover another cultural side of the city, the Shinchi area. This area was originally land reclaimed for warehouses used by Chinese boats, and today it is one of Japan’s top three Chinatowns, featuring plenty of crisscrossing roads filled with Chinese restaurants, shops and large red Chinese gates.
In the afternoon, we will head to Dejima, the trading post of Nagasaki during the Edo Period, and we will end our one-day trip with the famous Peace National Park dedicated to the memory of the WW2 nuclear tragedy. In the evening, we will be back to Ureshino Onsen to recharge ourselves and enjoy delicious kaiseki cuisine.
Included attractions
Glover Garden
It is an open air park exhibiting Western mansions.
Visitors can enter the buildings and explore the well-preserved rooms,
witnessing the lifestyle of the wealthy figures who inhabited them.
Oura Cathedral
Visit of the oldest standing Christian church in Japan
Dejima Post Town
Reconstruction of the famous trading post of Nagasaki during Edo Period.
Nagasaki Peace Park
Visit to the famous park dedicated to the memory of WW2 nuclear tragedy.
Included accommodations
Hotel Sakura Ureshino
Excellent in-house onsen with water from the famous Ureshino source.
Indulge in the renowned Ureshino Onsen, celebrated as one
of Japan’s top three hot springs for promoting radiant skin.
Day 5 – From Kashima to Hita
On this day, we will leave Ureshino Onsen in the morning and head to the town renowned for its sake breweries, Kashima. Here, aside from visiting the majestic Yutoki Inari shrine, our local guide will give us access to Sachihime Shuzo Sake Brewery, which is the brewer of Yutoku Inari Shrine Omiki, a sake offered to the Shinto gods.
Later, we will have a walking tour where you can taste different kinds of sake and purchase a bottle of your favourite one! After lunch, we will jump on the bus again and head to the city of Hita. Hita is a charming city often called the "Kyoto of Kyushu" due to its historic streets modelled after the ancient capital. Here we will learn through exhibitions of paintings, ancient texts etc. the ancient splendor of the city during Tenryo governance in the 17th Century, and we will visit the Hina Doll Museum Hina Palace, displaying the most impressive and largest collection of Hina dolls in Japan, including 3,500 antique Hina dolls from the early 1700s.
In addition, we will have a guided tour through another famous sake brewery of the city, Kuncho Shuzo, which features a 200-year old building. We will end the day at Senomoto Kogen Hotel, a beautiful resort with Aso mountain views.
Included attractions
Yutoku Inari Shrine
Guided tour of one of Japan's top three shrines dedicated to the deity Inari.
Sachihime Sake Brewery
Private tour and sake tasting experience at the brewer of Yutoku Inari Shrine Omiki, a sake offered to the shinto gods.
Hizen Hamashuku Sagakura
Guided walking tour through the old town sake breweries with sake tasting experiences.
Hina Doll Museum Hina Palace
It displays the most impressive and largest collection of Hina dolls in Japan,
including 3,500 antique Hina dolls from the early 1700s.
Included accommodations
Senomoto Kogen Hotel
Enjoy the sights of the vast Aso grasslands and the starry night sky
from the outdoor baths at this hotel.
Day 6 – Takachiho and Aso
On this day, we are heading to one of the most wonderful natural power spots of Kyushu, the Takachiho Gorge. We will walk through these mesmerizing waterfalls connected with Japanese mythology, and we will visit Amano Iwato Shrine, associated with the famous Japanese legend of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave. In the afternoon, the tour will proceed to Mt.Aso, where you will be able to enjoy Breathtaking views of Aso National Park, before heading back to your hotel for dinner.
Included attractions
Takachiho Amano Iwato Shrine
The most mesmerizing waterfalls in Japan connected with Japanese mythology.
Amano Iwato Shrine in Takachiho is associated with the famous
Japanese legend of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave.
Aso Mountain Panoramic Terrace
Breathtaking views of Aso National Park
Included accommodations
Senomoto Kogen Hotel
Enjoy the sights of the vast Aso grasslands and the starry night sky
from the outdoor baths at this hotel.
Day 7 – From Yufuin to Beppu
The tour continues this day toward Yufuin, a charming countryside onsen town, where you can enjoy a stroll at the famous Yunotsubo street, full of little restaurants, cafés, food stalls and craft shops. In the afternoon, we will be heading to the most famous onsen town in Japan, Beppu. Here we will have a guided tour of the Hells of Beppu, and in the evening we will soak in its popular hot springs.
Included attractions
Yufuin
Charming countryside onsen town,
where you can enjoy a stroll at the famous Yunotsubo street, full of little restaurants, cafés, food stalls and craft shops.
Hells of Beppu
Guided tour of the Seven Hells of Beppu
Included accommodations
Onyado Nono Beppu
Modern Onsen Hotel just few steps from Beppu Station
Day 8 – Kunisaki
On this day, we are heading to Kunisaki Peninsula, famous for its rich countryside and mountain temples. We will start our guided tour at Futagoji, a small mountain temple located deep within the forests in the center of the peninsula with its iconic twin Nio guardians statues. In the afternoon, we will be also visiting Monjusenji, the main temple of Rokugou Manzan’s Sueyama,
worshipping the Monju Bodhisattva.
Here we will have a memorable experience attending a private Gomataki ritual, a tradition that has been passed down for generations over 1,300 years in this temple. The Gomataki rituals originate from the Sanskrit word of Homa, which involves the burning of wooden fragrance sticks as an offering to the deities. In the evening, we will head back to our hotel in Beppu.
Included attractions
Futagoji Temple
Small mountain temple
with its iconic twin Nio guardians statues.
Monjusenji Temple
Exclusive Gomataki Ritual experience at the Main temple of Rokugou Manzan’s Sueyama,
worshipping the Monju Bodhisattva.
Included accommodations
Onyado Nono Beppu
Modern Onsen Hotel just few steps from Beppu Station
Day 9 – Fukuoka
On the last day of our trip, we will head back to the capital of Kyushu, Fukuoka. Here we will be first visiting one of the symbols of the city and the tallest beach tower in Japan, the Fukuoka Tower. After our lunch break, we will move to Tochoji temple, famous for its largest seated wooden image of Buddha in Japan. We will conclude our day at Canal City Shopping Mall, where you can spend your time purchasing the last souvenirs, and join us and the rest of the group for a special farewell dinner. Stay at Hotel Nikko Fukuoka.
Included attractions
Fukuoka Tower
Tallest beach tower in Japan and symbol of the capital of Kyushu.
Tochoji Temple
Temple famous for its largest seated wooden image of Buddha in Japan
Canal City
Main shopping mall center for locals and tourists in the city of Fukuoka.
Included accommodations
Hotel Nikko Fukuoka
It is one of the most deluxe hotel in Fukuoka and it is
well-situated only three minutes' walk from JR Hakata Station,
which offers a direct subway access to Fukuoka Airport.
Perfect for pre-post tour arrangements.
Day 10 - Fukuoka Departure
After checking out from Hotel Nikko Fukuoka, it is time to say goodbye and greet our fantastic guides, unless you would like to book an extension tour with us through other wonderful destinations in Japan!
Enquire now
Join an exclusive group tour experience that we have arranged for a limited time
Don't want a group tour? Let us help customize the perfect private experience
Review the following information before contacting us.
Includes
Meet and greet on arrival and private transfer to accommodation
Transfer by private bus throughout the tour
Accommodations throughout the tour, including city tax/onsen bathing tax fees
Breakfast included for all accomodations.
Dinner at the indicated points in the summary itinerary: Hirado (Day 2) / Ureshino Onsen (day 3,4) / Aso Senomoto Kogen (Day 5,6) / Farewell dinner in Fukuoka (Day 9)
Private English-Speaking Guide and Coordinator throughout the tour
Local guided tours: Hirado old town tour, Arita ceramic tour, Hita old town tour including sake brewery visit , Kashima old town tour including sake brewery visit, Kunisaki Futagoji trekking tour, Kunisaki Monjusenji Goma experience
