Kyushu

For history, activities in nature, and a balmy climate, Kagoshima is the place to go. Having always been more open to foreign influences, you can still find plenty of proof of that in local culture and Kagoshima’s historical buildings.

Karatsu Castle, Takatori’s Old Residence, wild natural scenery, and pottery beautiful in its minimalist simplicity are just some of the attractions that Karatsu in Kyushu, Japan has to offer. Find out what to include on your Karatsu itinerary!

The small island of Aoshima on the southeastern coast of Kyushu, Japan, is a little pearl of nature. Its most famous attraction is the ‘Devil’s washboard’ formation, but there is more to be seen here.

People flock to Kurokawa Onsen near Mt. Aso for one reason; to soak in natural hot springs with the best views. The location is secluded and a bit remote, which makes it easy to completely refresh yourself by just being in this small town for an overnight stay.

Yufuin is an onsen town located near famous hot spring city Beppu in Kyushu. People travel from far to come to Yufuin to enjoy the tranquil scenery, natural outdoor hot springs, beautiful ryokan accommodations, and several art museums. Yufuin also has some very pretty streets in the fairytale-like Yufuin Floral Village and Edo-style Yunotsubo Street.

Yame is a small town near Fukuoka in Kyushu that is famous for its high-quality tea. Tea from Yame is the 6th largest brand in Japan, and it is well-known for its superior flavor and aroma.

Arita and Imari are small towns that are located in Saga Prefecture. They have been known as towns of pottery for about 400 years.

Yoshinogari is an important archaeological site located on the plain of Saga Prefecture. By visiting this site you can get a rough image of a Japanese village of about 2,000 years ago.

Dazaifu City is located about 15km south-east from the center of Fukuoka City. Dazaifu Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine and the most important place in this city.

One of the most impressive and curious places in Nagasaki is the Sanno Shrine because the main torii (gateway to the shrine) maintains only one pillar.

The Suwa shrine in Nagasaki was founded in 1614 under the order of the Tokugawa shogun as a way to expel the Christian faith from the region. During the Edo period, Nagasaki was one of the few places where there was contact with foreigners.

Although Shimabara has been plagued by (man-made) disasters in its history, it is a nice town to visit when you are traveling through Kyushu. The upside to being in a seismically active area is that there are also plenty of natural hot springs to be found.

In Nagasaki, very close to where the epicenter of the explosion if the atomic bomb was, is the Atomic Bomb Museum. What happened on August 6 and 9, 1945 should never be repeated, and this museum explains in detail why.

One of the most emotional places in Japan is the so-called Peace Park (Heiwa Koen in Japanese). It is located in Nagasaki, a few minutes’ walk from the atomic bomb museum and it commemorates the victims of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki

Around 1549, Christian missionaries started arriving from Europe. They usually came from countries such as Spain and Portugal, whose objective was to spread the word of the church.

The city of Nagasaki is especially known for being one of the two cities that was bombed with an atomic bomb during WW2, and this fact overshadows its long history as an ancient point of contact with the Portuguese and the Dutch.

Josaien is made to resemble a castle town of feudal time close to the Kumamoto Castle. It is a complex of a history museum, souvenir shops, and restaurants with local foods.

Kokonoe Yume Tsuribashi is one of the longest suspension bridges for pedestrians in Japan with a length of 390 meters. It is located in the mountains of  Oita Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan.

Kunisaki Peninsula is located in the northeastern part of Oita Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. In this round-shaped peninsula, there are a lot of attractive places. Because it is not easy to access, its towns, shrines, and temples have retained their quiet atmosphere.

Usa Jingu, also called Usa Hachiman Shrine, is located at the entrance of the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture. It was founded in the 8th century and it is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.

The Takachiho Yokagura is a traditional dance that has been performed by local men from a long time ago. Takachiho is a town that is located on the mountain in the northern part of Miyazaki Prefecture.

Takachiho is a town in the northernmost part of Miyazaki Prefecture, about 120 km northwest of the Miyazaki Prefectural capital and about 80 km southeast of Kumamoto City. The Takachiho Gorge, located in the southern part of the city, is quite famous as a tourist attraction.

I’m a local guide who was born and raised in Kumamoto, which is located on Kyushu island in the southwest of Japan. In April 2016, a big earthquake of magnitude 7.0 hit my hometown.

Mt Aso, the biggest active volcano in Japan and one of the largest caldera in the world is located at the center of Aso-Kuju National Park in Kumamoto and Oita.

Kumamoto Castle is a Japanese castle located in Kumamoto City, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. It is regarded as one of the three best castles in Japan together with Himeji and Nagoya castles.

Beppu is located in the central part of Oita, on the coast of Beppu Bay. It is one of Japan’s most famous hot spring (‘onsen’ in Japanese) resorts, producing more hot spring water than any other resort in the country. The amount of hot spring water produced per day is about 130,000 liters.

Kitakyushu City is in Kyushu facing to Kanmon Strait. The major cities are Kokura with Kokura Castle and Moji with Moji Port where you can find retro buildings.

Tanegashima is an island in Japan located at the western end of the islands Ōsumi, and part of Kagoshima Prefecture. The headquarter of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is located here, and there are beautiful beaches and mangroves.

Sakurajima is an active volcano and former island (now attached to the main island) located in the south of Kyūshū, in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

Fukuoka City’s best feature is its blend of a typical cityscape with green natural spaces. For tourists, there is a thriving nightlife and many shopping opportunities, traditional shrines and historical sights, Japanese festivals, and other special events to amaze you. Fukuoka always has something to offer in all seasons.

Yakushima is a subtropical island off the southwestern coast of Kyushu and part of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is covered by an extensive cedar forest that contains some of Japan’s oldest living trees called Yakusugi.

After taking a bite, the gentle flowery flavor of the sake Hananoka burst in my mouth, just as the name is translated as ‘the fragrance of flowers’ in English.