Exploring Kyushu

• Explore Fukuoka’s Dazaifu Shrine and the serene Shinto temples of the Kunisaki Peninsula

• Come face to face with the mysterious stone buddhas carved into the rock at Usuki, a National Treasure

• Experience the natural beauty of Takachiho Gorge and the cultivated splendour of Suizenji Garden

• Encounter the fascinating history of the Hidden Christians, persecuted by the Tokugawa shogunate

• Admire a wide range of arts and crafts, with an in-depth look at Kyushu’s traditional pottery villages and diverse museums

• Uncover a lesser-known side of Japanese history, from Yayoi settlements to Kumamoto’s imposing castle

FRIDAY 16 OCTOBER – ARRIVAL (D)
The tour commences at 3.00pm in the lobby of our hotel in Fukuoka, where we meet tour leader Relle Mott. Please note that no arrival transfer is included in the price of the tour. Some Japanese airlines offer free of charge through-flights from Tokyo to Fukuoka airport with their international airfares. Otherwise, domestic flights to Fukuoka depart regularly from all over Japan and are very well priced. The city is also connected by Shinkansen.

We begin to familiarise ourselves on an orientation stroll to Shofukuji Temple. Founded in 1195, the temple has peaceful grounds and its distinctive arrangement of buildings are designated a national historic site that exemplifies the Zen approach to nature. Continuing to Tochoji Temple, established by Kobo Daishi in the ninth century, we admire the ten-metre-tall wooden statue, The Great Buddha of Fukuoka, and a five-storey pagoda that commemorates the temple’s 1200th anniversary. This evening we enjoy a welcome dinner together in a hotpot restaurant that serves mizutaki, a Fukuoka speciality. Overnight Fukuoka.

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER – DAZAIFU (B, L)
This morning we visit Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. This Shinto shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a gifted scholar, politician and poet of the Heian period, revered as the god of learning and popular with students during exams. Michizane wrote poems in admiration of plum trees and the shrine’s legendary tobiume (flying plum tree) flew here from Kyoto to accompany Michizane during his exile from the imperial court. We continue to the Kyushu National Museum, an eye-catching glass structure with a curved steel roof. The museum focuses on Kyushu from pre-history to the Edo period. After lunch in the museum restaurant, we stop at a complex of ruins that was once the Kyushu Government Offices. During the Nara and Heian Periods, Dazaifu was Japan’s political centre and the country was administered from this site. We return to Fukuoka where the evening is at leisure. Overnight Fukuoka.

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER – ART IN THE PARK (B)
Ohori Park is centred around a large pond that served as a moat for neighbouring Fukuoka Castle. From November, it is a resting spot for migratory birds from Siberia. We visit the Japanese garden here, its large pond with a backdrop of artificial hills, dry landscape garden and three waterfalls. Also within Ohori Park is the Fukuoka Art Museum, where the collection of international pre-modern and contemporary art, by artists such as Dalì and Miró, sits alongside ancient Buddhist statues, Japanese folding screens, ceramics and textiles. The remainder of the day is at leisure, so you may like to visit the interactive teamLab Forest. It is the Fukuoka outpost of the renowned international digital art collective. Overnight Fukuoka.

MONDAY 19 OCTOBER – BUBBLING BEPPU (B, L)
Today we travel to Beppu, where mineral-rich volcanic hot springs bubble to the surface and give the town its reputation as one of Japan’s most famous onsen destinations. Beppu is also known as a centre for traditional arts and crafts, as we discover on a walking tour of the city that includes a visit to the Traditional Bamboo Crafts Centre. Here we participate in a short bamboo craft workshop. Our lunch today is prepared by harnessing the steam generated by the hot springs, used for centuries to cook a variety of meat and vegetables. After lunch we ascend Mount Tsurumi by ropeway to explore some of the walking paths at the summit and enjoy the panoramic views over Beppu. There is time to explore some of the seven “hells” of Beppu, spectacular hot springs whose waters have different mineral characteristics and therefore offer a variety of colours. Checking into our hotel, the evening is at leisure to enjoy a relaxing soak in the in-house onsen. Overnight Beppu.

TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER – USUKI STONE BUDDHAS (B, L)
Carved into the rockface between the Kamakura and Heian periods, the magnificent Usuki Stone Buddhas we admire today are designated as National Treasures. The reason behind the creation of the 61 Buddhas or the identity of the sculptors who carved them are shrouded in mystery, but they are exceptional for their number, scale and craftmanship. We visit the nearby Mangetsuji Temple before exploring the Edo-style samurai residences and alleyways of Usuki. Lunch is in Oita, where we visit the Oita Prefectural Museum of Art (OPAM). Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban, the building’s exterior resembles woven bamboo handicrafts and reflects the collection of over 5,000 works by artists connected with Oita that is displayed within. Returning to Beppu, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Beppu.

WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER – KUNISAKI PENINSULA (B, L)
Today we head to the Kunisaki Peninsula, where Futagoji Temple sits on the verdant slopes of Mount Futago. The temple was built in 718 by devotees of Rokugo Manzan, a unique combination of Shinto and Buddhism. After passing two imposing guardian statues at the entrance, we make a 10-minute ascent up uneven moss-covered stone steps to emerge into the autumn foliage of the main temple complex. We return to Beppu in the late afternoon where the evening is at leisure. Overnight Beppu.

THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER – FLOWERS AND MYTHOLOGY (B, L, D)
We leave Beppu this morning and travel towards the Kyushu Mountains. Our first stop is Kuju Flower Park to view the carpet of seasonal displays of autumn flowers, such as cosmos and salvia, and their backdrop of the Kuju mountain range. After lunch we continue to Amano Iwato Shrine, home to one of Japan’s most important creation myths. A priest takes us to the cave where the sun goddess Amaterasu, the traditional ancestor of Japan’s emperors, sequestered herself in a rage after a dispute with her brother, taking the light of the world with her and her and plunging Japan into darkness. To lure her back out of the cave, a female deity performed a ribald dance to make the other gods laugh so hard that Amaterasu emerged to find out why. Light was restored! After check-in and dinner in our hotel, we enjoy a performance inspired by the Kagura dance of the mythical tale. Overnight Takachiho.

FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER – TAKACHIHO GORGE (B, L)
The narrow chasm that cuts through Takachiho Gorge is lined with spectacular 80-metre-high basalt cliffs, formed after eruptions of Mount Aso and resembling the scales of a dragon cutting through the gorge. The main feature of the gorge is Minainotaki waterfall, cascading 17 metres into the river below viewed against a backdrop of autumn foliage. There is the choice of viewing the waterfall by rowboat or from above on a paved walking path that runs along the edge of the gorge. After lunch, we transfer to Suizenji Jojuen Garden, built in the seventeenth century by the daimyo or feudal lord Hosokawa. The traditional landscape garden reproduces in miniature the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido Road that connected Edo and Kyoto, including a representation of Mount Fuji. We continue to Kumamoto and check in to our hotel. This evening is at leisure. Overnight Kumamoto.

SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER – ART AND HISTORY IN KUMAMOTO (B)
With its imposing black exterior and steep ramparts overlooking the city, Kumamoto Castle is a symbol of Kumamoto and was highly regarded for the strategic effectiveness of its fortifications. We learn of the castle’s eventful history, including the damage caused by a devastating earthquake in 2016 and the subsequent reconstruction efforts over time. Located in the castle parklands, The Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art hold works from the ancient to modern eras, by painters, sculptors, artisans and calligraphers with links to Kumamoto. There is time for lunch at leisure in the museum café. Lafcadio Hearn was the first Western author to introduce Japanese culture to a foreign audience through his works written in Japanese and English. In the afternoon we visit the Lafcadio Hearn residence, where he spent several years with his Japanese wife and later became a citizen with the name Koizumo Yakumo. The later afternoon is free to explore Kumamoto at your own pace or you may wish to visit the Contemporary Art Museum, with works by Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Tatsuo Miyajima and Marina Abramović. Overnight Kumamoto.

SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER – HIDDEN CHRISTIANS (B, L, D)
We check out of the hotel this morning and embark on a scenic coastal coach journey to the Christian sites on Shimoshima Island, before continuing by ferry to Nagasaki. Traversing the western side of the Uto Peninsula, we stop at the Meiji-era Misumi West Port before continuing into the Amakusa Islands. Christianity was introduced to Japan in the sixteenth century by European traders and became popular in the Nagasaki region, before it was banned during Japan’s closure to the West in the Edo period. In defiance of the shogun, many devotees on these remote islands continued to practice Christianity in hiding. At the small fishing village of Sakitsu, we take in the views from the chief fisherman’s residence before visiting the World Heritage-listed Sakitsu Church, a mix of Japanese and Western styles with tatami mat flooring and Gothic stained-glass windows. After a simple lunch, we admire the islands’ stunning scenery on the way to Tomioka, to board a ferry to Nagasaki in the late afternoon. After checking in, we gather for dinner in our hotel. Overnight Nagasaki.

MONDAY 26 OCTOBER – MODERN NAGASAKI (B)
Nagasaki played a pivotal role in the end of World War II, following the devastating second US atomic bomb attack on the city on August 9, 1945. This morning, there is the opportunity to understand the sobering effects on the victims and survivors at the Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. Nearby, the 26 Martyrs Monument and adjoining museum memorialise the foreign missionaries and Japanese laymen executed during the two-century long persecution of Christians. The afternoon is at leisure before we ascend Mount Inasa by ropeway for spectacular evening views over Nagasaki. Overnight Nagasaki.

TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER – INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN NAGASAKI (B)
Nagasaki was an integral centre of trade between Japan and foreign countries, including Portugal, the Dutch Republic and China, and was the only port open to foreigners during the reclusion period. This morning we visit Oura Cathedral, built by a French priest to service the growing community of foreign merchants following Japan’s opening to the West. The Gothic architecture harmoniously combines elements of Western and Japanese architecture and was the first Western-style building to be classified as a Japanese National Treasure of Japan. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. On a walking tour this afternoon we see the influence of international traders at Dejima, a man-made island built on the orders of the Tokugawa shogun to segregate the Portuguese from the Japanese population and to control their missionary activities. Passing by Meganebashi or Spectacles Bridge, we come to Kofukuji, an important temple founded by Chinese residents in 1620. The temple was established by Chinese residents in 1620 as a place where Chinese could pray for a safe voyage. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Nagasaki.

WEDNESDAY 28 OCTOBER – POTTERY TOWNS OF KYUSHU (B, L)
Today we travel approximately 80km to the towns of Imari and Arita, centres for artisanal Japanese pottery since production began over 400 years ago. In Arita, we visit the Kyushu Ceramics Museum, featuring pottery from all over the island, and learn about the origins and evolution of ceramic production in the region. Strolling alongside the Tonbai wall alleys, constructed from bricks, porcelain and pottery discarded from the kilns, we then visit a local gallery and learn about the historic 50m-long Tengudani kiln. After lunch, we continue to Imari and call in at the Ceramic Merchants Residence Museum, a handsomely preserved Edo-era merchant’s house with a display of eighteenth-century Koimari ware. We stop at the Koimari porcelain clock, as it strikes the hour, plays music and re-enacts scenes of village life, before we continue on to Fukuoka for the final two nights of the tour. Overnight Fukuoka.

THURSDAY 29 OCTOBER – YAYOI CULTURE (B, L, D)
This morning we take an excursion into Saga Prefecture to Yoshinogari Historical Park, a large archaeological site from a Yayoi period settlement (300 BCE to 300 CE). Dozens of dwellings, storehouses and tombs are reflected in careful reconstructions, offering a valuable insight into Yayoi life and culture. Yayoi culture emerged in the fourth century BCE. An agrarian society, it heralded the development of wet-rice production and laid the foundations for ensuing Japanese political and social structures. After lunch at the site, we return to Fukuoka for an afternoon at leisure. This evening, we gather for a farewell diner. Overnight Fukuoka.

FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER – DEPARTURE (B)
Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast in our hotel. While no departure transfers to Fukuoka airport or Hakata railway station are included in the tour price, the airport is a 15-minute taxi away, and the station is a short distance from the hotel. Our partners at Mary Rossi Travel will be pleased to assist with any other arrangements, including comprehensive travel insurance, to enable you to depart the tour; contact us for further information.

Hotel Nikko Fukuoka 4* Fukuoka, 5 nights

https://www.hotelnikko-fukuoka.com/en/
 

Suginoi Hotel 4* Beppu, 3 nights

https://global-suginoi.orixhotelsandresorts.com/

Solest Takachiho 3* Takachiho, 1 night

https://solest-takachiho.jp/ (Japanese only)

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel 4* Kumamoto, 2 nights

https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/kumamoto/kmjja/hoteldetail

Nagasaki Marriott Hotel 5* Nagasaki, 3 nights

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/ngsmc-nagasaki-marriott-hotel/overview/

NB: hotels of a similar standard may be substituted. Please note that most Japanese hotels have only a few rooms with a “true” double bed for sharing by two people. Most rooms for sharing are twin-bedded.

• 14 nights’ accommodation at 4* and 5* hotels

• All breakfasts and 13 lunches or dinners

• All ground transport, guided tours and entrance fees to sites as mentioned in the itinerary, and tipping

• Talks by and expertise of an Australian tour leader throughout

• Assistance by an English-speaking Japanese national guide throughout

A $1,500pp deposit is required at the time of booking to hold your place on tour.

A second deposit of $2,000 is due on 16 June 2026.

We will invoice you for final payment for the tour, due on 31 July 2026.

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