Kyushu: The Southern Route

Arrival at Tokyo airport (Narita NRT or Haneda HND).
Welcome to Japan! 日本へようこそ！

Welcome through customs by our airport assistant, who will give you all your travel documents and your Pocket WiFi. Unaccompanied transfer from the airport to Tokyo (see details).

The transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other guests departing for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers depart between 1.5 and 3 hours after your scheduled flight arrival, and stops may be made before your hotel.

If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the arrival of your flight, feel free to take the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option.

Check in at Hotel OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka by Hoshino Resorts or similar category 3* hotel (rooms available from 3pm).

What to do in Tokyo on your first day

We recommend that you start your visit to Tokyo slowly by visiting the following districts:
- Harajuku, the avant-garde district 
- Meiji Jingû, the imperial sanctuary 
- Takeshita-Dôri, a must-see street in the capital 
- Omotesandô, Tokyo's Champs-Élysées 
- Shibuya and its impressive crossroads

One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Tokyo (optional, from 9am to 5pm).

For this second day of sightseeing in Tokyo, we recommend the following "loop".

Start at Tokyo Central Station, with its original architecture, then head off to visit :
- Ginza, Tokyo's chic district ;
- Tsukiji, the small outdoor food market ;
- Hama-rikyû, the Japanese garden between Tokyo's buildings ;
- Asakusa, a traditional district and place of pilgrimage, accessible by cruise on the Sumida river ;
- Sensô-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in the Japanese capital ;
- Tokyo Sky Tree, 643 metres high, with its panoramic view of Tokyo at sunset.

Between Hama-rikyû Garden and Asakusa, why not enjoy a cruise on the Sumida River ?

In the morning, reach Kyoto via shinkansen (included in your package).

From noon onwards, you can settle into your traditional Japan Experience house. A Travel Angel will welcome you, show you some unique details and help you to have an unforgettable stay in Kyoto. You will be able to "live the Japanese way" for a few days, with a space much bigger than a hotel room and a kitchen to prepare good Japanese food!

You have 3 days to visit Kyoto.
Start in the afternoon in the historic Gion district, close to your accommodation :
- Kiyomizu-Dera, the impressive water temple ;
- The historic lanes of Sannen-zaka & Ninnen-zaka ;
- Kôdai-ji, Kyoto's temple of maple trees and bamboo.

Finish your day with a stroll through the Gion district and enjoy the sunset.
Meet your guide at 7 p.m. to start your evening walk around Gion, Kyoto's historic district.
More details on the exact day and meeting point can be found in your travel guide.

At the end of this 1h30 walk, your guide will be able to recommend the best places to eat dinner!
Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures in the historic district of Gion.

We recommend the following itinerary for this second day's visit to Kyoto:
- The Zen garden of Ryôan-ji 
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) 
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- The enchanting Philosopher's Path 
- Nanzen-ji temple

One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can accompany you on a tour of these iconic sites (available as an option, from 9am to 5pm).

For the last day in Kyoto and its surroundings, we recommend taking the 50 minute journey to Nara (Suica accessible).

Visit Nara, Japan's first fixed capital in the 8th century. Discover:
- The Kasuga-taisha Shinto shrine and its thousands of lanterns  
- Tôdai-ji, with its great bronze Buddha and the imposing Nan-Daimon gate  
- Kôfuku-ji temple and its delightful pagoda

Return to Kyoto and stop to see the sunset at the Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto's immense shrine of 10,000 torii.

If you wish to be accompanied on this day, one of our English-speaking guides will reveal all the secrets of Japan's first capital (optional).

In the morning, we advise that you have your luggage sent to the hotel in Fukuoka (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) and that you travel light for your night in Miyajima.

Take the shinkansen to Miyajima (about 2h20, 1 change) then then boat (20 minutes, with Suica), both included in your package.

Reach your ryôkan near the island's ferry terminal. The time to explore the island has come ! Its Itsukushima-jinja shrine and the great Ôtorii gate built into the sea are definitely a must-see.

Take the cable car up to Mount Misen and then descend on foot. A breathtaking view of Hiroshima Bay awaits you!

At the ryôkan, you will be treated to a tasty traditional Japanese dinner before retiring to your tatami room.

Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryôkan.

In the morning, make a brief stop in Hiroshima (30 minutes by train from Miyajimaguchi Ferry Station, with Suica) and visit the Peace Park and its memorial.

From Hiroshima, head to the island of Kyushu and its capital, Fukuoka, just 1 hour away by shinkansen (included in your package).

Arrive in the centre of the vibrant city of Fukuoka and check into your hotel located near the central station.

With its 2000 years of history, the capital of Kyushu has always been the gateway to Asia (Korea and China) and Western culture (Portugal and its Jesuits, Holland). Another Japan, further away from Tokyo, awaits you. 

Capital of a booming region, Fukuoka is now one of the most dynamic cities in Japan with its many high-tech companies and the hosting of a global event : the Rugby World Cup in October 2019.

Visit the lively Nakasu and Tenjin districts and their hundreds of delicious and welcoming open-air restaurants at low prices "yatai". A great way to spend one final evening!

In the morning, meet your English-speaking guide and explore Fukuoka's many iconic sites:
- Momochi district : Fukuoka Tower and other futuristic buildings - Japan in the 22nd century 
- Canal City Hakata, a huge shopping center seamlessly integrates with a city park and charming canals 
- Asian Art Museum, the world's first museum for modern Asian art 
- Shôfoku-ji Temple, the oldest Zen temple in all of Japan 
- Hakata Machiya, a captivating district lined with traditional merchants' houses

In the afternoon you can continue your tour of Fukuoka, embark on a nearby adventure, or delve deeper into the city's offerings:
- The beaches around Fukuoka, such as Itoshima or Kusatsu, a quick 45-minute trip from Fukuoka
- Dazaifu, the most famous temple complex on the whole island of Kyushu, south of Fukuoka

In the evening, second night in your hotel in Fukuoka.

2 hour trip to Nagasaki (direct, included in your package) and accommodation in your 3* hotel or same category hotel.

In addition to its sad history during the Second World War, the city offers visitors evidence of its rich past. A trading port to Asia, and for a long time Japan's only gateway to the outside world, it was also a place of refuge for Japanese Christians persecuted during the Edo era.

We advise you the following spots :
- Glover's garden (former foreign concession) and Oura basilica 
- Dejima museum-polder (former Dutch concession) 
- The memorial and museum of 26 martyrs 
- The Sôfukuji Chinese temple 
- The Atomic Bomb Museum

Breakfast at the hotel.

There is no shortage of day trips from Nagasaki:
- Gunkanjima ghost island (boat tickets optional)
- The Shimabara coast, with the slopes of the Unzen volcano, one of the most active in the world, whose 1991 eruption cost the lives of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft

And some slightly more cheerful sites:
- The floating torii on the sea, with superb views from the coast
- The village of Amari, famous for its Japanese ceramics
- A theme park recreating a Dutch region, symbolising the common past of the two countries

These places are accessible with your Japan Rail Pass, in 1 to 2 hours from Nagasaki, direct or with a change. The Shimabara side is only accessible with a private line train, which can be used with your offer's pre-payment card.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Leave for Kumamoto (2 hour train and Shinkansen, 1 change, all included). Arrival in the feudal city of Kumamoto. We recommend a visit to its castle and park, as well as the magnificent Suizen-ji garden, accessible by tram from the centre.

Check-in at your 3* hotel in the heart of Kumamoto.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, we advise you to send your luggage to your hotel in Yufuin (details in your travel diary, check with the hotel reception) so that you can travel light for your night in Takachiho.

Go for a day trip to discover a still active volcano: Mount Aso, east of Kumamoto, or Sakurajima, in the south:
- Mount Aso, accessible in 1h45 (JR train and bus), is one of the largest calderas in the world, where 50.000 people live while the volcano that created it is still active. A volcano museum, a cable car with a view of one of the craters and a short hike are on the agenda for this extraordinary day.

- Sakurajima borders the city of Kagoshima, the capital of southern Kyushu. It is nicknamed "the Naples of Japan" for its proximity to this active volcano reminiscent of Vesuvius. The city of Kagoshima can be reached in 1h by shinkansen, direct and included in your package. In addition to the view of one of Japan's most famous volcanoes, Kagoshima has a fabulous garden worth visiting: the Senga-en.

From Kagoshima, it's possible to approach the volcano.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Leave for Takachiho, in the centre of Kyushu Island, by bus (3 hours, direct, no changes, included in your offer). Arrival at noon. Settle in your minshuku (between a ryôkan and a family inn) right next to the bus terminal.

Go on foot to discover the richness of this mountain village known for its Japanese legends and magnificent ravines :
- Gokase river gorges one of the most beautiful natural sites in Kyushu 
- Amanoiwato Jinja Shinto temple, Japan's second most sacred site 
- Evening show of sacred dances (divine gestures) Iwato Kagura 

In the evening, explore the surroundings of the village sanctuary:
- Discover the rice terraces, a must-see in the Japanese countryside
- Climb to the Kunimigaoka observation platform, to enjoy a splendid panorama of the surrounding mountains, and on a clear day to Mount Aso

The proposed sites are located within a 10 minute to 1.5 hour walk from your accommodation. Gokase Gorge, the most famous site in Takachiho, is a 30-minute walk away. Local taxis and buses also operate in the area.

In the evening, you can enjoy a tasty dinner in your accommodation.

Breakfast at the minshuku.

In the morning, continue your exploration of Takachiho, then leave at noon for Yufuin (1 hour by bus and 3 hours by train with 1 change, included in your package). The train travels through fabulous Japanese mountain, countryside and coastal scenery, far from the usual tourist trails.

At the end of the afternoon, you will arrive in Yufuin, where you can settle in a ryôkan where a traditional dinner will be served.

Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryôkan.

Located at the foot of the majestic, verdant Mount Yufu, you will enjoy this spa, one of Japan's favourites. Not to mention the tranquility of the warm waters of Lake Kirin-ko in the centre of town, or the ever-present surrounding nature. A peaceful break on this trip!

Don't forget to send your luggage to your hotel in Osaka so that you can travel light the following day (check with the reception of your ryokan, details in your travel diary).

In the evening, second dinner and night in your ryôkan.

Traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryôkan.

Leave by train to Beppu (1h10, 1 change, included in your package).

This large city, on the coast is home to nearly 3000 hot springs! With the feel of an industrial town, Beppu offers baths for all tastes, both for sightseeing and for soaking! Unfortunately, this city has been taken over by mass tourism, mainly Japanese and Asian. 

However, the walking tour of the 8 Beppu hells (including the Blood Lake) is unique: it winds its way through various open pools of volcanic water. Many spa experiences await you in Beppu, including the famous black sand baths. Travel around the city by local bus from the central station.

In the early evening, head to the waterfront and its marine terminal to board a cruise ship. There is a possibility to have dinner on board (to be paid directly on the boat), before a night lulled by the waves. Travel overnight along Japan's calm inland sea and arrive early the next morning in Osaka.

From the Osaka ferry terminal, reach your 3* Osaka Intergate Umeda hotel or same category hotel by metro (20 minutes, 1 change) or taxi.

What is there to do in Osaka in 2 days ? We recommend that you start your visit to Osaka slowly, in the northern and eastern districts:

- Osaka's medieval castle, with its park full of plum and cherry trees 
- The city centre and Nakanoshima Island, with its rose park surrounded by buildings 
- Utsubo Park, a cool oasis in the business district 
- Visit Umeda, the temple of Japanese shopping 
- Finish off with the Umeda Sky building at dusk for a 360° view of Kansai (including Kyoto on a clear day!)

One of our many experienced English-speaking guides can also accompany you to visit the classic sights of Osaka (optional, from 9am to 5pm). 

This is the last day of your Japan tour. For your second day in Osaka, we recommend the following itinerary:

- Osaka Kaiyûkan Aquarium, the world's largest aquarium in terms of volume 
- The Tennôji district and its Shitennô-ji Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in Japan 
- Spa World, Japan's largest thermal baths (onsen) 
- Shinseikai, with its retro charm 
- DenDen machi, the technologeek village 
- Finish off with Dôtonbori, the liveliest district in Japan

Take a direct transfer to Kansai International Airport (included but not accompanied).

This transfer is by shuttle or shared bus, with other customers departing from the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers arrive between 3 hours and 1.5 hours before the actual departure of your flight, and stops can be made before you arrive at the airport.

If you prefer a private transfer at a time of your choice, direct to the airport and with no intermediate stops, select the "Private Taxi to Airport" option.

Return flight to Europe, North America, Australia.

Don't hesitate to extend your trip by a few days, in the Kansai area or elsewhere...Get in touch and we would be happy to advise you!