📍 Japan

KYUSHU AND YAKUSHIMA: VOLCANIC FIRE, ANCIENT CEDAR SILENCE

Q: What weather should you expect?

Spring (March-May): Cherry blossom season, perfect weather, mild temperatures, iconic sakura viewing, peak tourist season, advance booking essential, magical atmosphere. Fall (September-November): Autumn colors, comfortable weather, clear skies, beautiful foliage, excellent touring, fewer crowds, ideal photography, pleasant conditions. Summer (June-August): Hot humid weather, rainy season, festival season, vibrant atmosphere, mountain hiking, beach activities, air conditioning essential. Winter (December-February): Cold weather, snow sports, illuminations, onsen season, fewer crowds, winter festivals, cozy atmosphere, skiing opportunities.

Steam rising from volcanic valleys, thousand-year cedars guarding misty slopes, emerald gorges beneath vermillion torii. Kyushu, island of fire.

≈ 13

Days

Stops

📖 8 min read 🔄 Last updated: 2026-01-17

Discover Beppu and its steaming springs, then gain height around Aso's crater above grassy plains. On Yakushima, walk beneath ancient cedars in a mossy forest, before reaching Nagasaki and its port memory. End with Takachiho and its mythic gorges, where water and rock tell Kyushu's story.

Yakushima: ancient cedars, moss cathedrals
Beppu: steaming hells, onsen paradise
Aso: smoking caldera, grass sea
Takachiho: mythical gorge, sacred dance
Nagasaki: history and harbor healing

Your day-by-day itinerary

Day

Kitakyushu

industrial heritage meets coastal modernity

2 photos

Day 1

🔍

Discover

Mojiko Retro District, historic port opened in Meiji era

Kokura Castle with Tang-style architecture and 360-degree panoramic views

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Activities

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Explore UNESCO heritage buildings in romantic port town

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Experience interactive exhibits and theater in castle's 5 floors

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Watch nightly laser light show at Kokura Castle

+1 Optional activities

Day

Kitakyushu Kawachi

wisteria tunnels cascade purple light

2 photos

Day 2

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Discover

Kawachi Fuji Garden selected in CNN's 31 Most Beautiful Places in Japan

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Activities

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Walk through 1,000 tsubo wisteria trellis

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Photograph colorful purple, white, and pink wisteria tunnel

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Experience fragrant wisteria garden opened in 1977

+1 Optional activities

Day

Fukuoka

hakata traditions blend with urban pulse

10 photos

Day 3

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Discover

Dazaifu Tenmangu, head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines in Japan

Kushida Shrine, Hakata's guardian deity called Okushida-san

Marine World Uminonakamichi with 350 species and 30,000 marine creatures

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Activities

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Pray for academic success and exam passing at Dazaifu Tenmangu

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See year-round Yamakasa float display at Kushida Shrine

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Watch dolphin and sea lion performances at aquarium

+2 Optional activities

Day

Itoshima

surf beaches and sunset shrine gates

2 photos

Day 4

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Discover

Sakurai Futamigaura with white sea torii gate and Meoto Iwa rocks

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Activities

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View sacred rocks 150m offshore connected by shimenawa rope

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Watch sunset between the married couple rocks

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Photograph white torii gate against ocean backdrop

+1 Optional activities

Day

Karatsu

castle pines overlook ceramic heritage town

3 photos

Day 5

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Discover

Karatsu Castle overlooking Karatsu Bay, nicknamed Maizuru Castle

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Activities

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View panoramic Karatsu Bay from castle tower

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Admire pine forests extending east-west like crane wings

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See cherry blossoms and wisteria in season

+1 Optional activities

Day

Sasebo

nine hundred islands scatter across bay

2 photos

Day 6

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Discover

Huis Ten Bosch Dutch-themed resort with seasonal flowers and illuminations

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Activities

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Experience Netherlands atmosphere throughout the park

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View seasonal flowers blooming year-round

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Enjoy spectacular illumination displays at night

+1 Optional activities

Day

Nagasaki

hills hold memory, harbor holds hope

3 photos

Day 7

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Discover

Mount Inasa with World's New Three Great Night Views

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, one of Japan's three major Chinatowns

Peace Park with Peace Statue and atomic bomb memorial

Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium with 9 species and 170 penguins

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Activities

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View million-dollar night view from 333m observation deck

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Ride ropeway and slope car to summit

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Try famous kakuni manjuu and champon in Chinatown

+3 Optional activities

Day

Kumamoto

black castle rises above castle town

2 photos

Day 8

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Discover

Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's Three Famous Castles

Aso Farm Land health theme park in vast nature

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Activities

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See castle rebuilt after 2016 earthquake with 800 cherry trees

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View city panorama from reconstructed tower

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Experience various activities at Aso Farm Land

+2 Optional activities

Day

Beppu

steam billows from hellish hot springs

3 photos

Day 9

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Discover

African Safari, Kyushu's only safari park

Kijima Kogen Park with Japan's first wooden coaster Jupiter

Kokonoe Yume Otsuri Bridge, Japan's tallest at 173m

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Activities

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Ride jungle bus to feed wild animals

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See animals roaming freely in natural environment

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Enjoy 30+ attractions at amusement park

+2 Optional activities

Day

Takachiho

mythical gorge where gods once descended

2 photos

Day 10

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Discover

Takachiho Gorge with 17m Manai Falls, National Natural Monument

Amano Iwato Shrine, mythological site of sun goddess legend

Cape Toi with wild Misaki horses, Natural Monument

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Activities

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Rent boat to view waterfall from up close

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Walk riverside trail to admire V-shaped gorge

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Visit mystical Amano Yasukawara cave with stacked stones

+2 Optional activities

Day

Aso

caldera smoke drifts across grassland sea

4 photos

Day 11

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Discover

Daikanbo Observatory at 936m elevation with Aso Five Peaks panorama

Mount Aso active volcano crater viewing

Nabegataki Falls Park with 10m drop and 20m wide curtain waterfall

Kikuchi Valley, summer cooling spot called Natural Air Conditioner

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Activities

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View Aso Five Peaks resembling reclining Buddha

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Experience sea of clouds at sunrise in autumn and winter

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Ride Aso Crater Shuttle to view active volcanic crater

+2 Optional activities

Day

Kagoshima

sakurajima volcano broods over bay waters

4 photos

Day 12

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Discover

Sengan-en Garden, World Heritage Site with Sakurajima views

Kirishima Shrine, National Treasure and South Kyushu's largest shrine

Chiran Peace Museum honoring kamikaze pilots

Agehaya Rickshaw tours of Kagoshima city

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Activities

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View Sakurajima from beautiful daimyo garden

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Shop for Satsuma kiriko glassware and Satsuma pottery

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Pray at shrine enshrining Ninigi-no-Mikoto

+3 Optional activities

Day

Yakushima

ancient cedars breathe through emerald moss

3 photos

Day 13

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Discover

Yakushima Island, Japan's 5th largest island with ancient cedars

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Activities

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Take ferry or flight to UNESCO World Heritage island

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Experience giant Yakusugi cedar trees

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View dynamic waterfalls and pristine nature

+2 Optional activities

🗺️ Itinerary map

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❓ Frequently asked questions

What weather should you expect?

Spring (March-May): Cherry blossom season, perfect weather, mild temperatures, iconic sakura viewing, peak tourist season, advance booking essential, magical atmosphere.

Fall (September-November): Autumn colors, comfortable weather, clear skies, beautiful foliage, excellent touring, fewer crowds, ideal photography, pleasant conditions.

Summer (June-August): Hot humid weather, rainy season, festival season, vibrant atmosphere, mountain hiking, beach activities, air conditioning essential.

Winter (December-February): Cold weather, snow sports, illuminations, onsen season, fewer crowds, winter festivals, cozy atmosphere, skiing opportunities.

How many days should I plan?

We believe you will enjoy this itinerary best by dedicating between 10 and 16 days. The next step will allow you to adjust the duration of your stay.

What to discover in Japan?

Unique culture with ancient traditions, modern innovation, and incredible attention to detail. Experience temples, technology, and authentic Japanese lifestyle. The country offers cultural immersion with natural beauty and culinary excellence. Japan provides transformative cultural experiences with historical depth and modern sophistication.