Heavenly islands, fire-spitting mountains and bubbling thermal springs

Duration: 14 days/13 nights
Stages: Ôsaka (KIX) – Kita-Kyushu – Fukuoka – Nagasaki – Unzen – Kumamoto – Kurokawa – Beppu – Kishiwada – Ôsaka (KIX)

from €2,450

Services & Rates  Option photo album

Day 1 – Ôsaka

• You are welcomed at Ôsaka airport by your English-speaking tour guide
• Stroll through the city’s largest shopping arcade
• Evening meal at an izakaya
• Overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel

Day 2 – Ôsaka – Ferry terminal

• Journey to the town of Takarazuka
• Visit to the Osamu Tezuka museum, the father of manga
• Spiritual excursion to Takarazuka
• Stroll through the old part of Ôsaka and sampling of local specialities
• Evening ferry departure to Kita-Kyushu, evening meal on-board

Day 3 – Kokura – Fukuoka

• Journey from Shinmoji to Kokura (Kita-Kyushu)
• Stroll through the city, visit to the castle
• Journey from Kokura to Fukuoka
• In the evening, tasting of small snacks from the food stalls (yatai)
• Overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel

Day 4 – Fukuoka – Nagasaki

• Journey from Fukuoka to Nagasaki
• Stroll through the city: Peace Park, Buddhist and Christian sites, Chinese and European districts
• Evening meal at an izakaya with delicious fish specialities
• Overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel

Day 5 – Nagasaki – Sasebo – Nagasaki

• Journey from Nagasaki to Sasebo
• Cruise through the archipelago with its 99 islands (Kujuku-Shima)
• Visit to an old merchant district in downtown of Sasebo
• Return to Nagasaki and evening meal in the city
• Overnight stay at the same location as the previous day

Day 6 – Nagasaki – Unzen

• Journey from Nagasaki to Unzen
• Stroll across the fields of solidified lava and sulphuric fumes (hells)
• Relaxation in a very traditional onsen
• Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel

Day 7 – Unzen – Shimabara – Kumamoto

• Journey to the harbour town of Shimabara
• Visit to the castle and its garden, stroll through a former Samurai district
• Ferry across the bay and journey to Kumamoto
• Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel

Day 8 – Kumamoto

• Visit to the castle of Kumamoto
• Stroll through the Suizenji garden that recreates the 53 stations of the Tokaido
• Visit to the former residences of a powerful samurai clan and to the residence of Lafcadio Hearn, an European author who emigrated to Japan und wrote several books about the country
• Evening meal and overnight stay at the same location as the previous day

Day 9 – Kumamoto – Aso – Kurokawa

• Journey from Kumamoto to Aso
• Stroll through the volcanic national park
• Journey to the thermal spa village of Kurokawa
• Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel in the middle of the hot springs

Day 10 – Kurokawa – Beppu

• Journey from Kurokawa to Beppu via Yufuin (onsen village)
• Visit to the jigoku (extremely hot springs with vivid colours)
• Evening meal and overnight stay at a traditional guest house/hotel in Beppu

Day 11 – Beppu and surrounding area

• Journey to the Kunisaki peninsula
• Visit to the temples and shrines at the foot of Mount Futago
• Return to Beppu
• Evening meal and overnight stay at the same location as the previous day

Day 12 – Beppu – Ferry terminal

• Relaxation day in Beppu
• Evening ferry departure to Ôsaka, evening meal on-board

Days 13 & 14 – Ôsaka – Kishiwada – Ôsaka (KIX)

• Arriving by ferry in Ôsaka
• Journey to Kishiwada, former fortress city south of Ôsaka
• Visit to the castle, historical jewel of the city
• Evening meal at a traditional sushi restaurant in the middle of a zen garden
• Overnight stay at an hotel in center of Kishiwada
• Journey to the airport
• Return flight (not included in the tour)

Photo credits

Most of the photos that appear in this description are the property of Fukuchan Ryoko Olivier Baubrand. All rights reserved.
Several photos, however, has been taken from Wikipedia Commons. They are titled “Wikipedia” and subject to the licence CC BY-SA 3.0.
Owners of the rights: Yufuin_Onsen © Yasushiro, Futagoji & Kunisaki Peninsula © Maculosae_tegmine_lyncis.