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Hidden Japan: Spirit of Kyushu
Operated by Wendy Wu
Tripcode: CJF_AU
Overview
Destination:
Japan,
Duration:12 days
Type:Group tour (max 18)
Travel Period
November 2026 - May 2028
Ideal for curious travellers and second-time visitors to Japan, the lesser-visited island of Kyushu offers a blend of rich culture and natural beauty. Witness a soul-stirring drum performance, admire steaming volcanoes, and soak in bubbling onsen baths on this journey into Kyushu's green and wild heart.
Tour highlights:
- Tsuetate Onsen, Stay in a ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn with tatami mat floors. Relax in the hotel’s beautiful hot spring onsen – choose from indoor pools or a selection of open-air baths.
- Takachiho Gorge, Visit Takachiho Gorge, one of Kyushu’s most famous natural wonders. Here, the Gokake River runs through a 80-metre-deep chasm between basalt cliffs, formed by volcanic eruptions from 100,000 years ago.
- Mount Sakurajima, Take the ferry to Mount Sakurajima, a dramatic and one of Japan's most active volcanoes in Kagoshima Bay.
- Aso-Kuju National Park, Experience a soul-stirring display of traditional drumming, performed on an open-air stage, known as ‘the theatre in the sky’, against the dramatic backdrop of Aso-Kuju National Park.
Tour experiences:
- Kimono Dressing Session, Take part in a kimono dressing session in the serene Sengan-en Gardens. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to try on Japan’s elegant and traditional attire before taking photos in the midst of the beautiful grounds that surround you.
- Chiran Peace Museum, Explore the Chiran Peace Museum, established on a former army base. Here, personal letters, photos, and recovered WWII aircraft tell the tale of hundreds of kamikaze pilots, who took off from here to their deaths in 1945.
- Shochu Tasting Experience, Don’t leave Kagoshima Prefecture without tasting its shochu – a distilled local liquor, often enjoyed in the southern regions like Kyushu and Okinawa but popular across Japan. Stop by a shochu distillery for a fantastic tasting experience.
Places visited:
- Fukuoka (2N)
- Nagasaki (2N)
- Kumamoto
- Kuju Onsen (2N)
- Mount Aso
- Kirishima Hills (2N)
- Kagoshima
- Mount Sakurajima
- Fukuoka (1N)
Price notes:
- Flight Inclusive rates only: These include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 1 July 2025. Please note supplements may apply if lead in economy rates are not available.
- Tipping is generally not part of the culture in Japan; however, you may wish to tip your National Escort at your discretion.
- Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights' accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.
- Flight Inclusive rates only: Based on departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth. Departures from other cities and flight upgrades available on request
- Please note: cherry blossoms & autumn leaves are weather dependent and it is not guaranteed that they will be in bloom at the time of your arrival.
Highlights:
Standard inclusions
- International flights and current taxes (excluded if a land only option is selected)
- Most Meals (refer to itinerary)
- Domestic transportation
- 3+ – 4 star accommodation, including overnight stays in ryokan
- Touring with guides and entrance fees
Itinerary
Expand all 
Collapse all
Collapse allDays 1-2: Fly overnight to Fukuoka
Fly overnight to Fukuoka, the gateway to Kyushu. Depending on your time of arrival,
the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture before dinner.
Day 3: Fukuoka
Begin your island adventure with a visit to the Kyushu National Museum, where you'll gain an insight into its long and storied history before lunch at a local winery. On select November departures, if availability permits, you will enjoy an authentic Japanese experience – Fukuoka's annual sumo tournament! This evening, head to Fukuoka's Nakasu district, famous for its yatai – street food stalls serving iconic Japanese foods from yakitori skewers to delicious ramen. Soak up the atmosphere here, popular with locals relaxing after work. The rest of your evening is at leisure – if you wish, why not stay longer and sample the yatai food independently?
Day 4: Okawachiyama
Drive to Nagasaki, enjoying several stops en route. First, soak up the harbour views at Karatsu Castle. Then, head to Imari, famous for its ceramics, and observe a potter at work. Take some free time in nearby Okawachiyama, known for its lovely porcelain and nicknamed 'The Village of Secret Kilns. Enjoy lunch independently and browse the town's many ceramics shops. The streets here are a delight to wander, with intriguing porcelain sculptures and a beautifully tiled bridge. Later, sip a cup of green tea in Ureshino. If your visit falls outside the workers' busiest season (March-June), you may be lucky enough to meet a local farmer and hear about life in the tea fields. Continue to Nagasaki.
Day 5: Nagasaki
Pay your respects at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park, where you'll hear the devastating story of the 1945 atomic bomb, its aftermath, and how Nagasaki rebuilt itself from the ashes. Later, visit Dejima Wharf, once the only permitted entry point for European traders into Japan. Lunch is at leisure among the various waterfront cafés here, from which you can admire yachts and fishing boats bobbing in Nagasaki harbour. Continue to Glover Garden, a hillside park filled with the manors of European traders from the 19th century.
Day 6: Kuju Onsen
Drive to Shimabara and hop on the 60-minute ferry to Kumamoto, where you can enjoy some free time for lunch. Continue to Mount Aso and take photos of its vast crater. Finally, drive on to the charming town of Tsuetate Onsen, or the wider Kuju area. Here, check in at your ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn with tatami mat floors. The evening is at leisure to relax in the hotel's beautiful hot spring onsen – choose from indoor pools or a selection of open-air baths.
Day 7: Meditation & Open-Air Drums
Begin the day at the serene Fuko-ji Temple, where a stone stairway will bring you to a cliffside cave with beautiful views over a quiet valley. Here, experience a short meditation session led by a Buddhist monk. Continue to the lovely Kuju Flower Park, where a kaleidoscope of colours covers the 49-acre parkland from spring to autumn. This afternoon's experience is truly special: a soul-stirring display of traditional drumming, performed on an open-air stage against the dramatic backdrop of Aso-Kuju National Park. At an elevation of 1,036 metres, this incredible venue is known as 'the theatre in the sky'. Afterwards, stop by the museum to see a display of the troupe's elaborate drumming costumes before returning to your ryokan.
Day 8: Takachiho Gorge & Kirishima Hills
Drive south to Takachiho Gorge, one of Kyushu's most famous natural wonders. Here, the beautiful Gokake River runs through a mesmerising 80-metre-deep chasm between basalt cliffs, formed by volcanic eruptions from 100,000 years ago. Take time for photos at the gorge. Afterwards, get hands-on with a cooking experience, discovering the taste of Takachihostyle chicken or vegetables, seasoned and simmered inside bamboo. Continue to your hotel in the Kirishima Hills, nestled at the edge of Kirishima National Park.
Day 9: Kamikaze & Kagoshima
Drive down the Satsuma Peninsula to Chiran, a former samurai town from which hundreds of kamikaze pilots flew to their deaths at the Battle of Okinawa. Learn their story at the Chiran Peace Museum, which displays their photographs, farewell letters, and two recovered planes. Later, take a walk through Chiran's samurai
district before driving to Kagoshima. After lunch, visit the scenic Sengan-en Garden,
where you can try on a traditional kimono! This afternoon, take the ferry to Mount Sakurajima, a dramatic volcano in Kagoshima Bay. Enjoy a refreshing open-air footbath before returning to Kirishima.
Day 10: Flavours of Kagoshima
Don't leave Kagoshima Prefecture without tasting its shochu – a distilled local liquor, popular across Japan. Stop by a shochu distillery for a tasting before learning about another local speciality – 'kurozo', or black vinegar! Kagoshima's 'black gold' has an earthy umami flavour from being aged in pots under the Japanese sun. Admire the rows of black 'tsubo' pots and enjoy lunch at the producer's restaurant. Finally, drive to Kagoshima City, where the bullet train will whisk you back to Fukuoka in just 90 minutes, ahead of tonight's farewell dinner.
Days 11-12: Fly Fukuoka to Australia
Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.
Days 11-12: Fly Fukuoka to Australia
Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.
Dates
Select a date or submit general enquiry
Operator
Wendy Wu
Wendy Wu Tours is Australia's leading touring specialist, offering extraordinary tours throughout Asia, Latin America, Eurasia, the Middle East – and most recently, Australasia. Since Wendy sent her very first tour to China in 1994, we've grown from strength to strength and are proud of the multiple awards we've won throughout the years and the unique travel experiences we offer to an expanding range of destinations.
Important Information
*Terms and conditions
Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.
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