Japan Kyushu & Shikoku Adventure

Arrive in Osaka, an electric port city on Honshu, Japan’s largest island. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers for a friendly briefing on the journey ahead, followed by a welcome dinner arranged by our leader. If you’d like extra time in Osaka, you can secure pre‑tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We’re off to Onomichi today, a quaint town on the Seto Inland Sea. Leaving our main luggage at reception – we’re reunited with it in Matsuyama on Day 4 – we board the iconic bullet train. After 30–45 minutes, we stop in Himeji to visit the 600‑year‑old Himeji Castle, one of the few original survivors from Japan’s feudal era. In the afternoon, we complete our bullet train journey (2hr 10min) and arrive in Onomichi to check in. Important: As there is no storage for large suitcases on the train, you will need to pack a small overnight bag for the next two nights.

Linking islands across the Seto Inland Sea, the Shimanami Kaido is often called one of the world’s great bike rides. We experience it today, cycling 28mi (45km) to our accommodation on Ikuchi Island – helmets and bikes are provided – led by our tour leader and an expert local cycling guide so we can simply enjoy the sea breezes and coastal views. If you prefer not to cycle, you can take the ferry, which must be booked at least one month before departure. Ikuchi Island is known for its lemon groves and shoreline scenery, while the ornate Kosanji Temple complex offers a dose of culture.

We take an early bus transfer to Imabari Station and continue by train – around two hours in total – to Matsuyama on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Birthplace of modern haiku, the city brims with culture. After lunch and a walk around the historic district, we visit hilltop Matsuyama Castle for panoramic views over the city and the Seto Inland Sea. We also visit Ishiteji Temple and stop nearby to view 3,000‑year‑old Dogo Onsen, said to be Japan’s oldest hot spring bath. Entrance to the onsen isn’t included – your tour leader can advise how to visit in your free time if you wish.

Leaving our main luggage at reception – we’re reunited with it in Beppu tomorrow – we take a one‑hour train to the Edo‑era town of Uchiko. We join our tour leader for a walk through the Old Town to admire well‑preserved Edo architecture, including the Kamihaga Residence and a seventh‑generation candle shop where the family demonstrates traditional candle and wax‑making. After free time for lunch, we enjoy a Japanese gilding class, or haku–oshi, creating a postcard on washi using delicate metallic foils – gold, silver or coloured. We return to Matsuyama by train with free time to explore the city. Important: As there is no storage for large suitcases on the train, you will need to pack a small overnight bag for tonight.

We depart before 8am, travelling south by train (around 45 minutes) then bus (10 minutes) to Yawatahama Port, where we board a ferry for around three hours to Kyushu, the third largest of Japan’s four main islands. This less visited island is a haven for nature lovers, with mountains, volcanic ranges and the hot spring town of Beppu, where we stay. Upon arrival, you can explore the area around Beppu Station – perhaps try karaoke or unwind at a nearby onsen.

We pick up bento boxes or an easy lunch and take a local bus for our 40‑minute ride into the mountains outside Beppu. Here we immerse ourselves in nature with a hike on Mount Yufu. The exact route is chosen by our tour leader based on the group’s fitness, typically a loop starting and ending at Yufu tozanguchi. The 4mi (6.5km) hike usually takes around 4hr 30min (about 2hr 30min up, two hours down) on well‑marked packed‑dirt trails with some steep sections and an overall ascent of 1,640ft (500m). After the bus back to Beppu, you may feel like a restorative visit to an onsen – a perfect end to the day.

Before we head into the Kyushu mountains, we enjoy a unique cooking class, mastering ‘hell steam’ cuisine that uses Beppu’s natural hot steam to bring out the flavours of the food. After savouring our self‑made meal, we travel by train to Mount Aso (around 3hr 10m). We spend the next two nights in the shadow of this active volcano – it’s remote, naturally beautiful and ideal for walking, as we discover tomorrow. Important: As there is no storage for large suitcases on the train, you will need to pack a small overnight bag for the next two nights.

We set out with our tour leader for a hiking adventure in Aso‑Kuju National Park, where the five‑peaked Mount Aso offers trails for different abilities. We typically combine two routes: the beginner‑friendly Mt. Kishima dake (1.85mi/3km round trip), a gentle climb that takes around one hour to 1hr 30min, followed by Mt. Eboshi dake (2.5mi/4km round trip), which takes approximately two hours. Both are usually less affected by volcanic gases and, if there’s no rain or mist, can be climbed year‑round. As this is an active volcano, conditions can change quickly – if the park closes due to activity, gases or bad weather, our leader will suggest alternatives, and you could hike from Taketa to Asaji, or visit Kurokawa Onsen or Kumamoto city and its castle (public transport and entrance fees not included).

We bid farewell to Mount Aso and travel by private air conditioned minivan for about four hours to Nagasaki, our base for the next two nights. After roughly three hours, we stop in Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, to wander narrow alleys, browse ceramic stores and enjoy lunch, before completing the journey to Nagasaki. On arrival, and before heading to our accommodation, we visit the Atomic Bomb Museum & Peace Park – a sobering but essential reflection on the ‘Fat Man’ bomb dropped on 9 August 1945.

Nagasaki is known for the tragedy of the second atomic bomb, yet its history and culture run far deeper – as we discover today. We join our tour leader for a city tour by foot and tram, beginning in Glover Garden, an open‑air museum‑park of former foreign mansions, and continuing to Dejima, where historic buildings and reconstructions tell the story of this once‑closed island. After a full day, you may want to head to Chinatown – the oldest in Japan – to enjoy dinner in one of its many restaurants. Important: To make tomorrow’s journey to Fukuoka by public transport easier, we send our main luggage ahead today. You need to pack a small overnight bag for tonight and you’ll be reunited with your main luggage on arrival in Fukuoka tomorrow.

We bid farewell to Nagasaki and transfer by highway bus to Fukuoka (around 2hr 25min). Formed from the union of the castle town of Fukuoka and the merchant town of Hakata, this is Kyushu’s largest city and an emerging hotspot for food lovers – it’s the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen. On arrival, we drop our luggage at the hotel and the tour leader can advise how best to spend your afternoon. Cultural choices include Ohori Park for a peaceful walk around the central pond, or Tochoji Temple, the oldest temple of the Shingon sect in Japan and home to the country’s largest seated wooden statue of Buddha. If you’d like to sample the local foodie scene, head to the Nakasu night market and gather round a yatai to enjoy the lively atmosphere and excellent street food.

Departure day. Your tour leader will be at breakfast to say goodbye and provide assistance should you need help getting to the airport. If you’d like more time in Fukuoka, you can secure post‑tour hotel nights through your sales representative.