Welcome to Hakata, a foodie’s paradise!

• Meals: Dinner
• Stay: Miyako Hotel Hakata (Superior Twin or Superior Double)

Your Kyushu journey begins in comfort at the Miyako Hotel Hakata, a new hotel located just a few minutes walk from JR Hakata Station. Spacious, stylish rooms await you, plus access to a rooftop swimming pool and an indoor natural hot spring. This evening you will be greeted at the hotel by your tour escort and get to know your fellow travellers over dinner at a local izakaya (Japanese pub).

* If you are arriving between 9am and 11am at Fukuoka airport, you can request a tour escort to meet you. The escort will provide directions and assist with making your own way to the hotel.

Visit the symbols of Kumamoto

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Stay: Miyako Hotel Hakata (Superior Twin or Superior Double)

After breakfast, we’ll take the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Hakata Station for a day trip to Kumamoto.
We will visit Suizenji Jojuen, an idyllic Japanese garden that reproduces the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido as depicted in famous ukiyo-e woodcut prints by Utagawa Hiroshige. A little imagination is required, although we’re sure you’ll spot the miniature Mt Fuji! Enjoy a cup of tea in Kokin-Denju-no-Ma, a 400-year-old thatch-roofed tea house that overlooks the garden’s pond.
We then move on to Kumamoto Castle, one of the three most famous castles in Japan. The castle sustained heavy damage in the 2016 earthquake and while the meticulous restoration continues, the castle remains an immensely impressive experience.
Next to the castle is Sakuranobaba Josaien, an area which recreates 17th century atmosphere and where you’ll encounter the local specialties of Kumamoto. Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza is a discovery zone of the history and culture of Kumamoto Castle.
From Kumamoto, we will return to Hakata by Shinkansen.
Tomorrow we will be staying in Huis Ten Bosch so you can travel light with a small backpack and leave your main luggage in Hakata.

Stay overnight in Huis Ten Bosch and enjoy one of the most spectacular night illuminations

• Meals: Breakfast
• Stay: Hotel Amsterdam (Superior Twin – No double room available)

Today we hop on a limited express train to Huis Ten Bosch, Japan’s largest theme park that recreates a 17th-century-style Dutch town. The train offers a wonderful view of the scenic Kyushu countryside and leads you to a little piece of the Netherlands right in Japan, complete with canals, beautiful seasonal flowers and even picture-perfect windmills.
At Huis Ten Bosch, you’ll be amazed by the attention to detail in recreating an entire foreign town. It’s Japanese precision at the highest level! You’ll also learn of the historical relationship that the Netherlands and Japan have had since 1609.
Enjoy the entire day exploring the vast park and visiting attractions including museums, shops, restaurants, theatres and rides.
As night falls, Huis Ten Bosch comes to life as a staggering 13 million colourful lights illuminate the park and canals.
To cap off the day, we’ll stay in Hotel Amsterdam – an elegant European-style hotel located right in the heart of Huis Ten Bosch. Enjoy a romantic evening!

Discover the history of Nagasaki

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Stay: Miyako Hotel Hakata (Superior Twin or Superior Double)

After breakfast at your hotel in Huis Ten Bosch, we’ll move on to Nagasaki by private mini-bus.
The history of Nagasaki is inseparable from the atomic bomb that devastated the city in 1945. We will visit the Peace Park, a place of remembrance for those lost, and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, a moving look back that also spotlights the Nagasaki citizens’ hope for a peaceful future.
After a hearty lunch of Champon, a famous Nagasaki noodle dish, we will visit Glover Garden. The site of the former home of Thomas Blake Glover – a Scottish merchant who played a key role in the Industrialisation of Japan – Glover Garden was the setting for the world-famous opera Madame Butterfly. The garden sits high on a hill and offers stunning panoramic views of Nagasaki harbour and the city.
We then move on to Oura Tenshudo, a World-Heritage-listed Catholic church that dates back to the 1800s and is one of the oldest churches in Japan. This church was built as a tribute to the 26 martyrs of 1597 and is an important part of Nagasaki history.
Relax on the comfortable Limited Express Kamome train for the approximate two-hour return trip to Hakata.

Discover one of the largest hot spring regions in Japan!

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Stay: Miyako Hotel Hakata (Superior Twin or Superior Double)

We start the day on the Limited Express Sonic train to Beppu in Oita prefecture, Japan’s largest hot spring town.
From Beppu Station, we’ll take a private mini-bus to Takasakiyama Monkey Park. 1,500 wild macaque monkeys call Mt. Takasaki home, and each day they descend the mountain for feeding and grooming. You won’t soon forget the sight of hundreds and hundreds of monkeys at your feet!
Next, visit Kamado Jigoku and witness the six different types of “hells”. Each hell is a steaming pool of hot spring water that has a unique colour such as earthy red, cobalt blue, milky white and even bubbling hot mud.
For lunch, we’ll try Oita’s famous Toriten (chicken tempura) and Jigokumushi pudding that is cooked with the steam from the hot springs.
From Kifune Castle, enjoy a panoramic view of the Kunisaki Peninsula, Mount Tsurumi and Beppu Bay.
Before boarding the train to Hakata, try buying a delicious ekiben (boxed meal) to enjoy on the two-hour return trip.

Visit a unique Japanese garden with its magnificent view of Sakurajima

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Stay: Miyako Hotel Hakata (Superior Twin or Superior Double)

Today we board the Shinkansen and head to Kagoshima, one of the largest cities in Kyushu.
The first thing you’ll notice is Sakurajima. Sakurajima is the most active volcano in Japan and an icon of Kagoshima. At 1,117 metres high, it is a significant presence in Kagoshima skyline. It can often be seen billowing white smoke high up into the sky.
We get started with a visit to the Ishibashi Memorial Park, which preserves the stone building techniques of the Edo period. Next, we stop at Reimeikan, a museum located in the ruins of Kagoshima Castle, to learn about the history and culture of Kagoshima. Then we visit Senganen, an exquisite Japanese garden with a panoramic view of Sakurajima. Step back in time and see how the feudal lords lived.
At Shoko Shuseikan Museum, a World Heritage Site, discover the history and importance of the Meiji era Industrial Revolution of the late 19th century. The surrounding grounds, including traditional gardens and bamboo groves, are beautiful and wonderful to stroll through.
We return to Hakata by Shinkansen and enjoy a farewell dinner together at one of Fukuoka’s food stalls.

Farewell to Kyushu, but see you again!

• Meals: Breakfast

Your tour officially ends today. After breakfast, you will have time to explore Fukuoka or relax in your room until check-out time at noon. Have a safe and enjoyable trip!