Kyushu travel guide

Kyushu is Japan at its most elemental. Volcanoes smoke on the skyline, whole towns run on geothermal steam and the south is almost subtropical. It also has deep history, from the old trading port of Nagasaki to the castle town of Kumamoto.

The Kyushu Shinkansen runs the length of the island from Fukuoka to Kagoshima in about 1.5 hours, so it is easy to combine cities with nature.

Top things to do in Kyushu

1. Eat your way around Fukuoka. Yatai food stalls, Hakata ramen and a relaxed city by the sea. See our Fukuoka travel guide.
2. Soak in Beppu and Yufuin. Beppu is one of the world's great hot spring towns, with steaming "hells" to visit. Yufuin is quieter, with a lake and ryokan under Mount Yufu. See Yufuin.
3. Look into the crater of Mount Aso. One of the largest volcanic calderas in the world, with grassy plains and an active crater (access depends on gas levels). See Mount Aso.
4. Row through Takachiho Gorge. Basalt cliffs, a waterfall and myths of the sun goddess in the mountains of Miyazaki. See Takachiho Gorge.
5. Visit Kumamoto Castle. A huge fortress whose keep was restored after the 2016 earthquake. See Kumamoto Castle.
6. Explore Nagasaki. The Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, the old Dutch and Chinese quarters and the night view from Mount Inasa. Take a boat to Gunkanjima, the abandoned battleship island.
7. Watch Sakurajima smoke. An active volcano across the bay from Kagoshima, reached by a 15-minute ferry. See Sakurajima.
8. Hike the cedar forests of Yakushima. A subtropical island of moss, waterfalls and cedar trees thousands of years old. See Yakushima.
9. Visit Dazaifu Tenmangu. A grand shrine to the god of learning, an easy half-day from Fukuoka. See Dazaifu Tenmangu.

Areas to know

When to go

Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the most comfortable. Summer is hot and humid, with the rainy season in June and early July and a risk of typhoons from August to September. Winter is mild in the south and lovely for hot springs, though the Aso highlands can be cold.

Getting there and around

Fly from Tokyo to Fukuoka in about 2 hours, or take the shinkansen from Osaka (about 2.5 hours) or Hiroshima (about 1 hour). From Hakata Station, the Kyushu Shinkansen reaches Kumamoto in about 35 minutes and Kagoshima-Chuo in about 1.5 hours. Nagasaki is about 1.5 hours away by limited express and the short Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen.

Limited express trains link Fukuoka with Beppu and Yufuin, including the scenic Yufuin no Mori. The JR Kyushu Rail Pass covers most of these routes. For Aso, Takachiho and rural areas, a rental car or tour bus is easier.

Where to stay

Use Fukuoka as a base for the north, then stay in Kumamoto or Kagoshima for the south. Do not miss at least one night in a hot spring ryokan in Beppu or Yufuin, ideally with a private outdoor bath.

What to eat

• Hakata tonkotsu ramen and yatai food in Fukuoka
• Champon, a noodle soup with seafood and vegetables, in Nagasaki
• Kurobuta black pork and sweet potato shochu in Kagoshima
• Jigoku-mushi, food steamed over hot spring vents in Beppu
• Chicken nanban, fried chicken with tartare sauce, from Miyazaki
• Basashi, horse meat sashimi, a Kumamoto speciality

A sample 6-day route

1. Day 1: Arrive in Fukuoka. Evening at the yatai stalls.
2. Day 2: Dazaifu in the morning, then the train to Yufuin for a ryokan night.
3. Day 3: Beppu's hells, then on to Kumamoto via Aso if the road and weather allow.
4. Day 4: Kumamoto Castle in the morning, then a day trip or tour to Takachiho Gorge.
5. Day 5: Shinkansen to Kagoshima and the ferry to Sakurajima.
6. Day 6: Back to Fukuoka in about 1.5 hours, or fly home from Kagoshima.

Use our itinerary maker to fit Kyushu into the rest of your trip.

Opening hours, prices and transport details change. Check the official sources before you travel: Visit Kyushu (Kyushu Tourism Organization).