Autumn 2023 Land of Samurai Kyushu Tour (10d/9n)
Join us on the Land of Samurai Kyushu Tour in the autumn of 2023!
Luscious forests, cobalt-blue oceans with white sand beaches, active volcanoes, natural hot springs, traditional crafts, festivals, and delicious local cuisine; Kyushu has it all. For those who want to dive into the world of samurai and enjoy Kyushu’s natural treasures, we developed the Land of Samurai Kyushu Tour. For the fall season of 2023, we are planning this group package trip to Kyushu during the foliage season. Keep reading for the details!
Kyushu Tour Description
Our well-balanced small group tour of Japan’s southern island of Kyushu in spring will give you a comprehensive experience of Kyushu’s nature, history, and culture. You will not only visit all the must-see places on the island, but you will also visit small towns that don’t get many foreign tourists and have the chance to dive into the world of pottery at a world-famous pottery town. This tour makes for a great add-on to a trip to Tokyo and/or Kyoto, or for Japan-repeaters who want to discover Kyushu in-depth this time around.
Autumn is a great time to come to Kyushu, which has a mild climate compared to Japan’s more northern regions. You can expect temperatures in the low to mid-20s (Celcius)/mid to high 70s (Fahrenheit) during this autumn tour and beautiful fall foliage all around the forest-rich island.
You will see and experience more in 10 days than you can imagine, these are some of the highlights of this tour; a tea ceremony, rice paddies, an art village, volcanically active hot springs in Beppu, green Mt. Aso, history in Kagoshima, learn about the earthquake in Kumamoto, war history in Nagasaki, and pottery in Arita and Karatsu including a workshop, plus a lot more. Join us for the trip of a lifetime!
Wifi is available on the bus and in the hotels.
Special Precautions for group tours and your safety
* We will prepare one mask per person per tour day.
* Before you get on the bus, everyone has to sanitize their hands with sanitizer that will be provided by us.
* There will be a maximum of 13 people on a bus that fits 22, so there is enough space between participants.
* We will provide everyone with one special health drink per day to keep everyone’s immune system up.
* We will provide everyone with one fresh bottle of mineral water per day.
Tour Date and Price
Arrival and departure: Starts in Fukuoka and ends in Fukuoka
Tour date: Autumn 2023* (9 nights and 10 days), *exact dates TBA, please fill out the ‘Reservation & Inquiries’ form below if you want to be updated once the dates are set
Tour price: USD 2,880 (price per person, based on twin/triple room occupancy)
Single room price: USD 3,380
Kyushu Tour Highlights
Day 1: Fukuoka
Day 2: Dazaifu – Yame – Toho Village – Yufuin
Day 3: Yufuin – Beppu – Kurokawa Onsen
Day 4: Kurokawa Onsen – Mt. Aso – Takachiho
Day 5: Takachiho – Aoshima – Kagoshima
Day 6: Kagoshima – Kumamoto
Day 7: Kumamoto – Nagasaki
Day 8: Nagasaki – Arita – Okawachiyama – Karatsu
Day 9: Karatsu – Fukuoka
Day 10: Fukuoka
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Transfer to Fukuoka Airport
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Fukuoka Airport – Transfer to Fukuoka Hotel
Today you will arrive at Fukuoka Airport and get a transfer to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon and evening can be freely spent in Fukuoka, a lively city with some great attractions like the green rooftop garden of the ACROS building, the flowers in Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, the big Buddha and pagoda of the Tochoji temple, and world-famous ramen noodles that are best sampled in Yatai.
Royal Park Hotel Fukuoka
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Day 2: Dazaifu – Yame – Toho Village – Yufuin
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 8.30 am, and your first stop will be the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, a sanctuary for learning, culture and the arts. Lunch will be in Yame, which is famous for growing some of Japan’s best quality tea. You will also experience a tea ceremony here. We will then ride to Toho Village, where you will get the chance to take some amazing photos of the terraced rice fields that are famous in this area. We arrive at the Yufuin ryokan around 5 pm, where we will enjoy a traditional dinner.
Yufuin Hotel Shuhokan
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Day 3: Yufuin – Beppu – Kurokawa Onsen
Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel at 9 am. This morning we explore Yufuin and visit the Folk Craft Village and Yunotsubo Street with many cute souvenir shops and local snacks to try, and the picturesque Kinrin Lake. You will have lunch by yourself in Yufuin, after which we ride to famous hot spring town Beppu where we visit the 3 most famous ‘hells’. Then we ride on to tonight’s ryokan, where we will have a traditional dinner.
Kurokawa Onsen Wakaba
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Day 4: Kurokawa Onsen – Mt Aso – Takachiho
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 9 am, and the first stop is at Daikanbo, an impressive lookout point with amazing area views. We will then continue on to Mt Aso where we visit the Volcano Museum and see the views of Komezuka and Kusasenri Meadow, where you will also have lunch with a view. Then it’s back on the van to go to the scenic Takachiho Gorge where you will take a boat ride and walk around this otherworldly place. Dinner will be at your hotel, after which we will attend a legendary traditional dance performance at the Takachiho Shrine that tells you the story of one of Japan’s most important Shinto gods.
Solesto Takachiho Hotel
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Day 5: Takachiho – Aoshima – Kagoshima
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 8 am, and we first ride to Aoshima where you will see the ‘Devil’s Washboard’, a beautiful natural formation along the coast. You can choose your own lunch on the way and arrive in Kagoshima around 2 pm where we visit the wonderful Sengan-en Garden. This garden was created by a powerful clan during the feudal time and it uses its natural environment beautifully. Our next stop is the Arimura Observatory on active volcano Sakurajima, after which we spend the night in Kagoshima.
Kagoshima Sun Royal Hotel
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Day 6: Kagoshima – Kumamoto
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 8 am, and the first stop will be at Crane Park Izumi, the spot where thousands of cranes spend the winter and you can learn more about these fascinating birds. The trip continues, and you can choose your own lunch on the way. Our next stop is in Kumamoto, a city that was devastated by an earthquake in 2016. You will see Kumamoto Castle, which is still being rebuilt, from the outside, and visit the beautiful Suizenji Park. You can spend the evening freely in Kumamoto.
Richmond Hotel Kumamoto Shin Shigai
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Day 7: Kumamoto – Nagasaki
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 8 am and take the ferry to Shimabara where we visit the ‘Hell of Unzen’. Here you can walk through the ‘hellish’ environment of heated gas and billowing steam on a wooden walkway. Lunch will be in Nagasaki, after which you will learn more about Nagasaki’s tragic history in the Atomic Bomb Museum. Before we go to the hotel, we go up Mt Inasa to see Nagasaki’s amazing city view from above.
ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Nagasaki Glover Hill
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Day 8: Nagasaki – Arita – Okawachiyama – Karatsu
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 8 am, and before leaving Nagasaki we first visit the Glover Garden and Oura Church to learn more about Nagasaki’s historical foreign relations. We then ride to pottery town Arita, where we visit the Fukagawa Seiji atelier which belongs to the family that has produced some of the world’s most famous porcelain since the 17th century and even provides porcelain to the Imperial Family. We will have lunch in China on the Park, where you can also shop around for either the real thing or discounted items that didn’t meet the high standards. After lunch, you will go to Okawachiyama, another porcelain town nicknamed ‘Village of the Secret Kilns’ because of its isolated location and well-defended borders.
Hotel Resort Saga Karatsu
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Day 9: Karatsu – Fukuoka
Your guide will pick you up with the van at 9 am, and today will be all about Karatsu, famous for its pottery, festival, and castle. You will learn more about the festival in the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall, see how a rich family used to live in this area in the Former Takatori House and enjoy the views from Karatsu Castle. In the afternoon, you can finally try your hands at making some pottery yourself in a pottery workshop. You will arrive back in Fukuoka in the late afternoon, after which you can spend time freely in the city.
Royal Park Hotel Fukuoka
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Day 10: Fukuoka – Transfer to Fukuoka Airport
Today is the last day of the tour, breakfast is served at the hotel and we will arrange your transfer to Fukuoka Airport. Thank you very much for coming to Kyushu and we hope to see you again!
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INCLUDED
- 9 nights of hotel accommodation
- Airport transfers
- Minibus transfers between destinations
- Comprehensive escort of our professional English-speaking nature guide as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary (9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 8 dinners)
- Admission fees to sites, gardens, and museums as listed in the itinerary
EXCLUDED
- International and/or domestic airfares to Fukuoka Airport
- Meals that are not included in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Personal expenses such as telephone and laundry bills
- Gratuities
EXTENDED PLAN
You can extend your vacation in Japan before/after the tour. We can provide you with an extension of your stay in the same hotel as during the tour for an extra 15,000 yen ~ per night, per person. Please contact us for more details.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Transport: Travel by air-conditioned private van, baggage handling free
Arrival/Departure: We start and finish the tour at Fukuoka airport
Meal Requests: Vegetarian, halal or special meals can be arranged
Please bring the following: Rain gear, hiking shoes, insect repellent
Please note that the tour schedule and prices are subject to change without notice
CANCELLATION POLICY
>46 days prior to arrival date in Japan: no penalty
45-31 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 10% of the tour fee
30-15 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 20% of the tour fee
14- 8 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 30% of the tour fee
7 – 3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 50% of the tour fee
<3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 100% of the tour fee
