Japan Kyushu Travel Guide, Tailor-made Japan Tour Packages
Kyushu
Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands.
The name Kyushu comes from the nine ancient provinces of Saikaido situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyuga, Osumi, and Satsuma. In the 8th century Taiho Code reforms, Dazaifu was established as a special administrative term for the region.
The island is mountainous, and Japan's most active volcano, Mt Aso is on Kyushu. There are many other signs of tectonic activity, including numerous areas of hot springs. The most famous of these are in Beppu, on the east shore, and around Mt. Aso, in central Kyushu. The island is separated from Honshu by the Kanmon Straits.
Destinations | Major cities
Fukuoka
Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture. Ranked 10th of the world's most livable cities in the global affairs and lifestyle magazine Monocle in 2014, Fukuoka was praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is a vibrant city in Kyushu with many fascinating places to visit, from ancient shrines and Japanese gardens to towers and shopping facilities.
Nagasaki
In recent history, Nagasaki, the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on Kyushu, became the second city after Hiroshima to be destroyed by an atomic bomb towards the end of World War II. This vibrant port city of sloping hills is renowned for its color, charm, and international influence. It was a center of Portuguese and other European influence in the 16th through 19th centuries, and the Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki have been proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Kumamoto
Kumamoto is a major city on Kyushu's west coast, it is deeply proud of its greatest landmark, Kumamoto-jo, the castle around which the city radiates. As a key access point for exploring the volcano and the surrounding Aso area, it is historically rich and well worth exploring over a day or two.
Dazaifu
Dazaifu was established in the late 7th century and served as the administrative center of the entire island of Kyushu for over 500 years, the city of Dazaifu is one of Fukuoka Prefecture's best-known destinations. There are numbers of historical sites which reflect to the ancient history of Dazaifu, including ruins of the Dazaifu itself.
Kitakyushu
Kitakyushu, Kyushu's northernmost city, a place for learning, entertainment, and relaxation. It has been an important hub for both land and marine traffic since olden times. From the Meiji Era onwards, the city has played a vital role as one of Kyushu's main industrial hubs. The unique history, traditions, and natural beauty of each city blend together to give Kitakyushu its unique personality.
Beppu
Beppu is one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, producing more hot spring water than any other resort in the country. The popular hot spring town nestle at the foot of volcanos, it offers not only spring, but also mud baths, sand baths and steam baths. This small town is considered a paradise of hot springs famous for high therapeutic effects.
Kagoshima
Kagoshima is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern world" for its bay location, hot climate, and impressive stratovolcano, Sakurajima. Just outside of the city is the early-Edo Period Sengan-en(Isoteien) Japanese Garden. This city combines a stunning vista with rich local history, excellent food and drink, and vibrant nightlife.
Miyazaki
The capital of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan's birthplace, is located on the south eastern coast of Kyushu. It offers a peace park, seaside shrines, and great surfing and cycling. Miyazaki used to be the top honeymoon spot and a popular destination with domestic travelers until the 1980s, this city has more sunshine than anywhere else in Japan.
Mt. Aso
Mount Aso is an active volcano in the center of Kyushu which most recently erupted in 2016 but has since calmed down again, a 1592 meter peak in Aso Kuju National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Aso's ancient caldera ranks among the world's largest, with a diameter of up to 25 kilometers and a circumference of over 100 kilometers.