On arrival in Fukuoka Airport, and the laidback city of Fukuoka the gateway to Kyushu Island, transfer to the group hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local atmosphere before dinner. Please note: Early check in (before 3pm) is not included. If your flight arrives in the morning and you wish to arrange this, please speak to your reservations consultant. For luggage storage options prior to check-in, please speak to your hotel reception desk. The Hidden Japan: Spirit of Kyushu tour includes round trip transfers. An assistant will be waiting to meet you in Fukuoka and direct you to a prepaid taxi transfer. Please note that your transfer may be shared with other members of your group.

Begin your island adventure with a visit to the Kyushu National Museum, where you’ll gain an insight into its long and storied history before lunch at a local winery. Return to Fukuoka this afternoon. This afternoon’s activities will depend on the date of your visit. Most groups will visit Fukuoka Tower and Rakusui-en Garden. On select November departures, if availability permits, you will instead enjoy an authentic Japanese experience – Fukuoka’s annual sumo tournament! This evening, head to Fukuoka’s Nakasu district, famous for its yatai – street food stalls serving iconic Japanese foods, from yakitori skewers to delicious ramen. Soak up the atmosphere here, popular with locals relaxing after work, before returning to the hotel. The rest of your evening is at leisure – if you wish, why not stay in the Nakasu district longer and sample the yatai food independently? Alternatively, you may like to explore Fukuoka’s buzzing Tenjin district, which has plenty of bars and eateries to explore. Those interested in evening shopping can visit Hankyu Department Store inside Hakata Station. Important: Many sites in Japan require you to remove your shoes before entering. You should remove shoes before stepping onto the shoe-free area. Bare feet are not considered acceptable in Japan. Therefore, we recommend carrying a spare pair of socks in your day bag throughout your trip.

Drive to Nagasaki, enjoying several stops en route. First, stop to take a photo of Karatsu Castle and enjoy its views over the harbour. Then, head to Imari, famous for its ceramics, and observe a potter at work. Take some free time in nearby Okawachiyama, known for its lovely porcelain and nicknamed ‘The Village of Secret Kilns’. Enjoy lunch independently and browse the town’s many ceramics shops. The streets here are a delight to wander, with intriguing porcelain sculptures and a beautifully tiled bridge which spans the bubbling river. Later, sip a cup of green tea in Ureshino. If your visit falls outside the workers’ busiest season (March-June), you may be lucky enough to meet a local farmer and hear about life in the tea fields. Continue to Nagasaki.

Pay your respects at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park, where you’ll hear the devastating story of the 1945 atomic bomb, its aftermath, and how Nagasaki rebuilt itself from the ashes. Later, visit Dejima Wharf, once the only permitted entry point for European traders into Japan. Lunch is at leisure among the various waterfront cafés here, near which you can admire yachts and fishing boats bobbing in Nagasaki harbour. Continue to Glover Garden, a hillside park filled with the manors of European traders from the 19th century, who were offered houses here in gratitude for their contribution to the restoration of the emperor Meiji. The park was built for Thomas Glover and contains the houses of several Western merchants, including Glover's own. Here, admire the mansions and enjoy views over Nagasaki Harbour. Your evening is at leisure.

Drive to Shimabara and hop on the 60-minute ferry across the Ariake Sea to Kumamoto, where you can enjoy some free time for lunch. Continue to Mount Aso, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, and capture breathtaking photos of its vast, dramatic crater surrounded by lush landscapes and rolling hills. Continue to your accommodation in the charming town of Tsuetate Onsen or the wider Kuju area. Check in at your ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn with tatami mat floors. The evening is at leisure to relax in the hotel’s beautiful hot spring onsen – choose from indoor pools or a selection of open-air baths.

Begin the day at the serene Fuko-ji Temple, where a stone stairway will bring you to a cliffside cave with beautiful views over a quiet valley. Here, experience a short meditation session led by a Buddhist monk. Continue to the lovely Kuju Flower Park, where a kaleidoscope of colours covers the 49-acre parkland from spring to autumn. This afternoon’s experience is truly special: a soul-stirring display of traditional drumming, performed on an open-air stage against the dramatic backdrop of Aso-Kuju National Park. At an elevation of 1,036 metres, this incredible venue is known as ‘the theatre in the sky’. Afterwards, stop by the museum to see a display of the troupe’s elaborate drumming costumes before returning to your ryokan.

Drive south to Takachiho Gorge, one of Kyushu’s most famous natural wonders. Here, the beautiful Gokake River runs through a mesmerising 80-metre-deep chasm between basalt cliffs, formed by volcanic eruptions from 100,000 years ago. Enjoy some free time for photos at the gorge. Afterwards, get hands-on with a cooking experience, discovering the taste of Takachiho-style chicken or vegetables, seasoned and simmered inside bamboo. Continue to your hotel in the Kirishima Hills, nestled at the edge of Kirishima National Park. Please note that admiring the gorge at cliff level requires a walk of around 20 minutes from the coach parking area. We recommend staying at cliff level, which offers excellent photo opportunities. Reaching the water level requires a descent and ascent on steep stone steps, which can often be slippery due to rain, or water from tourists using the gorge boats. Should you choose to use these steps during your free time, please do so carefully and understand this is at your own risk.

Drive down the Satsuma Peninsula to Chiran, a former samurai town from which hundreds of kamikaze pilots flew to their deaths at the Battle of Okinawa. Learn their story at the Chiran Peace Museum, which displays their photographs, farewell letters, and two recovered planes. Later, take a walk through Chiran’s samurai district before driving to Kagoshima. After lunch, visit the scenic Sengan-en Garden, where you can try on a traditional kimono! This afternoon, take the ferry to Mount Sakurajima, a dramatic volcano in Kagoshima Bay. Here, admire panoramic views and stop to see the lava formations left by past eruptions. Drive back to your hotel in Kirishima Hills, stopping en route to enjoy a refreshing open-air footbath.

Don’t leave Kagoshima Prefecture without tasting its shochu – a distilled local liquor, popular across Japan. Stop by a shochu distillery for a tasting before learning about another local speciality – ‘kurozo’, or black vinegar! Kagoshima’s ‘black gold’ has an earthy umami flavour from being aged in pots under the Japanese sun. Admire the rows of black ‘tsubo’ pots and enjoy lunch at the producer’s restaurant. Finally, drive to Kagoshima City, where the bullet train will whisk you back to Fukuoka in just 90 minutes, ahead of tonight’s farewell dinner.

Any time before your flight is at leisure and breakfast will be included. You will be transferred from your hotel to Fukuoka airport, according to the departure time of your international flight. Late check-out is not included in our tour. If you wish to book a late check-out for your final day in Fukuoka, please contact our reservations department who can confirm the additional price and make this arrangement for you, subject to availability at the hotel.