9 Unforgettable Experiences You Can Have In Kyushu

There are some moments you have when you’re travelling that you just know you’re never going to forget.

And there are some places where you have more of those moments than others.

Japan’s third largest island, Kyushu, is one of those places.

Kyushu is somewhere that boasts such an array of diverse natural beauty that your camera will likely not get put back in its bag once during a trip there. But any good travel photographer will tell you that one of the best parts of travel photography is when you put the camera down, and really experience wherever it is you are.

In Kyushu, that might be anywhere from the top of a mountain surrounded by beautiful landscape views to sitting in an open-air hot springs bath watching the sun slowly set.

If you’re looking for some experiences that will stay with you for years after your trip, have a read of our recommendations below.

Ride A Cable Car Through The Clouds

The Unzen Ropeway is a cable car that carries passengers 1,300 metres above sea level, from Nita Pass Station to Mount Myoken.

The ride up only takes about three minutes, but it’s absolutely beautiful.

Surrounding the traversing cable car are astounding 360 degree views that look out across Unzen-Amakusa National Park, which you get to fully take in once you reach the top.

Drink Japanese Tea In Nature

Unzen-Amakusa National Park has different mountains that you can hike, which vary in difficulty. Mt. Kinugasa, for example, is a small mountain that overlooks Unzen Onsen’s hot springs district and the Ariake Sea.

But sipping on traditional Japanese tea while you’re immersed in the surrounding natural beauty has to be one of the best ways to break up any hike.

Take A River Cruise

It turns out that Italy’s Venice and the UK’s Cambridge aren’t the only places that should be on your bucket list if a relaxing waterway punt sounds like your idea of fun.

Yanagawa – which is sometimes called “the city of water” – is a city in southern Fukuoka Prefecture, and it boasts 930 kilometres of waterways. Local river cruise tours take you out onto the water where you can sit back, relax, soak in the sites, and snap a selfie donning a Japanese hat.

Try Your Hand At Pottery

The small town of Arita in Kyushu’s western Saga Prefecture is famous throughout Japan for one thing in particular: pottery.

The town has two pottery festival every year, one in spring and one in autumn. But even if you visit outside of the festivals there are plenty of opportunities to purchase some hand-made ceramics – or even have a go at making some yourself.

Explore Unzen Onsen’s Hot Springs

The Japanese word “Jigoku” translates to “Hell” in English, and if you roam around Unzen Onsen’s Jigoku area you’ll see why.

Steam from the area’s natural hot springs below rises up around you as you traverse the boardwalk that runs along the eerie-looking landscape, and a pungent sulphuric smell is hard not to notice.

You can even chow down an egg that’s been cooked in the heat from the hot springs!

Order Some Eel For Lunch

For an unforgettable experience of the tastebuds, Yanagawa’s Ohana is somewhere you need to know about.

It’s a magnificent hotel that dates back to the Edo period, and its Great Hall, Shotoen Garden, and Western-style building are well worth visiting even if you’re not going to stay for lunch.

But if you do, make sure to order the eel – its cooked in a bamboo steamer and is marinaded in a ‘secret sauce’ made from eel bone broth and grilled kabayaki.

Walk To The Edge Of An Active Volcano

Mount Aso is just one of Kyushu’s active volcanoes. Its caldera has a circumference of over 100 kilometres, making it one of the largest in the world.

The nearby Mount Aso Visitor Center is brimming with information on the volcano’s history, as well as some quirky interactive exhibitions. But if the conditions are right, you can get up close and personal with the volcano by walking right to the edge of its crater.

Watch Sunset Over The Kujuku Islands

Most of the 208 islands that collectively make up the Kujuku Islands are heavily forested with sandy strips jutting out of the water, and spending an afternoon aboard a boat is one of the best ways to take in their beauty.

But this area of Kyushu becomes even more spectacular when the sunsets. For a great spot to sit and watch the evening creep in head to the Tenkaiho Observatory, which looks out onto the islands below.

Stay At A Japanese-Style Hotel

No trip to Japan would be complete without staying at a traditional Japanese-style hotel.

At the Yukai Resort Unzen Toyokan you can unwind by soaking in the hotel’s hot spring baths – one of which is an open-air rooftop bath that looks out to the surrounding valley. Then tuck in and get a good night’s sleep on a shikibuton – a traditional Japanese futon mattress.