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Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot

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Holidays

Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot

Japan

Available Departures: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

8 days from

US$3,405

without flights

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Walk & Trek

Self-Guided

LEISURELY

Explore the history, culture and stunning landscapes of Japan’s third-largest island as you enjoy walks in nature and cultural adventures on this one-week self-guided walking holiday.

Trip Code: SGKU

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

For anyone who enjoys exploring on foot rather than always in a vehicle. A mixture of sightseeing and easier walking of around 2-5hrs a day. Walking paths could be around sites, through cities or on well marked trails and at lower altitudes (under 2500m). Regions are rarely flat so some ascent or descents could be expected but rarely above around 300 – 400m per day.

View leisurely holidays

4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as regular walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

Suitable for fit weekend walkers. Consecutive walking days, of around 4-8 hours on generally good paths. Ascents and descents will increase and could be 1000m+ but often less. Some walking may be at higher altitude (3000m – 4500m) with the occasional higher pass and you may have some walking on snow. There may be occasions where you have to carry overnight kit on one or two days.

View moderate holidays

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

Previous trekking experience and a good level of fitness is required for these trips as there will be consecutive days of longer trekking in more remote areas with rougher paths. Days will be around 5-9 hours often with some steep ascents and descents. Some ice/snow trekking is possible with the use of crampons and/ice axe. You may be required to carry a heavier backpack with overnight essentials or equipment for some days and sleeping at higher altitudes (generally up to 5000m).

View challenging holidays

10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

All Grade Information

Section:

Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot

Highlights

Discover the blend of traditional Japanese customs and foreign influences behind Kyushu’s unique culture
Relax in onsen hot springs after days out exploring volcanic landscapes
Experience rural life with a day of walking on a tiny island and a countryside home stay
Marvel at the enigmatic Usuki Stone Buddahs
Walk inside the verdant Nakadake Caldera with views of mighty Mount Aso, Japan’s second-largest active volcano

At a Glance

8 days walking and sightseeing
Rail tickets included
Daily departures
Join In Beppu / End in Nagasaki

Accommodation & Meals

7 Breakfasts
4 Dinners
1 nights Minshuku
3 nights Hotel
3 nights Ryokan

Overview

Kyushu lies in the southwest of Japan and is the third-largest of her four main islands. Easily accessible - yet often missed by first-time visitors to Japan - Kyushu is full of interest and reward for those who venture there.

The gateway of many cultural influences, Kyushu holds a significant place in history as the birthplace of Japanese civilisation. The foundations of the green tea ceremony first arrived in Japan via Kyushu’s Hirado Island in the late 12th century; in the 16th century, European traders first arrived in Japan via Tanegashima Island, just off Kyushu’s southern tip - although this happened more by accident than by design as they were blown off course and shipwrecked! Then, for much of the sheltered Edo period, Dejima Island (by Nagasaki) was the only legal trading post between Japan and the West for over 200 years. Despite previous commercial collaborations, Nagasaki is now known more widely for being decimated by a huge atomic bomb in World War II. However there is much more to Nagasaki, and we have included time here at the end of your trip.

Whilst centuries of foreign exchange and military events have had a big impact on Kyushu’s cultural fabric, her landscape has been shaped by volcanic activity. As well as the island’s hot-spring villages, you will find settlements built within the calderas of volcanoes as people adapt to this lively landscape. Fans of onsen-bathing, mountains, and geology alike will be in their elements here!

Arts and crafts lovers can appreciate Kyushu’s thriving scene, including takezaiku bamboo weaving (especially around Taketa), ceramics, and even anime. Foodies will be delighted too: surrounded by the sea, excellent fish and seafood is easy to find here, and delicious regional specialities including broths, chicken, and ramen noodle dishes also come highly recommended – as is the drink for which the region is famed, shochu.

Is this holiday for you?

This holiday is perfect for you if you are fairly active, love to discover new cultures and cuisines, are interested in history, and enjoy the freedom of walking and exploring independently whilst having the holiday planning and logistics all taken care of for you. If you are a fan of onsen-bathing - bathing in natural hot spring baths - or just fascinated by volcanic landscapes, then this trip is definitely for you too!

On this holiday, you will explore the northern part of Kyushu, one of Japan’s lesser-visited islands, from east to west as you immerse yourself in its culture and vibrant volcanic landscapes. We have designed this trip so that you can enjoy a mixture of exploration days on foot interspersed with some dedicated walking days. You should be comfortable with covering 5-6km on foot each day, either all in one go on your longest walk, or on and off throughout a full day of exploring on foot, for consecutive days.

Why KE?

This trip has been designed especially so that you can experience the fascinating and beautiful off-the-beaten-track island of Kyushu, including a walking day on one of her islets and a home stay at a countryside inn. As well as spending time in awe of Kyushu’s natural wonders, you will discover her unique place in Japan’s modern history.

Itinerary

Download Trip Notes

Day 1

Arrive in steamy Beppu, famous for its ubiquitous onsen hot springs.

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Make your way to Beppu, your home for tonight, where your Kyushu adventure begins! We'd recommend sending your main luggage ahead to Oita City this morning and travelling with just your overnight essentials in your daypack for tonight and tomorrow night - we will provide guidelines in your personal route notes about how to transport your luggage.

With hot springs around almost every corner, Beppu is one of the largest hot spring areas in Japan. Explore the steaming streets of this entrancing town, whose businesses have made their livelihoods from the earth's volatility. Explore the area, enjoy bathing in an onsen hot spring, and maybe even try immersing yourself in a hot sand 'bath' for a unique geothermal experience. Perhaps you'd enjoy a meal cooked over natural steam vents, called 'jigoku-mushi' - 'steamed in hell' cuisine' - which you can even cook for yourself at some restaurants? One of our favourite areas to visit for all of this is the Myoban Onsen natural hot springs village; nestled in Beppu's scenic mountain foothills, this is also the highest of Beppu's eight hot spring districts.

Whatever you decide to do, Beppu is sure to give you the perfect start to your time here on Kyushu. We will provide suggestions for sightseeing spots that can be reached using a combination of walking and local buses, with the amount of exploring you do today being entirely up to you of course. If you would like an extra night or so here, please just ask our Sales Team at the time of booking.

Accommodation

Ryokan

Meals

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Day 2

Soak up rural life with a walk on idyllic Onyujima Island, then stay in a country inn.

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After breakfast Japan-style, this morning you will travel by train to Saiki before hopping on the ferry to the bijou island of Onyujima for a day of walking and exploration. Sample some of the local cuisine for lunch, then set out on foot for your adventure around this delightful island. Discover hidden alcoves, idyllic coastlines, and mikan mandarin orange farms as you make your way up a small mountain for stunning panoramic views.

Eventually you arrive back at the ferry port for the boat back over to Saiki, where your local innkeeper will be waiting to welcome you before driving you to your abode for the night. Staying in a lovely old traditional Japanese home tonight, you will get even further into the spirit of the region and feel truly immersed in its rural lifestyle. This is one of our favourite nights of the trip!

Accommodation

Minshuku

Meals

B D

Ascent

235 M

Descent

235 M

Time

2 hours walking

Distance

6 KM

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Day 3

Explore the old castle town of Usuki and be entranced by the Usuki Stone Buddhas.

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After a lovely breakfast, your hosts will drive you to Saiki station where you will hop on the train to Usuki for a day exploring this old castle town, including a visit to the beguiling Usuki Stone Buddhas.

Immerse yourself in Usuki's rich history as you stroll along atmospheric streets imagining what it was like when it prospered as a centre for foreign trade with Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch merchants. Today, the hustle-bustle is gone and the castle is in ruins, now situated within a relaxing park. Learn about the castle's fascinating history and be transported back in time as you wander and gaze at the alphabet-like characters engraved on the old stone walls - a reminder of its links with the area's 'Hidden Christians'.

Admire the many well-preserved buildings and fascinating temples on the Nioza Historical Road, before visiting the mysterious Usuki Stone Buddhas and wondering who might have created them, and why? Crafted around 1,000 years ago, these mystical giant statues were carved directly into rock that sprung from an eruption of Mount Aso around 90,000 years ago. Numbering more than 60, they are designated National Treasures.

You might also enjoy the nearby Stone Buddha Park, which lends beautiful floral displays throughout the year. One of our favourite times to visit is during July and August when huge lotus blossoms are at their peak.

End your day with a short train ride to Oita City, your home for tonight (and where you can access your main luggage again if you sent it ahead on the morning of Day 1). Then, head out for a lovely meal before relaxing at your hotel ahead of tomorrow's adventures.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

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Day 4

Experience Samurai nobility, hidden Western influences, and arts and crafts springing to life in rustic Taketa.

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Before setting out, send your main luggage ahead to your accommodation at Kumamoto so you can walk with just your overnight essentials in your daypack for tonight (details provided in your personal route notes). Then stroll to the station and jump on the train to Taketa.

Taketa, whose name derives from take (bamboo), sits in another beautiful rural region. Once home to high-ranking Samurai, it is also renowned as one of the few places where Christianity was tolerated during its suppression in Japan. Today you can uncover the past lives of Taketa's Samurai nobility, and the legacy of its Hidden Christians who disguised their worship with veils of Shintoism and Buddhism to hide it from authorities.

Stroll along in another world, soaking up the atmosphere of streets lined with old-fashioned stores - some having passed down generations for centuries. Perhaps you'll be tempted into one of the renowned confectionary shops where you can savour traditional sweet treats made with clear spring water from the surrounding mountains? There are many such shops, cafés and teashops where you can take a break - or two!

Wander along the old Samurai Residential Street, then head uphill towards the ruins of Oka Castle. To learn more about the castle's history and the area's culture, arts and crafts, you might decide to visit the Taketa History and Culture Museum on your way. Once you've reached the top of the hill, pause and take in the far-reaching views - if it is clear, you may even spot Mount Aso, Japan's second-largest active volcano.

Finally, hop in your arranged taxi for your transfer to the famed onsen town of Kurokawa, your home for tonight, where you can experience its magic first-hand as you relax and feel reinvigorated by its soothing onsen waters.

Accommodation

Ryokan

Meals

B D

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Day 5

Visit the Kusasenri Plateau and ascend Mount Eboshi in the shadow of mighty Mount Aso.

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After another lovely breakfast, your arranged taxi transfer will take you to Aso station where you will jump on the local bus to Kusasenri. This is a vast vibrant-green grassy plain with large shallow lagoons, where horses and the renowned Akage Washu cattle graze, and from which - on a clear day - there are excellent views of the surrounding active volcanic peaks.

The plateau sits at around 1,100m above sea level in what remains of the Nakadake volcanic crater on the northern slopes of Mount Eboshi - one of the five peaks of the Mount Aso central cone group, and whose summit is the main objective of your walk today.

Your route takes you up and down Mount Eboshi, where you can enjoy stunning panoramic views out over the Nakadake Crater and to Mount Aso, both along your way and from Eboshi's summit. If the weather is very clear, you may even see Mount Unzen, which you will visit tomorrow. If you'd prefer an easier walk, we have an alternative route for you that is shorter and much flatter whilst still allowing you to experience the landscape with its amazing views on a clear day.

After your walk, head back to the bus stop by the visitor centre where you arrived earlier, and hop back onto the local bus to Aso station from where you will take the train to Kumamoto, your home for tonight (and where you can access your main luggage again if you sent it ahead on the morning of Day 4).

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

Ascent

216 M

Descent

216 M

Time

2 hours walking

Distance

4 KM

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Day 6

Visit the Shimabara Peninsula and walk Mount Myoken surrounded by striking landscapes and the ocean.

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Once again, before setting out, send your main luggage ahead to your accommodation in Nagasaki so you can walk with just your overnight essentials in your daypack for tonight (details provided in your personal route notes).

After breakfast, you will take a bus then a ferry to the Shimabara Peninsula, where an arranged taxi will take you from the ferry port to the start of your walk. Feeling refreshed, it is time for your next adventure as you make your way up the serene trail to the summit of Mount Myoken, one of the peaks that make up the Mount Unzen cluster. Admire the sweeping views out over the peninsula and the surrounding ocean, then descend either by foot or by cable car. Whatever you decide, your arranged taxi will be waiting to take you to your accommodation at the quirky little hot spring hamlet of Unzen Onsen, where you have the opportunity to enjoy another soothing onsen bath this evening.

Accommodation

Ryokan

Meals

B D

Ascent

262 M

Descent

208 M

Time

1 hour walking

Distance

2 KM

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Day 7

Stroll amongst dramatic steaming vents at Unzen Jigoku's Buddhist 'hells' then travel to Nagasaki.

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After a tasty breakfast, your adventure in Unzen continues as you stroll along boardwalks and paths that weave their way through the atmospheric trees and grasses of Unzen Jigoku (Unzen Hells) whilst the earth spits, bubbles and hisses dramatically all around you. The steam vents and features here are named after Buddhist 'hells', and the whole experience is very otherworldly.

If you haven't tried one already and fancy a snack before leaving, you might like to try onsen tamago - soft-boiled eggs cooked in the hot springs - from one of the local shops. Then it is time to hop on the bus for the short journey to the city of Nagasaki, your home for tonight (and where you can access your main luggage again if you sent it ahead on the morning of Day 6).

Depending on how much time you linger at Unzen Jigoku (allow 3km of walking there) and your arrival time in Nagasaki, you may wish to begin exploring this historic port city later today. We highly recommend a visit to Nagasaki's famous Shinchi Chinatown where you can delve into its sights, smells and flavours - perhaps you'll enjoy a meal there tonight or simply some street food as you stroll. Delicious!

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

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Day 8

Explore Nagasaki before departing on your onward journey.

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Today you have the opportunity to explore Nagasaki's past and present, as well as soak up its scents and flavours. We provide two suggested half-day routes using a combination of walking and local transport, which can be put together for a full day of exploring.

Your routes allow you to see several culturally significant places and the districts that were once home to foreign settlers and merchants both before and after the Edo period.
Visit the former Dutch trading post of Dejima, and the Dutch Slope where many foreign traders once resided. Tickle your taste buds in Chinatown and the narrow alleys of the Shianbashi Yokocho nightlife district. Connect with the wider universe at the Sofukuji Zen-Buddhist temple, originally built in 1629 for the city's Chinese residents; constructed in a Chinese architectural style, it has a slightly different feel compared with other temples you may have visited in Japan. Wander along Nakadori, Nagasaki's oldest shopping street. Visit the Atomic Bomb Museum and the Nagasaki Peace Park if you would like to.

There is plenty to see here and your time is all yours, so delve into this city's unique history and culture at your leisure before making your onward journey. If you would like additional nights in Nagasaki to experience more of the city and the areas around it, please ask our Sales Team for information.

Meals

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The Route

Point

Direction

Train

Boat

Walk/Trek

Transfer

Cable Car

Bus

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

Holiday

General

Equipment

What's Included

All accommodation as described
Meals as described in the Meal Plan
Self-guided information pack containing your map and route notes
Japan guide book
Train tickets: Beppu to Saiki (Day 2); Saiki to Usuki (Day 3), Usuki to Oita (Day 3), Oita to Taketa (Day 4), Aso to Kumamoto (Day 5)
Ferry from Kumamoto Port to Shimabara Port (Day 6)
A pre-booked and pre-paid taxi (Days 4, 5, 6)
An entrance to the Usuki Stone Buddhas (Day 3)

What's not Included

Travel insurance

Travel to Beppu
Travel from Nagasaki
Visas (if applicable)
Some meals as described in the Meal Plan
Luggage transfers
Ferry journeys between Saiki and Onyujima Island
Local bus journeys (pay on the spot)
Cable-car from Mount Myoken to Nita-toge Pass (Day 6)
Personal equipment
Any additional activities/excursions indicated as optional

Your Self-Guided Pack & Route Notes

Each self-guided holiday comes with comprehensive route notes and a map or pocket guidebook of the area you are exploring. The route notes contain information about the places you will visit and the local transport you might need, along with the detailed route notes for your daily walks or cycle rides. We even include some tips for the best places to stop for lunch.

You can expect to receive your Self-Guided Pack containing your route notes, a map or guidebook, and all your relevant documents, no later than 3 weeks before your holiday start-date. We will send your documents using a signed-for courier so that you can track your package and know that it is safely on its way to you. For bookings of more than 4 people we will send an additional Self-Guided Pack. If you do not need this additional pack please inform our Sales Team. Your pack will be sent to the lead booker, so please remind them to pack it before setting off.

Should your self-guided trip be part of a longer adventure requiring you to leave home more than three weeks before your holiday start-date, please inform our Sales Team so that we can make alternative delivery arrangements.

Self-Guided Families

Our Self-Guided Holidays are perfect for your next family holiday and are suitable for children of all ages.

Our partner hotels and accommodations are able to provide cots for young children, and some offer family rooms. We can also arrange hire of children’s bikes and tag along bikes for most of our self-guided cycling trips and with trips such as Lake Constance and the Danube offering routes on designated cycle paths you can rest assured in keeping your family safe.

As a parent we trust that you know your own child’s capabilities, so please read the itinerary details to ensure the distances covered each day are suitable for your family. If this is a first time walking or cycling holiday for your family, a centre-based trip is a fantastic option as it allows you to easily opt out of a day's walking if a day of building sand castles, swimming in the pool, or visiting museums is calling instead.

Please discuss this further with our Sales Team who will be happy to assist in picking the best trip for your family.

Joining Arrangements & Transfers

The trip starts in Beppu and finishes in Nagasaki. All of our self-guided holidays are sold on a Land Only basis allowing you the flexibility to choose the travel method which best suits you. The nearest airports to Beppu are Oita, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Matsuyama and Nagasaki, all of which are well-connected with many other airports in Japan. Fukuoka and Nagasaki also have good connections with South Korea, Hong Kong and China.

The nearest airport to Nagasaki is Nagasaki Airport.

Each of the airports has good public transport connections with both Beppu and Nagasaki. For more information about the latter, please visit Rome2Rio.com.

Meal Plan

This trip is on a bed and breakfast basis throughout, along with 4 included evening meals on the nights you stay in a traditional minshuku, ryokan or a home stay in the smaller towns and villages. We have left your evening meal options open on the nights you stay in the larger cities to give you flexibility to choose from amongst the wealth of options available.

The included evening meals will generally be kaiseki-style. This is a traditional Japanese multi-course meal including multiple small dishes freshly prepared using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. Such meals are generally served at low tables, and you will be required to sit on cushions on the floor. Knives and forks will be rarely seen, so be prepared to use chopsticks. Outside of the cities, breakfasts will also be exclusively Japanese-style.

Special Diets

Whilst we can cater for vegetarians, albeit sometimes with a more limited choice, we cannot always provide for special diets. Due to the nature of some of the trips that we operate and the countries in which we operate them, it can be very hard (and sometimes impossible) to cater for a wide range of dietary choices and you may have to supplement your meals with food/snacks from home. If you have specific dietary requirements please do speak to our sales team and they will be able to advise you whether or not we will be able to offer your specific choice. Please note that we are unable to provide separate menus and cannot accept liability for any problems arising from special dietary requirements or intolerances.

Food & Water

Water from the taps is perfectly drinkable on this holiday - please use this to fill your personal bottles for your daily activities. We do not encourage the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.

Japanese cuisine overall is fresh, fragrant, and flavoursome, drawing on the umami savouriness created during the slow cooking processes used to prepare dishes, including broths and soups, where the flavours are richly intensified.

Kyushu is renowned for its excellent ingredients and delicious cuisine – not surprising given that the island is blessed with fertile volcanic soils and mild temperatures, and is surrounded by the sea with all its treasures. Throw in external influences due to the region’s historical role as the main gateway to Japan for foreign trade, along with sustainable farming practices, and we have the perfect recipe for a cuisine that is a wonderful melting pot of flavours, textures, scents, sights and delights.

Whilst seafood and shellfish are staples in Japanese cuisine around the country, seafood lovers will be in their element in Kyushu. Like elsewhere in Japan, sushi and sashimi are hugely popular, as is seafood that is grilled, or fried in a light tempura batter. Oita Prefecture in particular is a dream destination for seafood lovers. A popular, simple dish is hyugadon – a sesame-marinated tuna sashimi mixture spooned over hot rice, rich in umami flavour. It originated at Tsukumi, just along the coast from Usuki, conceived by fishermen working at nearby Hotojima Island as a quick nutritious meal that did not require fire, easy for when they were out fishing in harsh weather. There is even a theory that the dish’s name is play on the sound of the wind – ‘hu-hu-hu’ – although this has never been proven.

If you really want to push the boat out, you might try shiroshita karei - marbled flounder sourced from beneath the Hiji Castle Ruins that overlook Beppu Bay, where salt water and fresh water mix making the fish here taste sweet. The dish dates back to the Edo period as a delicacy that was offered to the shogun; considered a top-quality seafood item it certainly isn’t cheap, yet is certainly a dish for savouring every mouthful!

You may be familiar with the sweet flesh of the Ayu fish that is popular throughout the country and is prepared in many different ways. In Kumamoto, you’ll find it as a dish called Ayu no sugatazushi, where the entire fish is prepared and cut down the middle before being rolled around sushi rice, giving it the appearance of being stuffed. It is then cut into bite-size slices, and has been thought of as a lucky food since ancient times.

It isn’t all about seafood here though. One of Oita’s best known and most popular dishes is karaage chicken. This succulent dish consists of small pieces of chicken marinated in soy sauce, sake, garlic, ginger and mirin, then lightly coated with flour and potato or corn starch, and fried in a light oil and often served with Japanese mayo and lemon wedges. The morsels are juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside – yum! This is another example of foreign influence on the region’s cuisine, with the method of pre-marinating ingredients having come from China in the early Edo period.

Of the many specialty dishes Japan offers, many people will have heard of the expensive Kobe beef, a type of Wagyu cattle reared in a way that produces melt-in-the-mouth meat. In Kyushu, some of the most tender, juicy cuts of meat come from the Japanese Brown Cattle (Akage Washu) of Kumamoto, raised on the wild grasses of the high pastures surrounding Mount Aso, certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System that will be passed on through future generations. The meat from the Akage is much lower in fat, at around just 12% fat, than ‘average’ Wagyu beef, giving it a pleasantly firm yet still tender texture, making it sought after for its healthiness as well as its subtle sweet flavour.

Another Kumamoto delicacy is karashi renkon: lotus roots stuffed with Japanese mustard and miso paste then battered and lightly fried. Its beautiful crisp texture and clean, spicy mustardy flavour provides one of Kumamoto Prefecture’s unique culinary experiences.

To many, Japan is synonymous with rice dishes and and noodle dishes such as the popular ramen (Chinese-style wheat noodles served in broth), udon (a thick wheat noodle), and soba dishes such as yakisoba (a thinner buckwheat noodle) that are found throughout Japan, and there are some regional specialities in Kyushu that we’d definitely recommend.

For example, in and around Nagasaki you’ll find significant influences from trade with China over the centuries – in fact it is the only city in Japan that remained open from the 16th to the 19th centuries. In addition, some of the Chinese traders settled here, giving rise to Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, one of only three Chinatowns in all of Japan and the largest. We think this is one of the best places to experience Japanese-Chinese dishes such as champon, sara udon and kakuni manju.

Champon is undoubtedly Nagasaki’s most popular dish. Found all over Japan with regional variations, the Nagasaki version is one of the best known. It originated in the early 1900s at one of Nagasaki’s Chinese restaurants where the local Chinese students would come to eat. This is a type of ramen dish where all the ingredients are cooked in one pot, including a type of ramen noodle made especially for champon. This flavourful dish combines pork, seafood and vegetables in a chicken and pork broth, in which the noodles are also cooked so they absorb lots of flavour, and it comes highly recommended - if there is one thing to try in Nagasaki, this could be it!

Sara udon comes a close second in the popularity stakes here and is another dish considered a Nagasaki speciality. Consisting of noodles that have been deep-fried – the width and type varying between restaurants - it is topped with fried cabbage and other vegetables plus fresh bean sprouts, pork, prawns, squid, kamaboko (fish cake) and some champon noodles. This is all served in a tasty sauce with a chicken/pork broth base and seasoned with things such as sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and Chinese spices.

For food on the go, you can always be sure to find bao buns and onigiri in local convenience stores. Bao buns are parcels of steamed dough containing a tasty filling, often pork, and grabbing one is the Japanese version of grabbing a sandwich. Onigiri are rice parcels, usually triangular, with a tasty sour or salty filling such as pickled plum or salted salmon, and come wrapped in nori seaweed. Both make great snacks for while you are out exploring.

However one thing we recommend trying when you are in Kyushu is the famous kakuni manju of Nagasaki, a popular street food consisting of some of the lightest, fluffiest buns you could imagine stuffed with sweet succulent belly pork that has been cooked in Asian spices and dashi, plus hoisin sauce and cucumber. This ‘variation on a bao bun and then some’ is absolutely delicious!

Other fantastic Japanese cuisine experiences also found in Kyushu include teppanyaki, where diners sit at a hot iron grill and watch their dishes being cooked in front of them (usually with some theatrics). Another is shabu-shabu, where diners sit around a large cooking pot filled with broth and are served a selection of tofu, raw meat (usually thinly sliced pork and beef) and vegetables that are then dipped in the boiling broth and dipping sauces before being eaten.

As far as sweet treats go, you’ll find one of our favourites in Kumamoto Prefecture: ikinari dango (mochiko rice flour dumplings containing a layer of sweet potato and a layer of red bean paste). To round off your trip in Nagasaki, maybe you’ll be tempted to try castella cake, a type of Japanese sponge cake introduced by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century, or a chirin-chirin ice cream as you stroll around? This pretty ice cream snack is scooped and moulded to look like a flower and has been a popular street snack for over fifty years – it is named after the sound of the brass bells on the vendors’ carts.

Last but not least, whilst in Kyushu we’d recommend trying shochu at least once. Although this drink is consumed throughout Japan, Kyushu is the centre of its production and it is far more popular here than sake, although in general it is less fruity. Shochu has an alcoholic strength of around 25% and can be made from various ingredients including sweet potato, rice, barley, wheat, molasses and even chestnuts. We must admit that there are a few Shochu fans in the KE office, and there are so many varieties and ways to drink it that you could almost design an adventure around it in itself! This interesting drink first appeared around 500 years ago - in Kyushu, which is why the island is sometimes called ‘The Kingdom of Shochu’ – and it is closely related to the awamori drink of Okinawa that lies to the south of Kyushu.

As in most of Asia, breakfast is really a version of lunch or the evening meal. At breakfast in Japan you generally won’t find a croissant or bowl of cereal - instead you’re likely to find a warm bowl of ramen or perhaps omu-raisu, an omelette made with thin fried scrambled egg, filled with fried rice, and topped with ketchup

If you are vegetarian, please be advised that, outside the cities, vegetarianism is not a concept that is widely understood. Whilst vegetarian options are available they are limited, and it is difficult to guarantee that ‘vegetarian’ dishes are 100% vegetarian as most Japanese dishes contain dashi, which typically contains fish. Strict vegetarian diets, vegan diets, and or gluten free diets will be difficult to accommodate in Japan.

The included evening meals will generally be kaiseki-style - a traditional Japanese multi-course meal consisting of several small dishes freshly prepared using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. Meals are generally served at low tables, and you will be required to sit on cushions on the floor. Knives and forks are rarely seen, so be prepared to use chopsticks.

Accommodation

On this trip, you will experience several different types of accommodation in keeping with the locations in which you are staying, to provide you with a true taste of Japan.

Whilst in Oita City, Kumamoto, and Nagaskai you will stay in 3-star and 4-star hotels with all the facilities you would expect from a city hotel including en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, TV, and (in most) a small fridge too. Space is at a premium in Japanese cities, so hotels are multi-storey and rooms are generally compact and cosy.

Whilst away from the cities, you will have the opportunity to stay in smaller traditional accommodations, including ryokan and minshuku, for a classic Japanese experience.

Ryokan are traditional Japanese-style inns and may take the form of a modern concrete or a traditional wooden structure. They generally have tatami rooms that have a tatami (straw matting) floor on which a traditional futon mattress is laid out directly by staff in the evening, in time for going to bed. There may also be cushions and/or chairs and a table - all very low to the ground - in such rooms, so be prepared to be able to get all the way up and down. The rooms are private and many ryokan have both en-suite facilities (with the exception of some older buildings) as well as access to communal hot spring style baths (segregated by gender). They are the classic Japanese experience. In the evenings, meals are enjoyed together with other guests and are lovingly prepared by your hosts.

Minshuku are also a type of family-run inn built in a traditional style with tatami matting and futons, however you may be required to lay out your futon yourself in the evening and they do not usually offer en-suite facilities. These are a slightly less formal style of accommodation, a home from home, with warm hospitality and excellent food. Staying at a minshuku feels as if you are staying with friends, and provides a real off-the-beaten-track experience.

Occasionally you may stay in Japanese style-lodges, which also feature Japanese-style rooms and are similar to minshuku. Smaller inns offer domestic-scale bathing tubs used privately in turn by guests, whilst larger inns offer communal spa-style baths, segregated by gender, again providing the classic Japanese experience.

It is possible to arrange additional nights' accommodation in Beppu / Nagasaki at the start / end of your trip if you wish to enjoy more time exploring the region - please ask our Sales Team for details.

Japan is a cash society, particularly outside of cities and large towns, so having a supply of cash in Japanese Yen would be a good idea.

Baggage Allowance

For this holiday, we recommend a bag/case with wheels for ease of transport. You will also require a daypack for whilst you are out walking and exploring. Whilst you are out on your adventures, including hopping on and off short train, bus and ferry transfers, we would recommend travelling light – as the locals do in Japan - by sending your main luggage between your accommodations in the larger cities. As well as being much easier for you, the traveller, it is much more practical for the nights in between when you stay in traditional accommodations such as minshuku and ryokan where space tends to be limited. Packing light in your daypack whilst your main luggage is forwarded to the larger towns and cities is much more practical.

The minshuku and ryokan provide meals, and most also provide toiletries and a yukata (cotton robe) and slippers for you to wear after arrival and for dining (shoes are not worn inside Japanese homes or these styles of home-from home-accommodations), so you really can pack light for when you are out walking and exploring away from the cities. Full details of what is provided by each of your accommodations will be included in your travel documents.

LUGGAGE FORWARDING SERVICE

You will notice when travelling in Japan that nobody seems to be carrying large luggage. Nobody other than foreign tourists that is! This is because Japan has an extremely extensive, efficient, and reliable delivery service available known as takuhaibin or Takkyubin (Takkyubin is the brand name of the best-known service provider). The Japanese never travel with their luggage unless they are driving to their destination, and there is no need for you to do so either!

The service is secure, efficient, and economical - and it can be arranged at your accommodation. It must be paid for locally and typically costs around 3,000 Japanese Yen per bag per transfer. This service is recommended on the morning of Day 1 to forward your main luggage to Oita City (Night 3), on the morning of Day 4 to Kumamoto (Night 5), and on the morning of Day 6 to Nagasaki (Night 7). Full information regarding the takuhaibin will be provided with your travel documents.

Passport & Visas

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders.

A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

For other nationalities, please refer to your own Government website for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents including vaccinations and health certificates (see Health & Vaccinations below), and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check the FCDO for the latest advice for each country visited before travel.

Visa Japan

UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa for short stays.

Health & Vaccinations

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella, along with hepatitis A and typhoid. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.

Severe Allergies

Please inform our KE Sales and Support team of any severe allergies you may have before travel. We will always do our best to help but we are unable to guarantee an allergy free environment on our KE trips. We advise that you always carry your own treatment for the allergy with you such as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' if required. We also recommend that you discuss this with your accommodation on arrival so that they can better assist you.

Currency

The unit of currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen.

Preparing for your Holiday

The advantage of a self-guided walking holiday is that you decide the pace, however getting some additional exercise before coming on an active holiday makes a lot of sense. You should be comfortable with walking for distances of up to 6km on a mixture of rural paths and dirt trails, and being on your feet on and off for up to around 5km per day whilst out exploring on foot. The walks are leisurely in general, however there are short sections where the terrain can be steep or the paths can be rocky or rooty, so you should be confident on sections of uneven terrain. The fitter you are, the more enjoyable your walks and time out exploring will be, so we suggest that you try to fit in a number of daily walks in undulating countryside before your trip. It is also always a good idea to spend some time walking in the footwear that you are going to use on this holiday.

Climate

Kyushu has a relatively subtropical climate, with mild winters and hot, rainy summers. It is one of Japan’s warmer regions and, just like the rest of the country, has a summer monsoon. For the island in general, June and July are the rainiest months, and July and August are the hottest months with temperatures reaching around 30 degrees centigrade - although during heatwaves temperatures can reach around 40 degrees centigrade.

The northern part of the island, which you will visit during this trip, tends to get much less rain than the south, and be slightly cooler. March to May (when temperatures reach 15-23 degrees centigrade), and September and October (when temperatures reach 27 and 22 degrees centigrade), tend to be pleasantly warm and a much drier - making these excellent months in which to visit, although always have a waterproof to hand just in case!

Like the rest of the country, Kyushu can be hit by typhoons. These typically occur from June to October, and especially from August to early October. However, they are most likely to affect the southern coast rather than the northern portion of the island where this trip takes place.

Travel Aware

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

Single Use Plastic

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

Books

Japan - Lonely Planet

Bridge to the Gods: Tales from Kyushu - Andrew Thomson

Kyushu, Gateway to Japan: A Concise History - Andrew Cobbing

Etiquette Guide to Japan - Boye Lafayette De Mente / Geoff Botting

Abroad in Japan – Chris Broad

Travel Insurance

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation. When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct. Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Equipment List

Hiking boots with good-grip soles
Hiking socks
Long / short hiking trousers
Functional base layer top and leggings
T-shirts
Fleece / extra warm layer
Windproof jacket
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof trousers
Hat, gloves, and neck gaiter
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Sunhat
Small first aid kit inside your rucksack
Water bottle or hydration pack
Mobile Phone (ensure your data package covers your destination)
Power bank
Waterproof phone cover
Camera (and batteries / memory card)
Reusable sealable picnic boxes for picnics
Reusable cloth bag for shopping to avoid the use of plastic bags
Walking poles
Headtorch with spare batteries
Personal wash kit
Your self-guided route notes
Rucksack (approx. 20L)

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Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot
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Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot
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Land Only Information

Please note that our 'from' price listed is based on 4 persons on twin or double occupancy, however we can quote for any number of travellers including solo travellers - contact our Sales Team for a quote.

All of our self-guided holidays are sold on a Land Only basis allowing you the flexibility to choose the travel method which best suits you. You may even wish to make this holiday part of a bigger adventure or pair it with one of our other holidays. We can arrange additional nights' accommodation before or after your self-guided trip - please ask our Sales Team to find out more about this.

Our Sales Team will be happy to provide you a quote for scheduled flights, or alternatively you may wish to book your own flights from your nearest regional airport. If you have a preferred carrier with whom you would like to travel, please do let us know. Please note that all flight prices can only be confirmed once all ground services have been confirmed.

Please DO NOT book your flights before you have received your booking confirmation and your deposit has been taken.

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)

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Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot

Holiday Grades

Our Holiday Grades Explained

1 - 3 LEISURELY

4 - 6 MODERATE

7 - 9 CHALLENGING

10 - 12 TOUGH

Exploring The Secrets of Kyushu on Foot

Highlights

At a Glance

Accommodation & Meals

Overview

Is this holiday for you?

Why KE?

Itinerary

The Route

Essential Information

Vaccinations

Severe Allergies

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DATES & PRICES

2026

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2027

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