12 days Go Beyond Group Tour
Ideal for curious travellers and second-time visitors to Japan, the lesser-visited island of Kyushu offers a blend of rich culture and natural beauty. Witness a soul-stirring drum performance, admire steaming volcanoes, and soak in bubbling onsen baths on this journey into Kyushu's green and wild heart.
Our Hidden Japan: Spirit of Kyushu tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Stay in a ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn with tatami mat floors. Relax in the hotel’s beautiful hot spring onsen – choose from indoor pools or a selection of open-air baths.
Experience a soul-stirring display of traditional drumming, performed on an open-air stage, known as ‘the theatre in the sky’, against the dramatic backdrop of Aso-Kuju National Park.
Visit Takachiho Gorge, one of Kyushu’s most famous natural wonders. Here, the Gokake River runs through a 80-metre-deep chasm between basalt cliffs, formed by volcanic eruptions from 100,000 years ago.
Take the ferry to Mount Sakurajima, a dramatic and one of Japan's most active volcanoes in Kagoshima Bay.
Take part in a kimono dressing session in the serene Sengan-en Gardens. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to try on Japan’s elegant and traditional attire before taking photos in the midst of the beautiful grounds that surround you.
Explore the Chiran Peace Museum, established on a former army base. Here, personal letters, photos, and recovered WWII aircraft tell the tale of hundreds of kamikaze pilots, who took off from here to their deaths in 1945.
Don’t leave Kagoshima Prefecture without tasting its shochu – a distilled local liquor, often enjoyed in the southern regions like Kyushu and Okinawa but popular across Japan. Stop by a shochu distillery for a fantastic tasting experience.
Fly overnight to Fukuoka, the gateway to Kyushu. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture before dinner.
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. On select November departures, if availability permits, you will 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. The rest of your evening is at leisure – if you wish, why not stay longer and sample the yatai food independently?
Drive to Nagasaki, enjoying several stops en route. First, soak up the harbour views at Karatsu Castle. 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. 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, from 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.
Drive to Shimabara and hop on the 60-minute ferry to Kumamoto, where you can enjoy some free time for lunch. Continue to Mount Aso and take photos of its vast crater. Finally, drive on to the charming town of Tsuetate Onsen, or the wider Kuju area. Here, 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. Take time for photos at the gorge. Afterwards, get hands-on with a cooking experience, discovering the taste of Takachihostyle chicken or vegetables, seasoned and simmered inside bamboo. Continue to your hotel in the Kirishima Hills, nestled at the edge of Kirishima National Park.
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. Enjoy a refreshing open-air footbath before returning to Kirishima.
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.
Fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.
The best time to visit Japan is during spring (March to May) when the cherry blossoms are bursting into life and autumn (September to November) when the scenery is ablaze with colour.
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected
We have a selection of dedicated departures for solo travellers. These departures feature a maximum group size of 18 and exclusive benefits including a single room throughout your tour and a cocktail on arrival at your destination. Travellers from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also receive a complimentary Australian airport lounge pass for use prior to departure.
I always treat my tour groups like a family, making sure that everyone is happy throughout the tour. I am very passionate about Japanese history. If anyone is interested in learning about Samurai or the Meiji Restoration, you'll have to come to Japan and ask me!
A special thank you to Yoko our National Escort, whose friendly, professional and organised approach to the holiday made sure everything ran smoothly and made the trip to Japan so memorable.Mr Degville
It is great being able to explore my own country with different people who can offer a different perspective. I ensure my groups experience our culture as much as possible, because travel isn't just about the things that you see, it's also about the things you do.
Our National Escort Takako Kaneko made the holiday. She was excellent, informative, hardworking and had obviously researched information for us.Mr Mcintosh
I love sharing the culture of my country with visitors, that's why I become a tour guide! From noodles and sake to classical gardens and temples, learning about our culture is surely the best way to understand more about Japan as a whole.
Our National Escort Michiyo 'made' this holiday with her charm, knowledge, lots of interesting details and her send of humour.Mrs Brownridge
It's such a pleasure to introduce Japan to people from all over the world and explore its culture, history and traditions, as well as its unique cuisine. Along with this, I enjoy taking care of each and every member of the tour group, which is why I love being a tour guide.
Michiyo was fantastic and went out of her way to make it a memorable experience. We would absolutely use Wendy Wu Tours again.
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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.