1. The volcanoes
Forget Mount Fuji – Kyushu has
some of the most beautiful and interesting volcanoes in Japan.
Mount Aso, for example, is the country’s most active volcano. The
surrounding countryside is absolutely beautiful, and when the
mountain isn’t belching too much smoke and ash, it is possible to
catch a cable car to the top and peer into its bright blue crater
lake.
Mount Aso
Sakurajima, off the coast of
Kagoshima, is another of Kyushu’s impressive volcanos. Once an
island floating in the bay, it became attached to the mainland
after its last eruption in 1914.
Sakurajima viewed from the city of Kagoshima
2. The islands
Kyushu is the gateway to some of
our favourite Japanese islands, which can be reached by ferry or
plane from the island’s coastal cities. Gunkanjima, or “Battleship
Island”, is an abandoned mining island that rose to fame as the
inspiration for Javier Bardem’s lair in the James Bond
film Skyfall. This year it was
awarded World Heritage status, and can now be
visited on a day cruise from Nagasaki.
The eerily deserted
Gunkanjima
Yakushima, meanwhile, is a very
different kind of island – densely covered in ancient forest and
populated mainly by deer and monkeys. This is one of our absolute
favourite Japan destinations – read more about it here.
One of Yakushima’s famous thousand-year-old
cedars
3. The hot springs
Wherever there are volcanoes,
there are hot springs – and hot spring bathing is Japan’s most
treasured cultural pastime. For dramatic, moon-like landscapes
filled with billowing steam, bubbling pools, and the smell of
sulphur, head to Unzen Onsen. For the quintessential traditional
hot spring town, filled with wooden buildings and pretty baths,
there’s nowhere better than Kurokawa Onsen. And these are just a
couple of our favourites!
One of the
steaming pools at Unzen Onsen
4. The countryside
Japan may be most famous for its
sprawling cities and towering skyscrapers, but there is beautiful
countryside to be found on all of the country’s main islands.
Kyushu’s landscapes tend to be lush, green and open, with a very
different atmosphere to the towering mountains of Honshu, the
hidden valleys of Shikoku, or the windswept plains of northern
Hokkaido.
5. The people
Perhaps it’s the warm climate, but
everybody who visits Kyushu seems to remark on the languid pace of
life and cheerful, laid-back attitude of its residents. The
frenetic rush of Tokyo and the in-your-face brashness of Osaka have
their own merits, but it is Kyushu where you will really get a
chance to slow down and enjoy the open and welcoming attitude of
your hosts.
6. The history
Everybody knows about the
devastating history of Nagasaki, which was the second and last city
ever to be hit by an atomic bomb in 1945. Though the city’s peace
memorial and war history is certainly fascinating, Nagasaki has a
much longer and richer history than most people realise – having
been one of the only places open to foreign trade during Japan’s
long period of isolation. We recommend visiting Dejima Island,
where Portuguese and Dutch traders were allowed to ply their
business during the 17th century, and Glover Gardens – home to some
the oldest Western-style buildings in Japan.
Nagasaki: a city full of history
7. The food
Literally everywhere in Japan has
incredible food – and Kyushu is no different. hakata ramen is probably the most famous dish on the
island, and anybody who has tried it tends to come over all glassy
eyed whenever its name is mentioned.
For an unusual, al fresco dining
experience, Fukuoka’s open-air food stalls (called yatai) are a fantastic place to try a few of the local
specialities and mingle with the locals.
Fukuoka’s open-air food
stalls
If you have been
seduced by the many charms of Kyushu and fancy heading off the
beaten track, have a look at our Kyushu Elements Small Group Tour. If you prefer
to travel independently, our Kyushu Adventure itinerary is an excellent
place to start.
- See more at:
https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2015/11/20/7-reasons-visit-kyushu/#sthash.LjQsKkZO.dpuf