TOAHIS Fukuoka 2026: Michelin 1-Star Innovative French in Ohori Park (Course ¥17,050)
An 18-seat chef-led innovative French-Japanese fusion in Otemon, Fukuoka. Chef Seigou Muto, ¥17,050 dinner, dark interior with Fukuoka Castle stone-wall murals.
Category Kyushu & Okinawa
Travel guides and hidden gems in the Kyushu & Okinawa region of Japan
Southern Japan · Volcanic & Tropical
Kyushu & Okinawa — volcanoes, hot springs, and the tropics.
Yakushima’s ancient cedars, Aso’s volcanic caldera, Beppu’s onsen, and Okinawa’s coral seas.
Kyushu covers Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. Okinawa is the 47th prefecture — a separate former kingdom 700 km southwest. We have deep coverage of Yakushima (Kagoshima), Aso (Kumamoto), and the Fukuoka food scene; Okinawa coverage is growing.
When to visit
October–April for Kyushu (cooler, less typhoon). June–September for Okinawa beaches (typhoon-aware). January–February for Beppu / Yufuin onsen in cold weather. May for fresh cedar greens on Yakushima.
How to get there
Sanyo Shinkansen reaches Hakata (Fukuoka) from Osaka in 2h 30min. Kyushu Shinkansen runs Hakata→Kagoshima. Yakushima: hydrofoil/ferry from Kagoshima or fly. Okinawa: fly only.
Plan a trip to Kyushu & okinawa
AirportKIX onward to FukuokaConnecting flights from Kansai if your itinerary starts Kyoto/Osaka.StayFukuoka & Kagoshima hotelsFukuoka business hotels and Kagoshima with Sakurajima views.DriveRental car for the islandsYakushima, Aso, and onsen towns need a car.RyokanBeppu / Yufuin onsenThe two most famous Oita onsen towns — deep ryokan inventory.
All Kyushu & okinawa articles
Tanegashima 2026: 1543 Muskets and a June 10 Rocket Launch on the Same Island
JAXA launches H3 F6 on June 10, 2026. The same island houses the museum where Portuguese matchlock guns reached Japan in 1543. Practical 2026 visitor guide: viewing parks, free bus tour, festival timing, ferry vs flight access.
Yakushima 3-Day Itinerary 2026: The Pace That Earns the Island Its Reputation
A three-day, two-night Yakushima itinerary covering the Jomon Sugi trek, the west-coast drive, and an evening at the architect-led north-shore hotel. With 2026 cost breakdown, internal links to each day-trip guide, and the order I would actually do them in.
Kagoshima Outer Islands 2026: A Master Guide to Yakushima, Amami, Yoron and the Archipelago
Eight Kagoshima islands worth a trip — Yakushima, Tanegashima, Amami, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabu, Yoron, Iojima, and the Tokara group. With 2026 access, season notes, the Marix Line ferry chain strategy, and how many days each one earns.
How to Get to Yakushima 2026: Toppy, Ferry, or Flight from Kagoshima
The three ways to reach Yakushima in 2026 — Toppy/Rocket hydrofoil, Yakushima Ferry 2, or JAC flight from Kagoshima. With 2026 fares, schedules, port pros and cons, and a sample door-to-door itinerary from Tokyo.
Yakushima West Drive 2026: Ohko Falls, Yokogawa Valley, Seibu Rindo and Inakahama
A 120 km west-coast loop that most Yakushima tourists skip — Ohko Falls, the Yokogawa swimming pools, the UNESCO Seibu Rindo wildlife corridor, and Nagata Inakahama beach. With 2026 driving practicalities and an honest hour-by-hour day plan.
THE HOTEL YAKUSHIMA Ocean and Forest Review: A Quiet Architectural Stay on the North Shore
An architect-led 9-villa hotel on Yakushima north-west shore. Each room has an open-air bath that frames the Pacific through a concrete arch and a private balcony 25 meters above the rocks. What works, what does not, and who should book.
Jomon Sugi Trekking 2026: 22km Round Trip to Japans Oldest Cedar
The Arakawa Trail to Jomon Sugi is 22km round trip and 9-12 hours, ending in 30 minutes in front of a cedar that may be 7,200 years old. 2026 shuttle and forest-fee numbers, hour-by-hour breakdown, and what to actually pack.
Nomiyama Kannon-ji 2026: Sasaguri Green-Maple Temple Before the Autumn Crowds
Fukuoka · Sasaguri · Mountain Temple Nomiyama Kannon-ji 2026: Sasaguri’s Green-Maple Temple Before the Autumn Crowds A mountain temple known for its thousand maple trees in November — and almost completely empty in summer when the same maples are at…
Nanzoin Reclining Buddha 2026: Worlds Largest Bronze Buddha 25 Minutes from Hakata
Fukuoka · Sasaguri · Temple Nanzoin Reclining Buddha 2026: World’s Largest Bronze Buddha, Just 25 Minutes from Hakata A 41-meter sleeping bronze giant in a quiet mountain town — what to expect, what to wear, and how to get there.…