Day 2. Kumamoto — Castle City with a Playful Soul
Samurai history, a powerful castle, everyday city life, and the playful spirit of Kumamon, Japan’s most charming mascot.

Day two takes us to Kumamoto, a relaxed castle city that feels deeply local and refreshingly unpolished. It’s a place where history blends naturally into everyday life, without spectacle or crowds.
The city’s character is perfectly captured by Kumamon — playful, expressive, and quietly iconic. Originally created as a local mascot, Kumamon has become one of Japan’s most beloved cultural symbols.
At the heart of the city stands Kumamoto Castle, its massive stone walls and dark silhouette reflecting the city’s samurai past and regional importance.
We explore Kumamoto by historic streetcar, moving at the city’s own gentle pace, before visiting Suizenji Jojuen Garden — a serene Edo-period landscape designed as a miniature journey through classical Japan.
The day ends on a sweet note with refined desserts inspired by local traditions, offering a quiet, modern take on Kumamoto’s culinary heritage.

Day 3 — Aso volcano: Walking Inside a Living Caldera
Trekking at different levels, vast open landscapes, and the rare experience of moving through an active volcanic caldera — ending with a mountain hotel stay, a memorable dinner, and an open-air onsen to unwind after the day’s walks.

Day three takes us deep into the volcanic heart of Kyushu, to Mount Aso, one of the largest active calderas in the world. The shift is immediate: wide grasslands, volcanic ridges, and open skies replace city life, creating an overwhelming sense of space and raw nature.

• Aso is explored through a network of short, accessible walking routes rather than a single hike. We choose different trails based on conditions, each offering a distinct perspective on the caldera and its scale.
• One route brings us close to the Nakadake Crater, where steaming vents and sulfur-scented air make the volcanic activity impossible to ignore. Another leads across open grasslands, gently rolling and expansive, with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks — quiet, meditative, and immersive.
• Depending on conditions, we may also follow lava-formed paths and ridgelines, where layers of past eruptions are visible underfoot. All walks are light to moderate, focused on experience and atmosphere rather than physical challenge.
• In the evening, we settle into a volcanic spa hotel in the Aso highlands. An open-air onsen offers a deeply relaxing contrast to the day’s intensity — soaking in mineral-rich waters, surrounded by mountain air and volcanic silence. A buffet dinner and breakfast are included.

Day 4. The day unfolds in Beppu, a city shaped entirely by geothermal power and recognized as one of the world’s most intense geothermal areas.
Geothermal landscapes, vivid hot springs, panoramic views, and traditional onsen culture at the heart of everyday life.

Steam rises from streets, gardens, and hillsides, making Beppu feel less like a conventional city and more like a living volcanic landscape.

• We begin with a visit to the famous Beppu Hells (Jigoku) — a series of dramatic geothermal sites where boiling pools, vividly colored waters, and erupting steam vents reveal the raw force beneath the ground. These “hells” are not for bathing, but for observation, offering a striking visual introduction to Beppu’s underground energy.
• From there, we ascend above the city by ropeway to the slopes of Mount Tsurumi, gaining panoramic views over Beppu Bay, surrounding mountains, and the vast geothermal fields below. The gentle cable car ride contrasts beautifully with the power of the landscape, allowing us to appreciate the scale of the region from above without strenuous hiking.
• Beppu is also home to some of Japan’s oldest and most deeply rooted onsen traditions. In the evening, we experience the city as locals do, visiting historic public bathhouses that have served residents for generations. These simple yet atmospheric baths offer a genuine glimpse into everyday Japanese life, where onsen culture is social, unpretentious, and deeply ingrained.
• We end the day soaking in naturally heated waters, letting the mineral-rich springs ease both body and mind — a grounding, deeply local conclusion to a day spent immersed in Kyushu’s geothermal heart.

Day 5 — Yufuin: Art, Nature & the Road to Nagasaki
Storybook streets, art museums, and a quiet village atmosphere set against mountain views.

After a short and scenic drive, we arrive in Yufuin, a refined mountain village known for its calm atmosphere, creative spirit, and carefully curated aesthetics. Unlike large onsen resorts, Yufuin feels intimate and human-scaled — a place where art, landscape, and slow living come together naturally.

• We spend time wandering through the village streets and visiting a selection of small art museums and galleries, each offering a different perspective on contemporary Japanese creativity. Yufuin is unique in the way art is woven into everyday space: museums here are not monumental, but personal, often blending seamlessly with nature, architecture, and gardens.
• Our walk is unhurried, allowing time to enjoy the village’s subtle details — thoughtful design, quiet cafés, and views of the surrounding mountains reflected in still water. Yufuin offers a gentle pause in the journey, a moment of visual and emotional lightness before the road continues.
• In the afternoon, we set off toward Nagasaki, transitioning from Kyushu’s volcanic heartland to one of Japan’s most historically layered and culturally distinctive cities, where a very different story awaits.

Day 6 — Nagasaki: Where Japan Met the World
Christian heritage, layered history, and quiet reflection in one of Japan’s most complex port cities.

Our day in Nagasaki unfolds in a city unlike any other in Japan — shaped by centuries of contact with the outside world, spiritual resilience, and profound historical memory.

• Christianity & Unique ChurchesNagasaki is the heart of Japanese Christianity. During centuries when Christianity was banned across the country, local communities practiced their faith in secret, giving rise to a unique cultural and architectural legacy found nowhere else in Japan. We visit some of the city’s remarkable Christian churches, including Ōura Cathedral, the oldest surviving Christian church in Japan. These churches are not replicas of European models — they blend Western religious architecture with Japanese materials, craftsmanship, and landscape, making them entirely unique.
• Japan’s Oldest Stone Arch BridgeWe walk across Megane Bridge, the oldest stone arch bridge in Japan, built in the 17th century. Its elegant form reflects early Chinese influence and stands as a quiet symbol of Nagasaki’s long history as a port city open to ideas, people, and technologies from abroad.
• Nagasaki & the Outside World — Clarifying the HistoryNagasaki was not the first Japanese city ever to encounter foreigners, but it holds a far more significant distinction:

for over 200 years, during Japan’s period of isolation (sakoku), Nagasaki was the country’s only official window to the Western world. Through the trading post of Dejima, limited contact with Dutch and Chinese merchants shaped Japan’s scientific knowledge, medicine, and global awareness. No other city played this role so consistently or so deeply.

• Atomic History & ReflectionWe also visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the surrounding Peace Park. Rather than overwhelming, the experience is thoughtful and human-centered, offering space for reflection on loss, resilience, and the universal cost of war. It is one of Japan’s most powerful and emotionally resonant museums.

What Else Defines Nagasaki: beyond its landmarks, Nagasaki feels distinctly different from other Japanese cities — hilly, coastal, layered, and European in subtle ways. Narrow streets, harbor views, and mixed architectural styles create a sense of place that feels open, complex, and deeply human.
This day becomes one of the emotional anchors of the journey — a meeting point of faith, global history, and memory that leaves a lasting impression long after we move on.

Day 7 — Porcelain Origins & the Sea
Porcelain villages where craft shapes everyday life — from workshops to temples and bridges.

This day is dedicated to the places where Japanese porcelain was born. We travel through the historic ceramic towns of Arita and Imari, whose names became synonymous with fine porcelain worldwide over 400 years ago.

• Arita is the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, developed after the discovery of local kaolin clay in the early 17th century. From here, exquisite ceramics were produced for domestic use and exported to Europe via the nearby port of Imari, shaping tastes and dining cultures far beyond Japan. Walking through these towns feels less like visiting museums and more like entering a living craft landscape.
• Along the way, we encounter shrines, bridges, torii gates, and architectural details made entirely of porcelain — a rare and playful expression of craftsmanship found only in this region. Everyday life and sacred spaces are both infused with ceramic artistry, blurring the boundary between function and beauty.
• A highlight of the day is a visit to a local café where guests can choose a handmade ceramic cup, enjoy coffee or tea served in it, and take the cup home as a personal keepsake. It’s a tactile, intimate way to connect with the craft — not just to admire it, but to make it part of daily life.
• After the ceramic villages, we arrive in Fukuoka for the final chapter of the journey. A stay at a distinctive book hotel sets a calm, reflective tone, followed by an exceptional dinner — a true highlight of Japanese cuisine and a meaningful way to close the experience.