Southern Japan 18 Days

Welcome to Nagasaki!
Your 17-Days exciting trip starts from Nagasaki in Kyushu Island.

Walking tour to Ground Zero Peace Memorial Park, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Nagai Takashi Memorial Museum.

In morning, our guide will take you to Suwa Jinja & Spectacle Bridge and Lunch at Chinatown.

In afternoon, you will visit the Glover Sky Road moving walkway up to the Glover Garden on Dutch slopes, Walk down Dutch slopes to Dejima visiting houses & museums. After walking tour, suggest visiting the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum as well.

Travel from Nagasaki to Arita by JR trains (about 2 hours).

Explore pottery studio & shop. You can visit Ryuzan Aoki kiln - elegant tea bowls, Sueyama Shrine, ancient ginkgo tree in Izumiyama & Izumiyama quarry.

Day trip to Okawachiyama in Imari where little pottery town with kilns and studio shops in hills.

On the way back to hotel, you can visit to Kyushu ceramic museum too. This art museum is specialized in ceramic ware. Apart from ceramics from the old province Hizen, the museum collects and exhibits ceramic ware from the entire Kyushu region, as well as works by contemporary ceramic artists.

Today you take train that leads you to Yufuin, an exquisite hot springs resort surrounded by rich variety of nature (about 3.5 hours).

Wander round Yufuin town & enjoy onsen experience. Lake Kirin is worth to see, especially autumn season.

Travel from Yufuin to Beppu by JR train (about 90 min).

Explore Japan's hot spring capital.

In Morning, you join "The Essential Beppu Tour". This half-day tour highlights the best hells (jigoku) of the town, featuring iconic onsen steam panoramic views and authentic local experience.

Visit Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell), Kamado Jigoku (Kamado Hell), Observatory (panorama viewpoint), Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell).

If Afternoon, you can visit Beppu Ropeway to top of Mt Tsurumi or take train to Oita Prefectural Art Museum.

Travel from Beppu to Tsuwano by JR train & bullet train (about 4 hours).

Walk through museums and samurai houses to Yomeiji temple.

Travel from Tsuwano to Hagi by JR train (about 3 hours).

Hagi has historical area where the old cityscape of the Edo period still remains and beautiful nature.

The Hagi City Circular Hop-on Bus Service is a convenient way to get around the city. The service operates on two routes around Hagi at 30 minute intervals. Hagi is very flat, so renting a bicycle is another great way to get around.

We recommend visit Uragami Museum, Shoin Shrine, Tokoji Temple, Shizuki Park, Castle ruins and Hagi Pottery Museum. Wander through the old town Samurai area.

Travel from Hagi to Matsue by JR train (about 4 hours).

You can visit Yushien garden, Shimane open museum etc.

In morning, you will join walking tour with our knowledgeable local guide.

The guide will take you to Matsue Castle, Lafcadio Hearn Memorial museum, Samurai house and tea ceremony.

In afternoon, you can visit Izumo Taisha Shrine, one of the most famous and most important shrines in the country.

Travel from Matsue to Yasugi by JR train (30 min).

Visit Adachi Museum of Art and its unique gardens where have been ranked as number one in the "2019 Japanese Garden Ranking", and this marks the 17th consecutive year in the number one spot.

The gardens vary in appearance every day. In fact, we might never see each beautiful moment again, and this is why the whole garden is always full of beauty. The founder Adachi Zenko, with the belief of "the garden is also a picture", devoted himself to gardening until he died at the age of 91. The six gardens, including the Dry Landscape Garden, are about 165,000 square meters in total. They show various seasonal faces, and have good balance with the surrounding natural mountains. Thus, Adachi's gardens are said to be a "living Japanese painting."

Late afternoon, travel to Okayama by JR train (2.5 hours).

Travel from Okayama to Naoshima by Bullet train, JR train and Ferry (about 2 hours).

Naoshima is an island in the Seto Inland Sea that is known for its modern art museums, architecture and sculptures.

Highlight: Chichu Art Museum has paintings from Monet's "Water Lilies" series. Benesse House Museum shows contemporary sculpture and installations. One of Yayoi Kusama's iconic pumpkin sculptures stands by Miyanoura Port.

Travel from Naoshima to Kyoto by Ferry, JR train and bullet train (about 3.5 hours).

At Kyoto station, enjoy the View of station architecture before taking subway to your hotel.

In order to closely feel the local atmosphere of Kyoto, our walking tours use public transportation to experience the everyday life of Kyoto. During the 7-hour tour, your private guide will show you around the city covering four major must-see spots taking the appropriate amount of time for each.

Visit Bamboo grove in the Arashiyama area, Rock Garden at Ryoanji Temple, Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle or the Nishiki food market.

Your pleasant and memorable Japan tour ends today.

Fly home with cherished memories or enjoy your extended stay in Japan.