Travel through Japan’s volcanic south and Seto Inland sea on a journey that connects geothermal landscapes, regional food culture, historic port cities, and contemporary design. Beginning in Osaka, you’ll board the overnight Sunflower ferry to Kyushu, a slower and more atmospheric way to arrive in Japan’s southern island region. From the steam-filled hot spring towns of Beppu and Kurokawa Onsen to the volcanic slopes of Unzen, the route moves through areas shaped by geothermal activity, deep-rooted traditions, and quieter rural landscapes rarely prioritised on first-time itineraries.
In Kyushu, you’ll walk among the bubbling vents and mineral pools of Beppu’s Jigokumeguri hot springs, stay in traditional ryokan accommodation, and travel across the Shimabara Peninsula by ferry, rail, and private transfer. Nagasaki brings another layer to the journey, balancing international history, Christian heritage, and post-war reflection. Alongside visits to the Atomic Bomb Museum, Oura Cathedral, and Glover Garden, you’ll experience local traditions through regional cuisine, tea culture, and an evening performance with Nagasaki’s Kenban geisha. Throughout the trip, transport becomes part of the experience itself, from bullet trains and local ferries to countryside railways and island cycling routes.
The final section of the journey shifts towards art and architecture in Okayama and Naoshima. You’ll have time to explore Kurashiki’s canal-lined merchant quarter, optional Bizen pottery workshops, and some of Japan’s most respected contemporary art spaces. On Naoshima, museums by Tadao Ando sit against the coastline of the Seto Inland Sea, housing works by Claude Monet, James Turrell, Walter De Maria, and Hiroshi Sugimoto. Travelling by e-bike between installations, fishing villages, and waterfront galleries, you’ll experience a different side of Japan shaped by design, landscape, and slower-paced island life.
Meet your port assistant at Osaka Station before transferring to Osaka Nanko Port to board the overnight Sunflower Ferry to Kyushu. After a smooth check-in, settle into your private cabin and explore the ship before setting sail.
As one of Japan’s most refined overnight ferry services, the Sunflower Ferry offers spacious accommodations, onboard communal baths, and panoramic views of the serene Seto Inland Sea. Traveling by water provides a beautifully nostalgic and atmospheric prelude to the adventures ahead.
Arrive at Beppu Port and meet your guide in Beppu. Begin exploring the Jigokumeguri hot springs, a collection of dramatic geothermal sites known for boiling pools, mineral steam, and vividly coloured water. Highlights include the cobalt-blue Sea Hell and the iron-rich Blood Pool Hell.
Later, visit Myoban Yuno Hana, where mineral bath salts are still produced using Edo-period techniques inside traditional thatched huts. Continue by private vehicle into the mountains towards Kurokawa Onsen.
Check into your ryokan and spend the evening relaxing in one of Japan’s best-known hot spring towns.
Travel independently today, taking a highway bus from Kurokawa Onsen to Kumamoto, followed by a scenic ferry ride across the Ariake Sea to Shimabara. This curated route seamlessly blends rural landscapes, coastal vistas, and local transport experiences rarely found on standard tourist itineraries.
Upon arriving in Unzen, settle into this historic mountain onsen town and explore Unzen Jigoku—an active, ethereal landscape of steam vents and sulfur pools. Don't miss trying Yusenpei, a crisp local wafer traditionally baked using the natural heat of the hot springs.
Meet your guide and travel by private vehicle through the Unzen volcanic region towards Nita Pass. From here, take the ropeway above forested slopes and volcanic terrain, with views stretching across the Ariake Sea and surrounding mountains.
After returning to Unzen, enjoy dinner at a long-standing local restaurant serving Nagasaki beef and regional dishes. Later in the evening, join a guided geothermal walk through Unzen Hell, where illuminated steam vents and volcanic heat create a striking nighttime atmosphere.
Travel by public transport from Unzen to Nagasaki before beginning an afternoon of guided sightseeing. Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and attend a talk by an atomic bomb survivor, offering personal insight into the city’s wartime history and continuing peace efforts.
Continue to Glover Garden and Oura Cathedral, both closely linked to Nagasaki’s international history and Christian heritage. In the evening, enjoy dinner in the historic Maruyama district accompanied by a traditional Kenban geisha performance.
Board the Shinkansen towards Ureshino Onsen in Saga Prefecture before checking into your hotel. Later, join a tea experience surrounded by rolling tea fields overlooking the mountains and coastline.
Learn more about the region’s tea culture while tasting locally grown Ureshino tea in a quieter rural setting away from Japan’s larger cities. The remainder of the evening is free to relax in the onsen town.
Travel by Shinkansen from Saga to Okayama, crossing from Kyushu into western Honshu. After arriving, the afternoon is free for independent exploration.
You may wish to visit Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, or Okayama Castle with its distinctive black exterior. Optional cultural experiences include a Bizen pottery workshop and a visit to Amatsu Shrine.
Enjoy a slower-paced day exploring Okayama independently. A recommended excursion is the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, known for preserved merchant buildings, willow-lined canals, and traditional white-walled storehouses.
The area offers a quieter perspective on historic Japan, with cafés, galleries, and museums spread throughout the district.
Travel by local train and ferry to Naoshima, one of Japan’s best-known contemporary art destinations. After arriving at Miyaura Port, collect your e-bike and begin exploring the island independently.
Visit sites including the Art House Project and Ando Museum, where contemporary installations and architecture are integrated into former homes and village spaces across the island.
Dedicate your day to experiencing Naoshima’s most iconic cultural landmarks. Visit the breathtaking Chichu Art Museum, designed by master architect Tadao Ando and built almost entirely underground to preserve the island's natural topography and natural light.
Continue to the Benesse House Museum and the Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery, where world-class art installations, bold architecture, and stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea converge into a single, cohesive experience.
Leave Naoshima by ferry before continuing by local train and Shinkansen towards Osaka. After arriving in the city, the afternoon is free for last-minute sightseeing or independent exploration.
Optional evening food tours through Shinsekai and Nishinari offer the chance to try local Osaka dishes and experience a different side of the city away from the main commercial districts.
After breakfast, transfer by express train from Osaka Station to Kansai International Airport (KIX) for your onward flight
■ INCLUDES
• Meals: Lunch 1, Dinner 3, Breakfast 11
• Accommodation for 11 nights (including overnight Sunflower Ferry)
• Admission to Chichu Art Museum Benesse House Art House Project Ando Museum and Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery on Naoshima
• Two-day e-bike rental for exploring Naoshima Art Island
• Traditional ryokan stays in Kurokawa Onsen and Unzen with onsen access
• Guided geothermal night walk through Unzen Hell with local guide
• Tea experience in Ureshino with English interpreter and transfers
• Dinner with Nagasaki Kenban geisha performance in Maruyama
• English-speaking guided tours in Beppu Unzen and Nagasaki
• Unzen Ropeway admission with views across the Ariake Sea
• Overnight Sunflower Ferry from Osaka to Beppu in superior twin cabin
• Shinkansen tickets from Nagasaki to Ureshino, From Ureshino to Okayama and from Okayama to Osaka
• Ferry crossing from Kumamoto Port to Shimabara Port
• Private vehicle transfers in Beppu and Unzen regions
• Breakfast daily except aboard the overnight ferry
• Selected traditional Japanese dinners as specified
• Highway bus from Kurokawa Onsen to Kumamoto
• Taxi transfers between ports stations and accommodation as specified
• Public transport travel using IC card services where specified
■ EXCLUDES
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Visa fees where applicable
• Lunches throughout the trip
• Dinners not specifically listed as included
• Drinks at restaurants and during meals
• City tax and bath taxes payable locally
• Admission fees for Minamidera and Kinza museums on Naoshima
• Optional sushi-making experience in Nagasaki
• Shipping costs for Bizen pottery creations
• Tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses
• Airport transfers outside the itinerary
■ TOUR CONDITIONS
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30 days before departure
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Osaka
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Osaka
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English
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November
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