7 Days in Kyushu: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Aso & Beppu

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Kyushu, Japan's southern main island, packs volcanoes, hot springs, castles and some of the country's best food into a compact loop that starts and ends in Fukuoka.

Beppu's steaming hells
  • Length7 days, 6 nights
  • RouteFukuoka → Dazaifu → Nagasaki → Kumamoto → Aso → Beppu
  • Best forFood lovers, onsen lovers, second-time visitors
  • When to goMarch–May and October–November
  • Rail passCompare the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (all Kyushu or northern Kyushu) with single tickets.

Make it yours: open this route in the trip planner, add your dates and get travel times, seasonal alerts and links to flights and hotels.

Open in the trip planner →

The route at a glance

  1. Day 1 · Fukuoka: Fukuoka and the yatai
  2. Day 2 · Dazaifu: Dazaifu
  3. Day 3 · Nagasaki: Nagasaki
  4. Day 4 · Nagasaki: Glover Garden and Chinatown
  5. Day 5 · Kumamoto: Kumamoto Castle
  6. Day 6 · Aso and Beppu: Aso volcano to Beppu
  7. Day 7 · Beppu: Beppu's hells and home

Day 1 · Fukuoka

Fukuoka and the yatai

Fukuoka Airport is 5 minutes from the city by subway. Walk Ohori Park and the castle ruins, then eat tonkotsu ramen at an open-air yatai stall by the river in Nakasu.

Yatai food stalls, Nakasu
  • Ohori Park
  • Kushida Shrine
  • Nakasu yatai

Day 2 · Dazaifu

Dazaifu

Thirty minutes from Fukuoka: the shrine of Dazaifu Tenmangu, umegae-mochi rice cakes and the Kyushu National Museum.

Dazaifu Tenmangu
  • Dazaifu Tenmangu
  • Kyushu National Museum

Day 3 · Nagasaki

Nagasaki

About 1 hour 30 minutes by limited express and Shinkansen. Visit the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, then the old Dutch trading post of Dejima. At night ride up Mount Inasa for one of Japan's best night views.

Nagasaki from Mount Inasa
  • Peace Park
  • Atomic Bomb Museum
  • Dejima
  • Mount Inasa

Day 4 · Nagasaki

Glover Garden and Chinatown

Glover Garden and Oura Church on the hillside, champon noodles in Chinatown, and the Spectacles Bridge.

Oura Church
  • Glover Garden
  • Oura Church
  • Nagasaki Chinatown
  • Meganebashi

Day 5 · Kumamoto

Kumamoto Castle

Travel to Kumamoto (about 2 hours). Walk around the castle, rebuilt after the 2016 earthquake, and the stroll garden of Suizen-ji.

Kumamoto Castle
  • Kumamoto Castle
  • Suizen-ji Jojuen

Day 6 · Aso and Beppu

Aso volcano to Beppu

Cross the huge Aso caldera: grasslands of Kusasenri and, if volcanic activity allows, the crater. Continue by bus to Beppu and soak in an onsen.

Kusasenri, Aso
  • Aso crater
  • Kusasenri
  • Daikanbo

Tip: Access to the Aso crater closes when gas levels are high: check on the day. A rental car makes this day easier.

Day 7 · Beppu

Beppu's hells and home

See the colourful hot pools of the Hells of Beppu, try a sand bath, then the Sonic express back to Fukuoka (about 2 hours) for your flight.

Umi Jigoku, Beppu
  • Hells of Beppu
  • Takegawara sand bath

Getting around

Shinkansen and limited expresses between the cities; bus or rental car for Aso; Sonic express Beppu–Fukuoka.

When to go

March–May and October–November. Add your dates in the trip planner to see cherry blossom and autumn leaf timing, the rainy season, typhoons and holidays for this route.

Where to stay

  • Fukuoka (2 nights): Hakata or Tenjin.
  • Nagasaki (2 nights): near Nagasaki Station.
  • Kumamoto (1 night): near the castle or Shimotori.
  • Beppu (1 night): an onsen hotel in Kannawa or near the station.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kyushu good for a first trip to Japan?

Yes if you have already seen Tokyo and Kyoto, or if you fly into Fukuoka from Asia.

Do I need a car?

Only for the Aso day; the rest works well by train.

Where else could I add?

Yufuin, Kurokawa Onsen, Takachiho or Kagoshima with Sakurajima.

Prefecture guides for this trip

Want a different pace or more stops? The planner rebuilds the itinerary around your dates and choices.

Customise this itinerary →

Last updated: 19 October 2026 · Japan47.org, by Francesco Consalvo. Travel times are approximate; check timetables and opening days before you go. Photos: Wikimedia Commons.

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