What’s On in Kyushu, Japan
The volcanic southwest — active craters, hot-spring towns, porcelain villages and vivid festivals.
105 listings
Beppu Onsen & Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour)
Japan's most prolific hot spring city offers eight boiling 'hells' to tour and dozens of onsen for soaking, mud baths and sand bathing.
Karatsu Kunchi
Fourteen magnificent lacquered float sculptures depicting lions, dragons and war helmets are paraded through Karatsu's streets.
Nagasaki Lantern Festival (Nagasaki Chūka Gai Tōrō Matsuri)
Fifteen thousand lanterns bathe Nagasaki's historic Chinatown and harbour in golden light for Japan's most vibrant Chinese New Year celebration.
Yakushima Ancient Cedar Forest (Yakusugi Land & Jomonsugi Trek)
Trek through a moss-draped UNESCO primeval forest to Jōmon Sugi, a cedar tree over 2,000 years old and possibly Japan's oldest living organism.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
A thunderous 780-year-old Fukuoka festival where teams race massive decorated floats weighing over a tonne through narrow city streets at dawn.
Mount Aso Caldera Walk & Active Volcano Experience
Stand on the rim of one of the world's largest active calderas and peer into the turquoise, smoking crater lake of Nakadake volcano.
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum & Peace Park
Nagasaki's deeply moving museum and Peace Park stand at the hypocenter of the 1945 atomic bombing, offering an essential historical experience.
Kirishima Onsen & Volcanic Highlands (Kirishima-Jingū)
Volcanic peaks, sacred shrines, and naturally heated sulphurous hot springs converge in Kyushu's dramatic Kirishima highland region.
Yufuin Onsen Town & Kinrin-ko Lake Walk
A storybook onsen resort town of art galleries and craft cafés wrapped around a mist-covered lake beneath the twin peaks of Mount Yufu.
Dejima Reconstructed Dutch Trading Post, Nagasaki
The painstakingly rebuilt fan-shaped artificial island where Dutch traders were Japan's only Western link during 200 years of self-imposed isolation.
Hakata Dontaku Port Festival
One of Japan's largest festivals draws over 2 million visitors with colourful street parades through central Fukuoka.
Fukuoka Ohori Park Cherry Blossom Festival
Ohori Park's lakeside promenade transforms into a pink tunnel of some 340 cherry trees beloved by locals and visitors alike.
Uminonakamichi Seaside Park Flower Festival
A vast seaside park erupts in millions of cosmos and zinnia blooms across colour-blocked fields facing Hakata Bay each autumn.
Nagasaki Kunchi Festival
Nagasaki's premier autumn festival fuses Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch influences in spectacular dragon dances and ornate float performances.
Miyajidake Shrine & Munakata Grand Festival
One of Kyushu's most powerful shrines hosts its grand autumn festival with horseback archery, sacred processions, and breathtaking sunset vistas.
Hi-no-Kuni (Fire Country) Festival, Kumamoto
Kumamoto's largest summer festival fills the city with fire-lit parades, Ondo folk dancing, and a mass participatory dance drawing 3,000 performers.
Yanagawa Sagemon Matsuri & River Boat Cruise
Yanagawa's canal city celebrates Girls' Day with cascading sagemon ornament mobiles and tranquil punted boat tours through willow-lined waterways.
Usuki Stone Buddha Illumination (Usuki Sekibutsu)
Japan's finest collection of ancient stone Buddhas is bathed in ethereal candlelight illuminations during Usuki's beloved autumn evening festival.
Ohara Festival (Ohara Matsuri), Kagoshima
Over 20,000 dancers in vivid kimono parade down Kagoshima's main boulevard to the infectious rhythm of the Ohara-bushi folk song.
Takachiho Gorge & Yokagura Night Kagura
Paddle emerald gorge waters by day and witness all-night sacred Shinto dance performances rooted in Japan's oldest myths by firelight.
Tobata Gion Yamagasa Festival, Kitakyushu
Towering multi-tiered floats decorated with intricate dolls and illuminated by 365 lanterns are paraded through the steeltown streets of Tobata.
Aoshima Shrine Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Festival)
Hundreds of men clad only in white loincloths brave the cold Pacific surf in a 1,200-year-old purification rite at a shrine perched on a tropical island.
Yamaga Tōrō Matsuri (Yamaga Lantern Festival)
Women in yukata balance intricate golden paper lanterns on their heads and dance through the night streets of Yamaga.
Nagasaki Port Fireworks Festival (Nagasaki Minato Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
Thousands of shells explode over Nagasaki's iconic harbour in one of Kyushu's most photogenic summer fireworks displays.
Kumamoto Shirakawaen Fireworks Festival
Over 10,000 shells light up the sky above the Shira River with Kumamoto Castle's silhouette forming a dramatic backdrop.
Nishijin Fireworks Festival, Fukuoka
A lively neighbourhood fireworks display above Fukuoka's Nishijin district, beloved by locals for its intimate, festive atmosphere.
Beppu Hatto Onsen Fireworks Festival
Fireworks burst over Beppu Bay as steam rises from the famous onsen town below, creating an otherworldly spectacle.
Kagoshima Kinko Bay Summer Fireworks (Kagoshima Hanabi Taikai)
Vivid shells explode above Kinko Bay with the smouldering cone of Sakurajima volcano glowing on the horizon behind them.
Miyazaki City Fireworks Festival (Miyazaki-shi Hanabi Taikai)
One of Miyazaki Prefecture's biggest summer fireworks shows lights up the Oyodo River with elaborate starmine sequences.
Saga City Fireworks Festival (Saga-shi Hanabi Taikai)
Saga's riverside fireworks festival lights the Kase River with precision-timed starmines and large-scale aerial bursts.
Wakamatsu Port Fireworks Festival, Kitakyushu
Colourful shells burst over the industrial Dokai Bay waterfront, turning Kitakyushu's working harbour into a summer spectacular.
Omura Summer Fireworks Festival (Omura Hanabi Taikai)
Japan's largest natural crater lake, Omura Bay, provides a serene mirror for one of Nagasaki Prefecture's most enchanting hanabi events.
Yatsushiro Fireworks Festival (Yatsushiro Zenkoku Hanabi Kyogi Taikai)
One of Japan's top-ranked competitive hanabi events, where master pyrotechnists battle for glory above the Kuma River in October.
Nokonoshima Island Fireworks Night, Fukuoka
Watch hanabi burst over Hakata Bay from the flower-covered hillsides of Nokonoshima Island on a magical late-summer evening.
Maizuru Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Fukuoka
Around 1,000 cherry trees frame the ruins of Fukuoka Castle for one of the city's most beloved hanami gatherings.
Kumamoto Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Kumamoto-jo Sakura Matsuri)
Over 800 cherry trees encircle the iconic black tenshu of Kumamoto Castle in a spectacular springtime display.
Sengan-en (Iso Teien) Cherry Blossom Hanami, Kagoshima
Hanami amid a UNESCO-listed feudal garden with Sakurajima volcano as a breathtaking backdrop across Kinko Bay.
Nishi Park (Nishi-koen) Cherry Blossom Viewing, Fukuoka
Fukuoka's oldest public park hosts 1,300 cherry trees on a hillside with panoramic views over Hakata Bay.
Glover Garden Cherry Blossom Season, Nagasaki
Meiji-era Western-style mansions on Minamiyamate Hill are framed by cherry blossoms with sweeping harbour views.
Shiroyama Park Cherry Blossom Viewing, Kagoshima
Cherry trees atop Shiroyama ridge offer sweeping views of Sakurajima with blossoms in the foreground — Kagoshima's iconic spring vista.
Usa City Riverside Cherry Blossom Walk, Oita
A peaceful riverside corridor of cherry trees lines the Yorimo River near ancient Usa Jingu shrine in northern Oita.
Miyazaki Peace Park (Heiwa-dai Koen) Cherry Blossom Festival
Hundreds of cherry trees bloom around the Tower of Peace in Miyazaki's spacious park, drawing families for classic hanami picnics.
Saga Castle Historic Museum Cherry Blossom Viewing
The moats and grounds of reconstructed Saga Castle are lined with cherry trees for a serene, crowd-light hanami experience.
Suwa Shrine Cherry Blossom Viewing, Nagasaki
Cherry blossoms adorn the long stone staircase and forested grounds of Nagasaki's most important Shinto shrine.
Katsuyama Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Kokura
Some 1,000 cherry trees bloom in and around Kokura Castle's park, making it Kitakyushu's premier hanami destination.
Hirado Castle Cherry Blossom Viewing, Nagasaki
Cherry blossoms frame the white hilltop keep of Hirado Castle above the sea in one of Kyushu's most photogenic spring scenes.
Kuju Highlands (Kujūkōgen) Autumn Foliage
Japan's largest highland plateau blazes with crimson and gold as kumazasa grasses and maples turn across 1,700 m peaks.
Suizenji Jōjuen Garden Autumn Koyo, Kumamoto
A 400-year-old Edo-period stroll garden in Kumamoto city glows with maple and zelkova foliage reflected in its spring-fed central pond.
Yufudake Mountain Autumn Foliage Trek, Yufu
Hike the twin-peaked Mount Yufu (1,584 m) as beech and oak forests explode in fiery autumn colour above the famous onsen town.
Sengan-en (Iso Teien) Autumn Foliage & Sakurajima Views, Kagoshima
The Shimadzu clan's 17th-century seaside garden frames Sakurajima volcano with maples and satsuma mandarins in full autumn splendour.
Takachiho Gorge Autumn Foliage Boat Ride, Miyazaki
Row a wooden boat through the mythological Takachiho Gorge as towering basalt walls are draped in crimson maple and ivy foliage.
Kawachi Fujien Autumn Foliage Season, Kitakyushu
The world-famous wisteria garden of Kitakyushu reinvents itself each November as maples and oaks flood its hillside paths with autumn colour.
Unzen Onsen & Jigokudate Autumn Foliage, Nagasaki
Steam vents and bubbling hell pools at Unzen are encircled by Japan's earliest autumn foliage, turning brilliant red by early November.
Horikiri Pass (Horikiri-toge) Autumn Scenic Drive, Miyazaki
Drive or cycle the ridge-top Horikiri Pass between Nobeoka and Takachiho through tunnels of maple and beech ablaze with autumn colour.
Mifuneyama Rakuen Autumn Foliage & Illumination, Saga
A 500,000-square-metre historic garden in Takeo glows with 50,000 autumn maples by day and Teamlab digital art projections by night.
Yabakei Gorge Autumn Foliage Viewing, Oita
Dramatic volcanic tuff gorges along the Yamakuni River near Nakatsu are reflected in still pools surrounded by blazing autumn maples.
Ohori Park (Ōhori-kōen) Autumn Foliage Walk, Fukuoka
Fukuoka's beloved lakeside park turns gold and crimson in late November as ginkgo avenues and maple groves frame the island-dotted central pond.
Kajō Park (Kumamoto Castle Ruins) Autumn Ginkgo Festival, Kumamoto
Rows of ginkgo trees lining the stone-walled approaches to Kumamoto Castle shed golden leaves onto the historic castle grounds each November.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival
One of Japan's great summer festivals, featuring massive ornate floats and a dramatic early-morning race through Hakata's streets.
Aso Fire Festival (Aso Hifuri Shinji)
Ancient fire-ritual festival at Aso Shrine where priests swing flaming torches in sweeping arcs to pray for a bountiful harvest.
Kurosaki Gion Yamagasa Festival
A boisterous Kitakyushu summer festival where competing neighbourhoods carry massive decorated floats through lamp-lit streets to Kurosaki Shrine.
Beppu Onsen Festival (Beppu Hatto Onsen Matsuri)
A spring celebration of gratitude for Beppu's legendary hot springs, featuring a grand parade, mikoshi processions, and free public bathing events.
Hakata松囃子 (Matsubayashi) Procession — Hakata Dontaku Origin Parade
The ancient Matsubayashi procession, the 800-year-old ceremonial heart of Fukuoka's Golden Week celebrations, winds through Hakata in full historical costume.
Hyuga Mitsuyado Taimatsu Matsuri (Hyuga Torch Festival)
A solemn and spectacular Miyazaki torch festival where hundreds of flaming cedar torches light up the night in a sacred purification ritual by the sea.
Karatsu Kunchi Festival
Fourteen magnificent lacquered hikiyama floats, crafted over centuries, parade through Karatsu in one of Japan's most celebrated autumn festivals.
Izumi Crane Festival (Izumi Tsuru Matsuri)
Celebrate the arrival of 10,000 wintering cranes at Izumi Plain, the world's largest concentration of hooded and white-naped cranes outside East Asia.
Kirishima Azalea Festival (Kirishima Miyama Kirishima Matsuri)
Japan's most celebrated wild azalea spectacle carpets the volcanic slopes of Kirishima in vivid crimson, celebrated with a highland spring festival.
Yanagawa Hinamatsuri (Yanagawa Hina Nagashi)
Ornate hina dolls float down Yanagawa's historic canals in a graceful spring purification ritual set amid one of Kyushu's most scenic waterway towns.
Dazaifu Tenmangū Chrysanthemum Festival (Kiku Matsuri)
Thousands of prize chrysanthemum displays transform the precincts of Dazaifu Tenmangū into a fragrant autumn garden of extraordinary colour and craftsmanship.
Hitoyoshi Onsen Fireworks Festival (Hitoyoshi Onsen Hanabi Taikai)
Brilliant fireworks burst over the Kuma River in the historic castle-town of Hitoyoshi, reflecting off the serene onsen waters below.
Fukuoka Port Fireworks Festival (Hakata-ko Hanabi Taikai)
Over 10,000 fireworks explode above Hakata Bay, painting Fukuoka's modern skyline in dazzling colour on a warm summer night.
Oita City Fireworks Festival (Oita-shi Hanabi Taikai)
A spectacular riverside fireworks display lighting up Oita City's night sky with thousands of shells above the Oita River estuary.
Miyakonojo Fireworks Festival (Miyakonojo Hanabi Taikai)
One of southern Miyazaki's biggest pyrotechnic events, painting the inland sky above Miyakonojo with cascading colour and thunder.
Karatsu Port Fireworks Festival (Karatsu-ko Hanabi Taikai)
Brilliant sea-launch fireworks burst above Karatsu Bay with the floodlit silhouette of Karatsu Castle providing a stunning backdrop.
Yanagawa Fireworks Festival (Yanagawa Hanabi Taikai)
Colourful fireworks shimmer over Yanagawa's famous canal waterways, creating a magical double-reflection display in the historic water city.
Sasebo Port Fireworks Festival (Sasebo Minato Matsuri Hanabi)
Thousands of fireworks erupt over Sasebo's deep natural harbour, framed by naval vessels and the dramatic islands of the Kujūku-shima archipelago.
Kokura Fireworks Festival (Kokura Hanabi Taikai)
A dazzling summer fireworks show launched over the Murasaki River in Kokura, watched by crowds gathered around the beautiful Kokura Castle.
Ibusuki Summer Fireworks (Ibusuki Onsen Hanabi Taikai)
Fireworks cascade over Ibusuki Bay as the scent of volcanic hot-spring steam drifts through the warm summer air along the Satsuma Peninsula coast.
Kurume Fireworks Festival (Kurume Minato Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
One of Fukuoka Prefecture's most explosive summer spectacles, launching over 10,000 shells above the Chikugo River in Kurume's grand riverside festival.
Usuki Fireworks Festival (Usuki Hanabi Taikai)
Vibrant fireworks light up the tranquil Usuki Bay beside the well-preserved Edo-period townscape of this charming southern Oita castle town.
Nagasaki Suwa Shrine Autumn Fireworks (Nagasaki Kunchi Hanabi)
Golden chrysanthemum shells burst over Nagasaki's hillside cityscape during the famous Nagasaki Kunchi autumn festival at Suwa Shrine.
Ohori Park Cherry Blossom Hanami, Fukuoka
Stroll beneath hundreds of blooming sakura trees ringing the vast central lake of Fukuoka's beloved Ohori Park.
Kitsuki Castle Cherry Blossom Viewing, Oita
Japan's smallest castle sits atop a hill draped in cherry blossoms, overlooking the serene samurai-town streets of Kitsuki.
Nishiyama Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Saga
Over 2,000 cherry trees cascade down wooded hillsides at Imari's Nishiyama Park during one of Saga Prefecture's finest hanami festivals.
Miyazaki Prefectural Nature Park Hanami (Miyakonojo Maruyama Park)
Maruyama Park in Miyakonojo draws hanami crowds under a thick canopy of Yoshino cherry trees beside a serene riverside setting.
Yanagawa River Cherry Blossom Boat Cruise, Fukuoka
Drift through Yanagawa's historic canal network on a flat-bottomed donko boat as cherry petals fall softly onto the water around you.
Chiran Samurai District Cherry Blossom Walk, Kagoshima
Walk the remarkably preserved stone-walled samurai lanes of Chiran beneath arching cherry trees for a uniquely cinematic spring hanami.
Fukuoka Castle Ruins Night Hanami Illumination
The stone ramparts of Fukuoka Castle glow beneath 1,300 illuminated cherry trees during the city's beloved after-dark hanami event.
Huis Ten Bosch Cherry Blossom Festival, Nagasaki
Thousands of cherry trees bloom across the Dutch-themed canal town of Huis Ten Bosch, blending European architecture with Japan's most iconic spring spectacle.
Kotsuki River Cherry Blossom Promenade, Kagoshima
A 3-kilometre riverside walkway lined with cherry trees offers one of Kagoshima's most scenic and accessible urban hanami promenades.
Tateyama Park Cherry Blossom Viewing, Nagasaki
Perched above central Nagasaki, Tateyama Park offers sweeping harbour views framed by cherry blossoms from one of the city's top hilltop hanami spots.
Kitakyushu Cherry Blossom Hanami at Katsuyama Park
The moat and stone walls of Kokura Castle's Katsuyama Park burst with cherry blossoms each spring, hosting Kitakyushu's liveliest hanami festival.
Curated Hanami Bento Picnic Experience, Fukuoka
A premium guided hanami picnic service delivering artisan bento boxes, sake, and picnic setup beneath Fukuoka's finest cherry blossom trees.
Nishiyama Park Autumn Foliage, Imari
Over 20,000 maple trees blaze red and gold across Imari's beloved hilltop park, one of Japan's top 100 foliage spots.
Kokonoe 'Yume' Suspension Bridge Autumn Foliage, Oita
Walk Japan's longest pedestrian suspension bridge high above a gorge ablaze with autumn colour and twin waterfalls far below.
Kusenbu Gorge Autumn Foliage Cruise, Oita
Drift through the serene Kusenbu Gorge by flat-bottomed boat beneath towering cliffs draped in blazing autumn foliage.
Kirishima Jingū Shrine Autumn Foliage, Kagoshima
Ancient cedar-lined approaches and surrounding volcanic highlands frame Kirishima Jingū in breathtaking autumnal red and gold.
Takeo Onsen Autumn Foliage & Hot Spring Retreat, Saga
Soak in 1,300-year-old hot spring baths and wander lanes blazing with autumn colour around Takeo's iconic tiled gateway town.
Nichinan Coast Autumn Nature Drive & Aoshima Shrine, Miyazaki
Drive Kyushu's most scenic coastal road in autumn, stopping at Aoshima's jungle-fringed shrine and ancient 'Devil's Washboard' rock formations.
Futagoji Temple Autumn Foliage, Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita
A remote mountain temple on the mystical Kunisaki Peninsula glows beneath ancient maples and cryptomeria in deep, spiritual autumn colour.
Dazaifu Tenmangū Autumn Foliage Walk, Fukuoka
Stroll the sacred precincts of Dazaifu Tenmangū as ancient camphor trees and surrounding maples ignite in glorious autumn colour.
Kuju Flower Park Autumn Cosmos & Foliage, Oita
Japan's highest-altitude flower park bursts with autumn cosmos blooms against a backdrop of Kuju's volcanic peaks draped in foliage.
Nagasaki Peace Park & Hypocenter Autumn Foliage Walk
Walk through Nagasaki's moving Peace Park as late-season ginkgos and maples cast golden light over its world-renowned monuments.
Yufuin Floral Village Autumn Koyo Stroll, Oita
Wander Yufuin's enchanting English-village shopping precinct as surrounding maples and the twin peaks of Yufu-dake glow in autumn splendour.
Ōkawachi-yama Pottery Village Autumn Foliage, Imari, Saga
Discover Kyushu's hidden porcelain valley ablaze with autumn maples, where master Imari and Nabeshima ware kilns have fired since the 17th century.