Day 1: Arrive in Fukuoka.
Arrive in Fukuoka. Make your way to our hotel. Relax after your flight.
Depending on your arrival time, consider strolling around Fukuoka; our hotel is within walking distance of the Naka River and the Canal City Hakata shopping complex. The Shofukuji temple complex, Japan’s oldest Zen temple, is about a 15-minute walk away.
In the early evening, we meet at the El Dorado Lounge for pre dinner drinks and snacks. After drinks and an introduction, we head out for a welcome dinner nearby
Overnight at Hotel II Palazzo (Welcome Cocktail & Dinner)
Day 2: Fukuoka
This morning, we visit Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, where Sugawara Michizane, the deity of learning, culture, and the arts, is enshrined. Art is everywhere at Dazaifu because of the shrine’s connection to Sugawara; contemporary pieces dot the grounds.
We approach the temple by wandering up Monzenmachi, lined with shops, teahouses, and cafes. Dazaifu Tenmangu has a history of more than 1,100 years, but several of the camphor trees on the grounds are even older. We will visit one of the omikuji stations to receive an omikuji, a paper blessing with your fortune written on it. At amulet counters, you can obtain lucky amulets, or omamori, and special wooden plaques called ema, which you write over with a wish and then display in the grounds.
We stop by the impressive Tenman-Gu Shrine, a lovely spot for viewing autumn colours, as the shrine opens its garden to the public during peak autumn leaf season from late October to early December. Hundreds of maple trees line the garden’s river and are lit up in the evenings. Via a pedestrian path that connects the shrine and museum, we visit the Kyushu National Museum, an eye-catching architectural wonder of glass with a curved steel roof. The museum itself focuses on Kyushu from prehistory to the Edo period, with collections of calligraphy, sculpture and art. But we are there for the entrance; it is spectacular, accessed via a long series of covered escalators & moving walkways known as the Rainbow Tunnel.
After lunch at the museum restaurant, we return to our hotel to relax.
Early evening, we meet in the lobby and take a leisurely walk to a gorgeous minimalist tea salon and bar located in the upscale Akasaka neighbourhood. Created by a tea master, the space blends the precision of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony with a modern, relaxed aesthetic. Enjoy a menu pairing of exceptional teas, unique tea-infused cocktails or sake and seasonal artisanal wagashi (sweets).
Overnight at Hotel II Palazzo (B / L / Modern Tea Ceremony)
Day 3: Train to Yufuin
This morning, we transfer to Hakata Station and board the Yufuin no Mori (“Forest Train of Yufuin”), a scenic, forest-green limited express sightseeing train that connects Hakata Station to Yufuin in about 2.15 hours. The Yufuin no Mori has an emerald-green livery, large panoramic windows, a raised floor for better views, and an onboard buffet counter selling regional sweets and craft beer. *We will carry only hand luggage, as our van will transfer our main luggage.
As we get off the train, we will be greeted with the view of Mount Yufu. One of Yufuin’s greatest attractions is its picturesque natural scenery, with breathtaking views of colourful autumn foliage. It’s also easy to explore on foot. Many small artisanal shops, cafes, craft boutiques, and museums line the main walking streets. The main shopping street, Yunotsubo Kaido, runs from Yufuin train station to Lake Kinrin and takes about 20 minutes to walk end to end without stopping to shop.
However, there are lots of things to look at along the way!
If you need an art fix, then the Comico Art Museum Yufuin is a sophisticated art museum designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. It features works by famous artists such as Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama. Located slightly away from the centre, Artegio Art Museum displays a wide range of music-inspired art. The sophisticated space also features a café and a chocolate shop. There is even a Stained-Glass Museum house in an old church. A visit to Yufuin Floral Village is like stepping into a storybook, and the Showa-kan Museum is packed wall-to-wall with retro appliances, posters, toys, and everything a hoarder with good taste would be collecting from the mid-20th century.
We check into our historic ryokan, set on a 30,000-square-meter forested estate bordering Lake Kirin with moss pathways and trees over 200 years old. The property features a main indoor public bath designed like a wooden-framed greenhouse atrium, and each hanare has its own private indoor or open-air hot spring bath for private, meditative hydrotherapy. *Personalized, therapeutic massage and spa body treatments can be pre-arranged on request through the front desk to complement your onsen soaking.
Change into your yukata and enjoy a cocktail at the bar before a multi-course kaiseki dinner showcasing seasonal local ingredients and beautifully presented regional cuisine.
Yufuin’s waters are a treasure trove of rejuvenation, thought to relieve muscle pain, reduce stress, and promote skin health, so finish the evening with a final soak in your private open-air onsen before bed.
Overnight at Kamenoi Besso / (Yufuin Tamanoyu) (B / D
Day 4: Yufuin / Beppu / Yufuin
Wake early for a peaceful stroll to Lake Kinrin, where cool morning air and rising steam often create a soft mist across the water.
This morning, we transfer to Beppu and the Kannawa Onsen district to experience Beppu’s deeply ingrained onsen culture. This is one of the city’s most atmospheric hot spring districts, a place where steam drifts through narrow streets, locals gather at neighbourhood bathhouses, and daily life has revolved around the restorative power of the hot springs for centuries.
The Beppu Jigoku Meguri is a group of seven ‘Hells’- dramatic natural showcases of boiling water, erupting steam and bubbling mud, each with its own distinct character. Five of Beppu’s seven Hells are located within the Kannawa district.
We then head to Shonin Park for an iconic sand-bathing experience. The history of the sandy baths along the Beppu Coast, where hot springs have bubbled up in various places, dates to the Heian period. On arrival, change into the provided cotton robe and lie back in naturally heated sand as staff gently cover you. Relax to the sound of waves rolling onto the shore, then rinse off with a soothing onsen bath.
Return to Yufuin and our ryokan, with the late afternoon and evening free.
Overnight at Kamenoi Besso / (Yufuin Tamanoyu) (B / L)
Day 5: Yufuin / Kunisaki Peninsula / Yufuin
Today we travel to the Kunisaki Peninsula, a deeply spiritual region known for its 135km ancient pilgrim trail, forest temples and centuries-old spiritual tradition known as Rokugo Manzan, where Buddhism and Shinto beliefs intertwine.
We arrive at Futagoji Temple, the head temple of the Rokugo Manzan Buddhist tradition on the Kunisaki Peninsula, nestled deep in the mountains. Founded in 718, the approach is guarded by two 2.5-metre-tall Nio statues before opening to a complex of historic halls surrounded by towering cedars and moss-covered stone paths. It features a sprawling forest compound with multiple halls, giant stone lanterns, and an inner sanctuary (Okunoin) tucked up against the rocky cliffs of Mount Futago. For centuries, monks trained here in mountain ascetic practices that blended Buddhism and Shinto, and the temple remains an important spiritual site today. We will meet with a local monk who will offer a glimpse into Kunisaki’s religious heritage.
En route back to Yufuin, we stop at Gyatei Temple in Hiji Town. Gyatei is a historic 14th-century Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple known for offering guided Zazen (Zen meditation) led by the chief priest. The core practice is a 20-minute period of silent, seated meditation (zazen) in the traditional tatami mat hall, marked by the resonant sounds of wooden clappers and bronze bells. Priest Yodo gently guides you in proper posture, breath control, and mental focus. After meditation, we sit with the priest to share a cup of hot green tea and traditional Japanese sweets, creating space for casual conversation – questions about Buddhism and genuine cultural exchange.
For lunch, we stop at a ryotei set in a 40,106㎡ garden, with a beautiful backdrop of Beppu Bay and Mount Takazaki. A businessman who built his fortune managing the Majo Gold Mine owned the villa, and now it serves delightful kaiseki.
We return to Yufuin and our ryokan to reset.
For our final night, we will enjoy dinner at an exclusive restaurant known for its exceptional omakase. The restaurant operates inside a stylishly renovated traditional Japanese house and is run single-handedly by the chef.
Overnight at Kamenoi Besso / (Yufuin Tamanoyu) (B / L / D)
Day 6: Yame
This morning we pack up and transfer to Yame. Yame is a cultural powerhouse, an old castle town brimming with traditional crafts, historic buildings, artisanal shops, cafes, and historic sake breweries. Locals know this region as Chikugo, a name given to Kyushu’s longest river.
We stop for lunch at café Saryo Chiyonoen, nestled deep in mist-shrouded mountains. This tranquil tea salon is operated by the third-generation organic tea-farming Harashima family. We drink delicious green tea and enjoy homemade dishes made with foraged vegetables. When we visit, Tamami, who runs the café with her sister Haruka, shows a variety of teas that her parents grow in fields in the nearby mountains.
After lunch, we stop for a unique opportunity to learn about Kyushu incense. The way of the fragrance (“kodo”) is one of Japan’s three classical arts alongside the tea ceremony (“sado”) and ikebana (“kado”). We visit an incense workshop where the custom of creating pure cedar wood powder for incense sticks continues. At a century-old watermill, a second-generation craftsman and his wife make 100% natural, handcrafted cedar-leaf incense using sustainable cedar wood from local forests. The facility operates with zero electricity during the grinding stage, relying entirely on the natural, renewable energy of a mountain river stream. Established in 1918, it remains one of the last active watermills in Japan dedicated to manufacturing completely natural, traditional cedar incense.
Over the next two nights, we stay in a renovated former sake brewery in the preservation district: a decentralised hotel occupying beautifully renovated Edo-to-Meiji-period merchant houses in the historic white-wall district.
We will dine in-house this evening.
Overnight at Decentralised Hotel (B / L / D)
Day 7: Yame
Today is a day dedicated to the arts and crafts of Yame. A variety of artisan skills, such as Yame Fukushima Buddhist altars, Yame lanterns, Yame handmade paper, bamboo crafts, stone lanterns, woodworking, lacquerware, and decorative metal fittings, remain in the region, with each specialised skill supporting a single craft through a division of labour. We explore Yame’s traditional crafts on a walking tour of the old town, designated an Important Preservation District.
Sample stops: Kitaya, an Edo-period sake brewery founded two centuries ago, to admire the line-up of award-winning sake and shochu bottles on the shelves. We pass through the white noren of Unagi no Nedoko, one of four branded stores that sell traditionally handcrafted objects by Japan’s native artisans, including Kurume Kasuri woven fabrics, Hoshino pottery, clothing, and food items. We enter the wooden latticed storefront of Konomien, Kyushu’s oldest tea merchant with a history of over 150 years. The store’s third owner, Hisakichi Konomi, named the famous tea about 100 years ago. We will stop at Matsunobu Kogei, a renowned traditional woodworking studio that specialises in Oke (traditional Japanese wooden buckets and tubs) and Taru (barrel-making), utilising centuries-old techniques without any nails. The skills required to bend and shape the wood to best accent the grain while simultaneously creating a beautiful, watertight product are exemplary. Yame Dentou Kougeikan (Yame Traditional Crafts Centre) displays and even sells many of Yame’s local crafts. Sometimes artisans demonstrate their process here. For local Kyushu sake and shochu, we can stop at Asahiya, operating out of the beautifully restored former Yame County Office Building, Kyu Yame Gun-Yakusho. You can try and buy local and seasonal varieties
After lunch, we will visit an indigo studio run by a 5th-generation dyer. “Japan blue” is Japan’s quintessential colour. Its deep intensity comes from an elaborate production process refined over centuries. Used worldwide, indigo is said to be the oldest dye known to humans. Even amongst indigos, the dye differs greatly by region. You’ll learn about the traditional, labour-intensive approach this studio still uses, as well as more modern methods and “Kurume kasuri” weaving traditions unique to this part of Kyushu. The workshop designs geometric patterns by interpreting traditional motifs, creating pieces with a charm unique to them and the area.
This evening, enjoy free time in the relaxed ambience of your heritage accommodation or stroll the old town and stop by a local izakaya.
Overnight Decentralised Hotel (B / L)
Day 8: Karatsu
After breakfast, we will start our journey from Karatsu. Pottery production started in the city more than 400 years ago. The city flourished during the Edo period as a castle town and a hub of foreign commerce and trade towards Korea and China.
We first visit the impressive Karatsu Castle. It has glared at the local inhabitants for more than 400 years.
Karatsu ware (Karatsu-Yaki) style is a good example of the wabi-sabi aesthetic, and Karatsu bowls, plates, and other implements are often used in tea ceremonies. It has the “beauty of service” manifested through its functionality for serving food and flower arrangements. A unique warmth and strength can be felt from the raw clay, which is rough and austere. Pottery in general is often called “Karatsu ware” in Western Japan due to the large amount produced in the
Karatsu area.
There are about 70 pottery studios in the Karatsu area. Each applies its unique style and approach to ceramic art, from emerging artists to famous artists throughout Japan. Today, we visit two kilns where the potters kept their tradition, the roots of the potter and a way of life. Karatsu ware was used not only
for tea bowls but also for everyday utensils, and spread widely to Western Japan, becoming beloved among the common people. This is why “Karatsu” has become synonymous with ceramics in Western Japan.
Overnight: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (B / L / D)
Day 9: Karatsu
TBC
Overnight: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (B / L / D)
Day 1o: Karatsu
Today we head to the Saga region to visit and learn from local makers.
We begin with a visit to a historic, family-run soy sauce and miso brewery founded in 1901. Recognised as a traditional natural-brewing soy sauce maker, the brewery relies on the unique microflora (wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria) that have inhabited the building’s wooden rafters and walls for generations. This creates a complex, rich flavour profile that modern industrial tanks can’t replicate. We will tour the facility and learn firsthand about these time-honoured techniques from the people who practice them.
From there, we’ll head to a washi paper-making studio with more than 300 years of history and the last remaining workshop in the valley that keeps this tradition alive. This handmade Japanese paper is made using the strong bark of local mulberry trees. Managed by the same family for seven generations, the historic mountain mill recently moved into a beautifully designed contemporary facility at the foot of the mountains to protect the craft from local landslide risks. Gain a rare look into a paper-making workshop with detailed explanations from the craftspeople themselves and make washi using the same tools and methods the master artisans use.
Return to Karatsu, and your evening is free.
Overnight: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (B / L)
Day 11: Karatsu
Today is our final day, dedicated to rest, relaxation, and wellness.
Indulge in a full-day immersive wellness journey, beginning with access to the hotel’s crown jewel thermal facilities. Start on the spectacular 8th-floor rooftop, where a heated natural hot spring infinity pool blends seamlessly into the panoramic views of Karatsu Bay and the scenic Nijino Matsubara pine forest, with an open-air sun deck.
Head to the second floor for a relaxing massage or aesthetic treatment. The spa offers 11 courses, including facial, body, and foot treatments, plus a variety of personalised options.
The afternoon continues in the Spa Lounge with a structured thermal loop, alternating between a 70°C Aroma Healing Sauna, infrared bedrock ganbanyoku hot stones, and an innovative 5°C Ice Sauna featuring real indoor snowfall.
After a workout in the ocean-front fitness gym or laps in the year-round indoor mineral pool, you can unwind in the traditional open-air onsen hot springs, complete with complimentary post-soak ice pops.
This evening, we can meet in Emerald Lounge for a farewell cocktail before dinner. Our farewell dinner is produced by a Kyoto kaiseki-trained chef, assisted by his wife, serving a course menu of elegant dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients in local ceramics.
Overnight: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (B / D)
Day 1o: Karatsu
Your final day. (B)
This morning we pack our bags, say our farewells, and transfer back to Hakata Station in Fukuoka for departure. (B)
Arigatou Gozaimashita.
