Secrets of Japan: Kyushu and Shikoku

Itinerary - 12 Days

1. Day 1

   Location

   Fukuoka

   Hotel

   JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Hakata Chuo

   Touchdown in Fukuoka International Airport!
   
   One of Japan's up and coming cities, Fukuoka is known for its nightlife and local cuisine, including the numerous food stalls or 'Yatai' set along the river. Particularly famous in Fukuoka is Hakata ramen, a style of ramen noodles that have produced restaurants the world over, but nothing quite compares to the authenticity you'll find in Fukuoka.
   
   Please make your own way to the hotel in Hakata area.

2. Day 2

   Location

   Sujiyu onsen

   Hotel

   Kiyasuya

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   After hotel check out, pick up your car from Nippon rent a car office near Hakata station and get ready to start your self-drive tour!
   
   First, you are heading to Kokonoe, Oita a town sitting in the middle of explore unspoiled nature and home to numerous onsen which we encourage you to try out and relax in. What better way to recover from your jet lag than to go for a soak in a beautiful natural hot spring?

3. Day 3

   Location

   Kunisaki

   Hotel

   Monjusenji

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   Depart ryokan around 9:30 to visit Kunisaki peninsula.
   Today, you will be staying in a Shukubo or 'temple lodging' to experience a taste of the simple, traditional lifestyle of Buddhist monks. Buddhism has been a part of Japanese culture since the 6th century, and Monjusenji was believed to have been founded a century later.
   
   Join in a 'Zen experience' starting at 3PM.

4. Day 4

   Location

   Kunisaki

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   Morning program starts at 5:30AM
   Breakfast will be served at 7:30AM
   
   Something of an early start, but hopefully all the zen will have left you feeling refreshed and clear headed!
   
   Leave your Shukubo lodging around 9am then visit Futago-ji, a 1300 year old temple in the heart of the Kunisaki peninsula the grounds of which extend around the surrounding mountain and forest areas. This area is known for preserving a unique Buddhist culture that contains elements of Shinto, Buddhism and mountain worship. As to be expected, this area has fantastic hiking.
   
   (Accommodation: Villa Kunisaki or similar standard class hotel)

5. Day 5

   Location

   Shimonoseki

   Hotel

   Dormy inn Premium Shimonoseki

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Leave your hotel around 10AM, and make your way to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi.
   
   Along the way you will be stopping off at the prestigious Usa Jingu, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war and archery. It long enjoyed visits from the imperial family.

6. Day 6

   Location

   Hagi

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   Leave your hotel around 9AM and visit Tsunoshima via the Tsunoshima bridge. Follow this up by exploring the Nagato area in Yamaguchi.
   
   Tsunoshima Bridge is a colossal 1,780m bridge which has panoramic views and makes for amazing photo spots, as well as being a lovely coastal drive.
   
   Another popular spot is the Motonosumi Inari Shrine which is famous for its seaside shrine with a tunnel of 123 'torii' gates, these bright red gates are an iconic feature of Japan, however few are in a location where they can be witnessed alongside the beautiful contrasting colours of the clear blue ocean.
   For even more fantastic views, check out Senjojiki: a grassy plain high above sea level that overlooks the Sea of Japan.
   
   (Accommodation: Hagi Ichirin or similar standard class ryokan)

7. Day 7

   Location

   Tamatsukuri Onsen

   Hotel

   Kasuien Minami

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   Leave your hotel around 9AM.
   
   The first stop today is Hagi, an old castle town in Yamaguchi, once the capital of the Mori Clan, a powerful samurai clan in the feudal period. These days it is a very well preserved castle town with numerous residences that can be visited still intact. It is also famous these days for its local pottery.
   
   Next, a trip to one of the most important shrines in Japan, the truly astounding (and huge!) Izumo Taisha shrine in Shimane, which is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan, and arguably its most important.
   
   Stay overnight in Tamatsukuri onsen, a charming riverside hot spring town in Matsue, the streets of which are lined with interesting statues from Japanese mythology.

8. Day 8

   Location

   Takamatsu

   Meal

   Breakfast

   Leave your ryokan around 10AM then visit the Adachi museum a museum with many works of art but that is best known for the truly incredible garden, named the best in Japan frequently. Naturally, this is a fantastic place to try and get the perfect photo for your trip!
   
   Earlier you tried out the second longest bridge in Japan, why not try out the longest? It's time to head across the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, where you will be met with stunning views of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. When you come out the other side, you will certainly be on a road less travelled, on the smallest of the main islands of Japan, Shikoku. In Kagawa, you will have the chance to visit another of Japan's most stunning gardens, the Ritsurin Koen.
   
   (Accommodation: Takamatsu Tokyu Rei Hotel or similar standard class hotel)

9. Day 9

   Location

   Iya Onsen

   Hotel

   Nano Yado Hotel Iya Onsen

   Meal

   Breakfast & Dinner

   Leave your hotel around 10AM.
   
   The first stop of the day is Konpirasan shrine, a common stop for pilgrims to the island and known for its balance of Buddhist and Shinto architecture. If you need to stretch your legs, I'm sure the 1,368 steps to the top can do that for you! (A bus is available to take you haflway up, to the main gate, but this must be booked in advance).
   
   From here, head South-West to one of Japan's best kept secrets to the enchanting Iya Valley, known for its magnificent vine bridges and picturesque mountain scenery. From nearby you can also witness one of Japan's more uniquely structured villages in Ochiai which exists on the side of a mountain, hidden from its enemies.

10. Day 10

    Location

    Osaka

    Hotel

    Dormy inn Premium Namba

    Meal

    Breakfast

    It's time to trade in your wheels for a much faster mode of transport! The bullet train awaits!
    
    Leave your ryokan around 10am and finish exploring the area at your own pace. Head back to Takamatsu and please return your car before 3PM. Next, it's off to Osaka. I hope it's not too much of a culture shock, but it's time to join in with the hustle and bustle of modern day Japan!
    
    Take a JR train to Osaka.
    e.g. Takamatsu 15:40 > Shin Osaka 17:42 via Okayama

11. Day 11

    Location

    Osaka

    Hotel

    Dormy inn Premium Namba

    Meal

    Breakfast

    Osaka is the main city in a region called Kansai, known in Japan as being a little less uptight and a little more wild than their Tokyo counterparts. Fantastic food, shopping, nightlife and the people are the real highlights of Osaka. After all that nature a little retail therapy and the city lights might be just what the doctor ordered.
    
    Don't worry though, if you're still hankering for tradition, you're only a short train ride away from Kyoto or Nara!

12. Day 12

    Meal

    Breakfast

    We hope by this stage that you have enjoyed your voyage into the more spiritual and hidden world of Japan, a part that many do not get to see on a trip simply to Tokyo and Kyoto. In Japan though, there's always more to see next time!
    
    After you check out from your hotel, please make your own way to the airport and return home. Sayonara!