Authentic Japanese Culture on the Islands of Kyushu and Shikoku

After arriving in Kagoshima, settle into your hotel and start exploring this historic city: stroll through Senganen Garden and Flower Park Kagoshima before heading to Cape Nagasakibana, where you will be rewarded with stunning views of Mt. Kaimondake, the city’s answer to Mt Fuji. Upon returning to your hotel, you will have the option of experiencing an onsen (Japanese hot spring), while gazing out over the sea.

On your second day in Ibusuki, enjoy a walk along the beach or through one of the many parks in the area. Later, visit Satsuma Denshokan Museum, which focuses on the history of the region since the Meiji restoration, and the village of Chiran, a preserved samurai district, before settling in for dinner and a relaxing evening at your hotel.

Today, you’re off to Yakushima Island, Japan’s first UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Awarded this accolade due to its abundance of rich flora, this island is home to the impressive Jomon Sugi, a sacred cryptomeria and a popular pilgrimage destination. Spend the day exploring the scenic trails and breathtaking views of several impressive mountains, rising up to 6,500 feet, and pay a visit to the local environmental and cultural village center, where you may learn about the area’s history and ecology. Settle in for the evening and enjoy an overnight stay at Sankara Hotel and Spa.

After breakfast, set out on a hike to Oko Waterfall, the largest waterfalls in Yakushima and the highest in southern Kyushu. Next, learn how to make chopsticks and keyrings out of the ancient cedars at Kashima-Kougei, the oldest crafts business on the island. Later, stroll through Shakunage No Mori Park to enjoy views of the river, mountains and laurel-leaved forests as well as visit small workshops around the island, where you can witness local craftsmen at work and some small galleries displaying their goods.

After a short flight to Kagoshima, get ready to see the mountains of Kirishima, which offer some of the most fascinating volcanic landscapes and hiking opportunities in the country. Learn about these mountains, important in the creation mythology of Japan, and later relax in your room at the beautiful Wasurenosato Gajoen.

This morning, pay a visit to Kirishima Open Air Museum, a vast outdoor museum that uses landscapes and forest space in its sculpture exhibitions. Afterward, enjoy a hike to Sengri-ga-taki Waterfall or opt to visit the Kirishima-jingu shrine, a large and beautiful shrine rich in history, deemed a cultural asset to the nation. Enjoy another overnight stay at Wasurenosato Gajoen.

Today, experience a scenic train and ferry ride from Kagoshima to Uwajima, where you can explore the great coastal scenery and tasty local seafood restaurants of the waterfront. Try some local delicacies, such as Taimeshi (rice and sea bream) and Jakoten (fish cakes). Depending on the season, you may also be able to witness a one-of-a-kind bullfighting event, as these take place here four times a year.

Get ready for a day of cultural exploration! First up, visit Uwajima Castle, one of only 12 castles in Japan that has survived intact since the Edo period, and Doi Pearl Farm, where you will witness the entire line of pearl production and culturing. Later, explore two shrines: Warei, which is used by fishermen to pray for a good catch and safe voyage, and Taga, an ancient Shinto fertility shrine full of phalluses.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart for the Iya Valley, with sightseeing in Kochi en route. Upon arrival, visit Kochi Castle, one of the few original castles remaining in Japan. Distinguished by its rare design, the castle’s main keep once served as the feudal lord’s residence, offering insight into Edo-period life. Originally built in the early 17th century and carefully rebuilt in the 18th century after a fire, it remains an important historical landmark on Shikoku.

A short walk away, continue to Hirome Market, a lively gathering place with dozens of food stalls showcasing local specialties, including Kochi’s famed seared bonito. Enjoy lunch here alongside locals in a relaxed, informal setting.

In the afternoon, continue onward to the Iya Valley, a remote region known for its dramatic mountain scenery, vine bridges, and mist-filled gorges. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure, unwinding in the hotel’s open-air hot springs and taking in expansive valley views in one of Japan’s most secluded onsen settings.

After breakfast, set out to explore the distinctive landscapes and traditions of the region. Begin with a stop at the Hinoji Valley Viewpoint, where sweeping views reveal the dramatic curves of the gorge below, followed by a brief visit to the Peeing Boy Statue, a well-known local landmark perched high above the river.

Continue to Miyoshi to stroll through the historic Udatsu streets, lined with preserved townhouses that reflect the area’s merchant past. Enjoy lunch in a restored farmhouse, offering an introduction to the food traditions and rural lifestyle of Japan’s mountain communities.

In the afternoon, visit Kenmi Shrine, a serene forest sanctuary that reflects the spiritual heritage of the Iya Valley. Return to your hotel later in the day, with the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Begin the day with a visit to the Oku-Iya Kazurabashi Bridge, one of Japan’s last remaining vine suspension bridges. Handwoven from mountain vines and spanning a clear river deep in the valley, the bridge offers a striking glimpse into how locals once navigated this remote landscape. If weather permits, enjoy a relaxed riverside coffee break nearby.

If desired, continue to Nagoro Village, a near-abandoned mountain hamlet known for its lifelike scarecrow figures, created by a former resident as a reflection on rural depopulation and daily life in the valley.

Later, take part in a soba-making workshop at Tsuzuki Shoten, learning traditional techniques before enjoying the results of your efforts. The experience is followed by a local folk performance, offering insight into the region’s cultural heritage.

Conclude the day with a stroll through Ochiai Village, a beautifully preserved historic settlement of steep-roofed houses clinging to the mountainside, overlooking the Iya Valley and offering a lasting sense of the area’s past.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head to Takamatsu with touring en route. You'll first stop at Shigesue Village to take part in a hands-on tea-making workshop, learning the traditional preparation of local green tea and hojicha. Following the workshop, visit a small hillside altar where you will observe a simple local offering ritual, sharing a quiet, personal moment with a village family before continuing your journey.

Arriving in Takamatsu, enjoy a French inspired lunch at a popular local restaurant, where contemporary flavors are set within a traditional bonsai garden setting. After lunch, explore the bonsai garden and if desired, you can opt to take part in a hands-on trimming experience, followed by a moment of calm over matcha tea.

Continue by private vehicle to Ritsurin Garden, where you will stroll through one of Japan’s most celebrated landscape gardens in the company of a bonsai master, gaining insight into the aesthetics and philosophy behind the garden’s design.

Conclude the visit with a private Japanese-style boat cruise, offering a serene perspective of Ritsurin Garden’s ponds, bridges, and meticulously composed scenery.

After breakfast, depart the hotel for Takamatsu Port, where you will board a private cruise bound for one of the art islands of the Seto Inland Sea. Choose from the following island experiences:

Naoshima - Known internationally for its contemporary art and architecture, Naoshima offers a full day immersed in art set against coastal scenery. Visits may include the Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House Museum, and the Art House Project, where modern works are woven into the island’s residential spaces.

Teshima - A full-day visit to an island transformed through art and community revitalization. Highlights may include the contemplative Teshima Art Museum and lunch at Umi no Restaurant, showcasing local ingredients and sea views.

Megijima & Ogijima - These neighboring islands retain a nostalgic fishing-village atmosphere, known for their resident cats and small-scale art installations. Explore Megijima’s traditional shopping street, visit Toyotamahime Shrine, and encounter art works scattered throughout the villages.

Return by private cruise with the option to have private sushi chef service onboard, arriving in Takamatsu in the late afternoon or early evening.

After breakfast, check-out of the hotel and head to Iyadani-ji Temple, the 71st stop on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Dramatically set on a steep mountainside, the temple is reached via a long stone stairway and is known for its atmospheric halls tucked into the forested slopes.

From Iyadani-ji, mount e-bikes for a comfortable ride of approximately three miles to Mandara-ji Temple, the 72nd pilgrimage temple. One of the oldest temples on the route, Mandara-ji is associated with healing and longevity and is distinguished by its spacious grounds and historic pagoda.

After your ride, you're off to Awaji Island, an island rich in history: learn how it was supposedly the first ever island to be created and see all the various different relics of Japan’s early history, such as Izanagi Shrine - Japan’s oldest shrine - which was built on the site of the divine couple’s dwelling.

If you did not get a chance to visit Izanagi Shrine on your first day on the island, you will have another chance today. Accompany a local storyteller for a stroll around the grounds, before entering the worship hall and receiving a blessing from a Shinto priest, who will purify your body and soul in the traditional Shinto way. Relax and unwind with one more night at your hotel.

On your final day, you will either drive from Awaji Island to Kobe or Osaka to catch connections home or onto your next exciting destination.