Kyushu Hot Springs & Flavours

Arrive in Beppu, Japan's city of hot springs, and meet a local guide at the station for a journey through the city's otherworldly landscape of bubbling ponds and geothermal vents. Start at the Jigoku Onsen Museum, using digital exhibits to unpack the history, legends and healing lore behind Beppu's famous onsens. Continue on to Kannawa, one of Beppu's oldest onsen districts, for lunch: jigokumushi, a local specialty in which ingredients are steamed entirely by geothermal heat. Walk the neighbourhood afterwards, past traditional ryokans and shopfronts wreathed in rising steam, then visit Umi Jigoku, a cobalt-blue spring scorched to 98 degrees, and the bubbling mud pool of Oonishi Bozu Hell nearby. Finish at Kamado Jigoku, the "Cooking Pot Hell", where six distinct types of hot spring cluster in one spot, before returning to Beppu Station by public transport. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Beppu.

Today is self-guided. Leave Beppu by bus for Kurokawa Onsen, one of Japan's most celebrated hot spring towns, stopping en route in Yufuin, an onsen village at the foot of Mount Yufu filled with traditional inns and craft shops. Walk the main street to Lake Kinrinko, a small lake fed by both hot and cold springs and one of the prettiest spots in town. Continue by bus or taxi to Kurokawa Onsen, a riverside mountain town known for its authentic, unhurried atmosphere. Spend the evening bathhouse-hopping between Kurokawa's hot spring baths, wandering the town in a traditional yukata. Overnight in Kurokawa Onsen.

After a final soak in the hot spring, leave Kurokawa Onsen by bus back to Yufuin to board the scenic Yufuin-no-Mori train to Fukuoka, Kyushu's culinary capital. In the afternoon, meet a foodie guide for a tour through Fukuoka's tastes, starting at the fish market to see how locals choose the day's freshest catch, with a sample of dried and deep-fried snacks along the way. Continue to a depachika, the food-hall basement of a department store lined with delicatessens and confectioners, then try a stand-up eating counter, a fast, informal style popular with the city's busy office workers. Finish among Fukuoka's famous yatai, open-air food stalls that spring to life in the early evening, serving both Japanese classics and local specialties. Overnight in Fukuoka.

Today is free to explore independently, with two ways to spend it. Head to Dazaifu, a city that served as Kyushu's seat of government for more than 500 years, to see Dazaifu Tenmangu, the most important of Japan's Tenmangu shrines, and Komyozenji Temple, known for its contrasting rock-and-moss gardens. Alternatively, arrange a guided cycling tour of Fukuoka, riding flat, easy routes through Hakata's old town and the ruins of Fukuoka Castle, with a stop at the Korokan Historical Museum and a finish with a bowl of Hakata's famous tonkotsu ramen, widely considered among the best in Japan. Overnight in Fukuoka.

Enjoy a final morning at leisure in Fukuoka before departing for your next destination.