Kyushu Day Trips

Located near the center of the beautiful Kyushu Island, Kumamoto offers many short trip opportunities for locals who want to get away for the day. From nature reserves to picturesque towns, here’s a selection of some of the best ways to spend a few hours away from the hustle and bustle.  Takachiho  The sleepy town of Takachiho lies within the mountains of northern Kyushu, just across the border in Miyazaki prefecture. It’s best known for the magnificent gorge that flows through part of the town. Formed centuries ago from lava flows from Mount Aso, it’s a tourist favorite where you can take a rowing boat and marvel at sights such as the 17m-high Manai Falls. Elsewhere stands Takachiho Shrine, a Shinto shrine nearly 2,000 years old, set among towering cedar trees. Here you’ll find the ‘couple tree’ – two trees entwined at the roots to become one, which lovers walk around and make wishes. Nearby is a beautiful wooden theater where traditional Yokagura dances are held in the evenings.  Website: https://www.town-takachiho.jp/ Amakusa Islands  Amakusa Islands are around 120 islands off the west coast of Kyushu, with the three main islands – Shimoshima, Ueshima, and Oyano – connected to the mainland…