Fukuoka Hostel
Hostel
Day 1
Kyushu — 5 days (Fukuoka, Beppu, Yufuin, Aso & Takachiho)
Eight days from Fukuoka to Nagasaki, by rail. Five days covering Fukuoka, Beppu and Nagasaki without the Aso and Takachiho detour.
Meridian Overland
Runs this trip
Walking / cultural tour
Eight days from Fukuoka to Nagasaki, by rail
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Nakasu yataiEight days round the southern island — the most active caldera in Japan, an onsen town that vents steam from the pavement, and Nagasaki. Umi JigokuBeppu produces more hot water than anywhere in Japan and steam comes out of drains and gardens across the town. YufuinThe Aso caldera is about twenty-five kilometres across with towns, rice fields and a railway inside it.
Itinerary
Eight days round the southern island — the most active caldera in Japan, an onsen town that vents steam from the pavement, and Nagasaki.
FukuokaHow the day runs
- 0 hrsThe subway in — the airport is five minutes from the centre
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationFukuoka Hostel
Included Activities
- Hotel night
- Rail pass for the week
LANDMARKS Nakasu yatai Canal City Ohori park Start point Fukuoka, Fukuoka Airport (FUK) 00:00 - 23:59Beppu produces more hot water than anywhere in Japan and steam comes out of drains and gardens across the town. The jigoku are for looking at, not bathing in.
Fukuoka, BeppuHow the day runs
- 2 hrs9:00 AM — the limited express down the coast
- 3 hrs1:00 PM — the jigoku, and a sand bath
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationBeppu Hostel
Included Activities
- Jigoku pass and sand bath
- Ryokan at Beppu
LANDMARKS Umi Jigoku Chinoike Jigoku Sand bath Steam vents The Aso caldera is about twenty-five kilometres across with towns, rice fields and a railway inside it. You do not notice you are in a volcano until you see the rim.
Beppu, Yufuin, AsoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs8:30 AM — over the hills on the scenic line
- 2 hrs1:00 PM — south into the Aso caldera
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationAso Hostel
Included Activities
- Transport
- Ryokan at Aso
LANDMARKS Yufuin Kinrin lake Aso caldera rim Access to the crater rim closes on sulphur dioxide readings, sometimes for months. The gate is either open or it is not, and nobody argues with it.
AsoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs8:00 AM — up to the crater road
- 4 hrs9:00 AM — the Nakadake rim, or Kusasenri if it is closed
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationAso Hostel
Included Activities
- Crater access when open
- Ryokan night
LANDMARKS Nakadake crater Kusasenri Komezuka The gorge is columnar basalt from an Aso eruption, and the boats book out weeks ahead in autumn. Amano Iwato is where the sun goddess is said to have hidden.
Aso, TakachihoHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:30 AM — south-east into Miyazaki
- 1 hrs11:00 AM — the gorge by rowing boat, booked
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationTakachiho Hostel
Included Activities
- Boat booking and shrine entry
- Guesthouse at Takachiho
LANDMARKS Takachiho gorge Manai falls Amano Iwato shrine The 2016 earthquake brought down walls and turrets and the rebuild is scheduled into the 2030s. You walk it on an elevated path through a working site.
Takachiho, KumamotoHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — west across the island
- 3 hrs1:30 PM — the castle and Suizenji garden
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationKumamoto Hostel
Included Activities
- Castle and garden entries
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Kumamoto Castle Suizenji Reconstruction works Dejima was the artificial island where Dutch traders were confined for over two centuries, and it was Japan's only window on Europe for most of that time.
Kumamoto, NagasakiHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:30 AM — west by the new shinkansen and limited express
- 4 hrs11:00 AM — the Atomic Bomb Museum, the hypocentre and Dejima
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNagasaki Hostel
Included Activities
- Museum and Dejima entries
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Peace Park Atomic Bomb Museum Dejima Glover Garden Two hours, and Fukuoka airport is five minutes from the station by subway.
Nagasaki, FukuokaHow the day runs
- 2 hrs9:00 AM — back to Fukuoka
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Rail and airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Rail pass for the week
- Day 2Jigoku pass and sand bath
- Day 2Ryokan at Beppu
- Day 3Transport
- Day 3Ryokan at Aso
- Day 4Crater access when open
- Day 4Ryokan night
- Day 5Boat booking and shrine entry
- Day 5Guesthouse at Takachiho
- Day 6Castle and garden entries
- Day 7Museum and Dejima entries
- Day 8Rail and airport transfer
- Day 1 · 1 nightFukuoka Hostel
- Day 2 · 1 nightBeppu Hostel
- Day 3 · 2 nightsAso Hostel
- Day 5 · 1 nightTakachiho Hostel
- Day 6 · 1 nightKumamoto Hostel
- Day 7 · 1 nightNagasaki Hostel
- Day 1Fukuoka to FukuokaThe subway in — the airport is five minutes from the centre
- Day 2Fukuoka to Beppu9:00 AM — the limited express down the coast
- Day 3Beppu to Yufuin8:30 AM — over the hills on the scenic line
- Day 3Yufuin to Aso1:00 PM — south into the Aso caldera
- Day 4Aso to Aso8:00 AM — up to the crater road
- Day 5Aso to Takachiho8:30 AM — south-east into Miyazaki
- Day 6Takachiho to Kumamoto9:00 AM — west across the island
- Day 7Kumamoto to Nagasaki8:30 AM — west by the new shinkansen and limited express
- Day 8Nagasaki to Fukuoka9:00 AM — back to Fukuoka
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Beppu Hostel
Hostel
Day 2
Aso Hostel
Hostel
Days 3, 4
Takachiho Hostel
Hostel
Day 5
Kumamoto Hostel
Hostel
Day 6
Nagasaki Hostel
Hostel
Day 7
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts and 5 dinners across 8 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 8.
- DinnerServed on days 1–5
- BreakfastServed on days 2–8
12 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 12 reviews
Review summary
Food4.5/5
Guide4.5/5
Itinerary4.3/5
Transport4.2/5
Accommodation4.3/5
Tour operator4.3/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
S
Sneha Kulkarni – Bengaluru2026-05-02 · Verified booking
Good mix of the obvious things and a few places we'd never have found. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it. Recommended.
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4
J
James Whelan – Melbourne2026-05-02 · Verified booking
Kyushu done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Recommended.
Reply from Meridian Overland
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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5
L
Laura Whitfield – Zurich2026-05-02 · Verified booking
Good mix of the obvious things and a few places we'd never have found. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. Never went hungry, and the tea appeared exactly when it was needed. Good value for what's included.
Reply from Meridian Overland
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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5
T
Tom Bergman – Berlin2026-05-02 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. The cooking was a genuine surprise — better than most places we'd have picked ourselves. Worth every rupee.
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5
F
Farah Qureshi – Nagpur2025-09-10 · Verified booking
Well paced over 8 days with enough free time to not feel herded. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. No hesitation recommending them.
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4
D
Divya Reddy – Lucknow2025-09-10 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Recommended.
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4
A
Aditi Rao – Lucknow2025-09-10 · Verified booking
Good mix of the obvious things and a few places we'd never have found. Recommended.
Reply from Meridian Overland
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
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5
K
Karan Shah – Pune2025-09-10 · Verified booking
Good mix of the obvious things and a few places we'd never have found. Dorms were tidy and the common areas were where the group actually gelled. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Worth every rupee.
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Questions people ask
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