Regions / 地方

Kyūshū 九州

火山と温泉の島

Volcanoes, tonkotsu ramen, and hot springs — the island where Japan first made contact with the world.

九州

北海道東北関東中部関西中国四国九州沖縄

Capital

Fukuoka 福岡

Area

42,232 km²

Climate

Warm Pacific & East China Sea climate · hot humid summers · mild winters

Best season

Mar–May · Oct–Nov · winter for hot springs

Overview 概要

Kyūshū is Japan's third-largest island and its southern gateway, historically the first point of contact with Chinese, Korean, and later Portuguese and Dutch traders — Nagasaki in particular was one of Japan's only windows to the outside world during the country's 200+ years of isolation (sakoku). The island remains geologically restless: Mount Aso, one of the world's largest volcanic calderas, still smokes actively, and Beppu and Yufuin channel that volcanic energy into some of Japan's most famous hot spring towns. Fukuoka, Kyūshū's largest city, is a modern, food-driven hub known for its yatai (street food stalls) and tonkotsu ramen, while Kagoshima in the south sits in the shadow of the still-active volcano Sakurajima.

Must-see highlights 見どころ

Interactive — drag, click a photo, or press ←→ Space to let it wander on its own, Enter to enlarge, S to hear the name, 1–9 to jump

WHAT YOU'LL SEE この順に

01 / 05

Regional cuisine 郷土料理

6 dishes — a waterfall of cards with the full text; tap any photo to see it full size. Jump here with F

01 Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen 博多とんこつラーメン Fukuoka's famous pork-bone broth ramen, rich and cloudy, with thin, firm noodles.

02 Motsunabe もつ鍋 A hot pot of beef or pork offal simmered with cabbage and chives in a garlic-chili or miso broth, another Fukuoka specialty.

03 Nagasaki Champon 長崎ちゃんぽん A noodle dish blending Chinese and Japanese influences, reflecting Nagasaki's history as a trading port.

04 Kurobuta Tonkatsu 黒豚とんかつ Kagoshima's prized black pork, breaded and fried, known for its tenderness.

05 Karashi Renkon からし蓮根 Kumamoto's deep-fried lotus root stuffed with spicy mustard-miso paste.

06 Shōchū 焼酎 Kyūshū is Japan's heartland for shōchū, a distilled spirit made from sweet potato, barley, or rice, especially in Kagoshima and Miyazaki.

Festivals & events 祭り

4 festivals, and two seasons to plan around — jump here with M, on to the game with G

01 Hakata Gion Yamakasa

博多祇園山笠

Early July — Fukuoka's centuries-old festival where teams race through the streets carrying massive decorated floats

02 Nagasaki Kunchi

長崎くんち

Early October — a festival blending Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch influences, featuring a dragon dance reflecting Nagasaki's trading history

03 Karatsu Kunchi

唐津くんち

Early November — Saga's festival of enormous lacquered floats shaped like lions, dragons, and helmets, paraded through the streets

04 Ohara Matsuri

おはら祭

Mid-November — Kagoshima's largest festival, with thousands dancing through the streets to the folk song "Ohara Bushi"

冬 / Fuyu

12月–2月

December to February

Mild along the coast, snow-capped on Aso — and this is the region's trump card: steaming hotspring towns like Beppu and Yufuin are at their best when the air is cold.

夏 / Natsu

7月–8月

July and August

Blazing sun and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa races in July. Beaches in Miyazaki fill up, and late summer means typhoon watch — check forecasts before crossing to the islands.

Let's play 九州で遊ぼう

8 rounds — Kyūshū food, places and festivals, every round with a photo. Press Start, then answer in English. Listen with the speaker button any time.

ROUND 1/08

SCORE 0

STREAK 0

TIME 15

First run

Getting there アクセス

Fukuoka is Kyūshū's main hub, reachable from Osaka in about 2.5 hours and Tokyo in about 5 hours on the San'yō/Kyūshū Shinkansen, or via direct flights into Fukuoka Airport, which sits unusually close to the city center. The Kyūshū Shinkansen connects Fukuoka south to Kumamoto and Kagoshima, making the island's west side easy to travel by rail, while eastern areas like Beppu and Miyazaki are better reached by limited express train or car. Nagasaki is also directly Shinkansen-connected as of 2022.