Taste of Kyushu: Autumn Sumo and Gourmet Tour 2026
Savor the flavors of Kyushu!
Dive deep into Japan’s southern island this autumn with two nights at a premium ryokan (includes a private onsen in your room!), exceptional regional cuisine every day, and the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament!
Updated and further refined for 2026, our fully-guided itinerary takes you across Japan’s southernmost island, journeying to difficult-to-access regions like the extraordinary Senganen Garden in southern Kagoshima, while maintaining a leisurely pace to ensure your vacation doesn’t become exhausting. You’ll even have the unique opportunity to ride a special “coastal café” sightseeing train in the group’s own private car!
There are a multitude of unique shopping opportunities, like a black vinegar factory (a Kirishima specialty), some of the best green tea you’ve ever had at Ureshino Ochamura tea factory, plus plenty of time to soak away your stress in a variety of soothing hot springs, including two nights with your own private onsen bath in your room!
Plus, you’ll get to experience one of Japan’s foremost cultural traditions for yourself at the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament!** The raw power displayed by these mammoth wresters has to be seen in person to be believed.
**Sumo tournament attendance date is subject to lottery ticket system. Exact itinerary TBD before departure.
Destination Highlights for the Taste of Kyushu Tour
Fukuoka – Kumamoto – Ureshino – Sakurajima – Kagoshima – Obama Onsen – Nagasaki – Saga Prefecture – and more!
Walk through ancient temples and gardens splashed with brilliant autumn colors, try your hand at making your very own sushi, and enjoy your fill of local gourmet cuisine at every exceptional meal. Get away from the crowds and come discover why Kyushu is a true travel destination treasure.
What’s included on the Taste of Kyushu Tour:
- Comfortable, smooth flights with Japan Airlines (Full Package only)
- Expert English-speaking local guide and a professional tour escort from Honolulu
- A private professional driver and full-sized bus to spread out and relax in transit between adventures
- Authentic cultural activities like picking a matcha tea ceremony amidst a serene Japanese garden, making your own authentic sushi, a shochu brewery tour and tasting, hands-on traditional crafts activities, and more!
- Relaxing stays at exceptional hotels and onsen (hot springs) resorts
- 24 fantastic meals, featuring regional and seasonal delicacies, including a deluxe crab kaiseki dinner!
- Portable Pocket WiFi to stay connected to family and friends back home (an HIS exclusive!)
Key Highlights:
- Stay two wonderful nights at Obama Onsen Iseya, a premium ryokan (Japanese inn) offering first-class accommodations and unparalleled gourmet meals. You’ll have your own onsen bath right in your room for the ultimate in luxurious relaxation!
- Ride a “coastal cafe” sightseeing train through the countryside, including the group’s own private car!
- Experience a matcha green tea ceremony within the grounds of spectacular Senganen Japanese Garden. Dating from the 17th century, this garden was once the property of the Shimazu family, one of Japan’s most powerful feudal clans during the Edo Period.
- Learn from a local chef and try making your own authentic sushi for dinner! You’ll have a new appreciation for the intricacies of sushi after this fun experience.
- Attend the Fukuoka Grand Sumo tournament and feel the immense physicality of Japan’s sporting pastime. Exact attendance date TBD before departure.
- Savor specialty seasonal and regional cuisine with 24 included exceptional meals, including multiple traditional kaiseki dinners that change their menu to feature the best ingredients according to the season.
- Feel the richness of the country’s culture through hands-on activities that let you meet local residents and learn from experienced artisans. Paint your own “Hakata doll”, learn how to make soba noodles from scratch, use glassware to create a “dragonfly ball” piece, and even take part in a traditional Noh theater performing arts experience.
- Relax with a full free day in Fukuoka to do any last-minute shopping or enjoy certain foods you’ve always wanted to try, all at your own pace! You can also add an optional day tour if you’d prefer. Ask us for suggestions!
Tour Itinerary
10 NIGHTS / 11 DAYS IN JAPAN
Click here to see the full tour schedule!
**Hotels subject to change in case of unexpected circumstances
Day 0 – November 9 (Monday): Departure from Honolulu
- Your journey to Japan begins at Honolulu International Airport. Relax before boarding your nonstop flight to Tokyo-Haneda with Japan Airlines (JAL). Get ready for an unforgettable adventure!
Day 1 – November 10 (Tuesday): Arrival in Japan
- Arrive at Haneda International Airport, pass through immigration and customs, then have a bit of time to relax while waiting for your short domestic flight down to Kyushu. Upon arrival at Fukuoka Airport, meet with our Japan representative and take a quick bus ride to your hotel. Rest up for the tour!
- Hotel: Hotel Monterey Fukuoka
- Meals included: Two meals served onboard the international flight
Day 2 – November 11 (Wednesday): Exploring Fukuoka
- Kick off your trip with a traditional “Hakata Doll” hands-on painting experience. Stroll around the stunning Nanzoin Temple grounds, famous for its giant lying Buddha statue. Finish the day shopping at Aeon Mall Fukuoka, full of fun stores like Uniqlo and even a micropig café! You’ll have free time here to choose your own dinner this evening.
- Hotel: Hotel Monterey Fukuoka
- Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 3 – November 12 (Thursday): Down to Kumamoto
- Start with a visit to Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka’s most famous Shinto shrine, and definitely check out the many shops leading up to the entrance for omiyage. After a delicious course lunch, marvel at towering Kumamoto Castle, originally constructed in the 15th century, then end the day with a deluxe kaiseki dinner at your hot springs ryokan (Japanese-style inn).
- Hotel: Hotel Ryokan Ayunosato
- Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4 – November 13 (Friday): Into Kagoshima
Itinerary Summary
| Day | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11-NOV | HNL Airport departure on Hawaiian Airlines (nonstop flight) |
| 2 | 12-NOV | Arrive in Fukuoka, rest at hotel |
| 3 | 13-NOV | Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Kumamoto Castle sightseeing and Josaien shopping, Hitoyoshi onsen hot springs |
| 4 | 14-NOV | Sengetsu Shuzo Shochu Factory, Black Vinegar specialty restaurant and shopping, Mt. Sakurajima sightseeing, ferry to Kagoshima, hot springs! |
| 5 | 15-NOV | Senganen garden and residence with tea ceremony experience, fabric dyeing hands-on experience, Tenmonkan shopping district, make-your-own sushi experience, hot springs! |
| 6 | 16-NOV | Special “Orange Shokudo” gourmet sightseeing train experience with deluxe lunch, ferry ride to Nagasaki Prefecture, head to Obama Onsen for private hot springs in your room! |
| 7 | 17-NOV | Dolphin watching boat cruise, “dragonfly ball” glass crafts experience, Unzen Jigoku “Hells” sightseeing, private hot springs in your room! |
| 8 | 18-NOV | Nagasaki Castella sponge cake specialty store, Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park + Atomic Bomb Museum, meet a bombing survivor and listen to his/her story of the experience |
| 9 | 19-NOV | Ureshino Ochamura tea factory tour and shopping, Mifuneyama Rakuen Autumn Festival sightseeing, Aeon Mall shopping, return to Fukuoka |
| 10 | 20-NOV | Hakata Doll Painting hands-on experience, Fukuoka Grand Sumo Tournament, deluxe farewell dinner at local restaurant |
| 11 | 21-NOV | Free day to explore Fukuoka at your own pace! |
| 12 | 22-NOV | Free morning, reassemble after lunch and visit Nanzoin Temple for the famous “reclining Buddha” statue, traditional “Nohgaku” performing arts experience, move to airport and depart for HNL in the evening on Hawaiian Airlines (nonstop flight) |
