Kyushu has quickly become one of my favorite places to visit in Japan. I knew this southern island was home to hot springs and a very active volcano, but the natural beauty and culture I found there still exceeded my expectations. And did you know Kyushu is only a 2-hour flight directly from Tokyo?

It is the kind of place where you can see the volcano smoking in the distance as you enjoy a natural hot spring, wander shrines on tiny islands in the afternoon, and end the day with a glass of locally made shochu. If you are planning a trip, here are ten unforgettable things to do in Miyazaki and Kagoshima Prefectures on Kyushu, based on my own travels!

Disclaimer: This post is in PR partnership with Tokyo Tokyo Old meets New and the tourism boards of Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures and JAL (Japan Airlines).

Miyazaki Prefecture

1. Stroll Through Takachiho Gorge

Takachiho Gorge is one of the most beautiful nature spots I have ever seen in Japan. It’s not surprising that out of everywhere in Kyushu, it’s the place you’re most likely to have seen on social media. The volcanic cliffs are made of volcanic basalt columns (if you’ve ever been to Iceland, you would have seen similar scenery there), and the river that winds between them is an unreal shade of blue.

I walked the easy trail that runs along the top of the gorge, stopping constantly to take photos because every corner was more magical than the last. If you have time and can get a booking in advance (online tickets go onsale 2 weeks out), rent a rowboat to get close to the waterfall that’s the star of Instagram shot of this place.

2. Ride the Takachiho Amaterasu Railway Grand Supercart

This was one of the most unexpectedly fun experiences on my trip! The Takachiho Amaterasu Railway runs an open-topped “super cart” the 5km from Takachiho to the Takachiho Iron Bridge, with sweeping views over the Takachiho mountains. The Takachiho Iron Bridge is the main attraction of this experience, as it’s Japan’s highest railway bridge at 105 meters tall.

It feels retro and a little quirky (they even use a bubble machine while you enjoy the views from the bridge), very popular with local Japanese tourists, and gives you a perspective of the region you cannot get from the ground. Don’t miss out on the small Takachiho Railway Memorial Museum after your ride – it’s super cute!

3. Experience Night Kagura at Takachiho Shrine

If you are interested in learning about traditional Japanese culture, do not miss the nightly Kagura performance at Takachiho Shrine (*depending on the season, it is not performed nightly). Kagura is a Shinto dance that tells the story of the sun goddess Amaterasu, and watching it in a shrine with hardly any other foreign tourists around felt like I was experiencing something truly local.

Takachiho’s Yokagura is an 800-year-old tradition with great significance to Japanese culture as a whole, as most Japanese people believe the gods descended from the heavens to create Japan right there in Miyazaki prefecture. Each dance represents a different retelling of gods and myths through song and dance, so while you might not be able to easily follow along with the story lines as a foreigner, it is still fascinating to watch and listen, especially the use of traditional masks and music.

One of the dances I got to see included one of the performers coming out into the crowd and using their god mask to “eat” the heads of members of the crowd, and I even got to participate in that and got chomped! Overall, it was a lot of fun and a great way to end your night in Takachiho.

4. Try Pack Rafting in Takachiho

For something a little more adventurous, head back to a different section of the river for pack rafting. The activity included hiking in while carrying our own inflatable rafts and equipment, then setting up in a very quiet section of Obashi Gorge (there was literally no one else around anywhere nearby but our group), to kayak a small part of the river and get up close to some waterfalls.

While the rafting itself was beginner-friendly, the hike in was a bit challenging – not because it was long, but because you have to scramble over some steep, slippery rocks while carrying your equipment, so I do recommend a certain fitness level for doing this activity.

But in terms of doing something unique in Kyushu, this is a real hidden gem activity, so I highly recommend it as long as you come in fully prepared for it! You can book this tour here.

5. Visit Aoshima Shrine

Aoshima Shrine sits on a tiny island surrounded by natural rock formations called the Devil’s Washboard that are visible at low tide. You cross a short bridge to reach the island, and the whole place feels like a tropical getaway tucked inside Japan – a very unique shrine experience compared to others I’ve visited across Japan.

First you’ll come across the shrine gate, which is a major photo attraction – so don’t miss out on snapping a selfie here. As you wander through the tropical jungle that the shrine is hidden in, you can leave your own wish at the tunnel of hanging wooden blocks with wishes written on them, and you can venture further into the forest to find some smaller shrines.

This is a beautiful spot to visit along the Miyazaki coastline, and while you’re in the area, make sure to also grab some famous local mango kakigori (Japanese shaved ice).

6. Tour the KIRISHIMA FACTORY GARDEN and Taste Shochu

Shochu is Kyushu’s signature spirit, made from locally farmed sweet potatoes. The KIRISHIMA FACTORY GARDEN offers tours that take you through the entire distillation process (and you can even peek into sections of their factory floors while on the tour) and ends with an opportunity to taste test several varieties of shochu that they create.

While sake is the much more famous liquor export of Japan, on Kyushu, shochu is the far more popular choice. In fact, the history of shochu production in Kyushu goes all the way back to the 16th century!

Kagoshima Prefecture

7. See the Sakurajima Volcano Up Close

Sakurajima is the most active volcano in Japan and sits right across the bay from Kagoshima City. While it used to be an island, the lava flow of 1914 (the last time a major eruption occurred) connected it with the Ōsumi Peninsula. What’s most interesting though is that even though this volcano is super active, Sakurajima still has a few thousand residents! And because of the especially fertile volcanic soil, Sakurajima also creates unique produce like the huge Sakurajima daikon radish and tiny Sakurajima komikan orange.

You can take a short ferry ride over and explore viewpoints, hot springs, and walking trails with constant views of the smoking crater (in fact, Sakurajima has been in near-constant eruption since 1955). Seeing a volcano from this close feels surreal and there are not many places in the world where you can do this. It ended up being one of my favorite days in Kyushu!

8. Try a Sand Steam Bath in Ibusuki

Ibusuki is famous for its natural sand baths where you lie down and get buried in hot volcanic sand. It sounds unusual, but it feels like being wrapped in a heated, weighted blanket while enjoying ocean views. You only spend about 10 minutes buried, but it is said to have many health benefits – several times better than soaking in the hot springs! It’s no wonder that this has been popular in Ibusuki for more than 300 years.

Because this experience is so unique to Kyushu, it is a very popular activity for Japanese tourists. In fact, the only other place in Japan that you can experience a sunamushi onsen is Beppu in Oita Prefecture, more north up the coast from Miyazaki, but those are artificial. Kagoshima is the only place in Japan that you can experience natural sand steam baths.

I tried the sunamushi onsen at Sand Bath Hall SARAKU in Ibusuki and left feeling completely relaxed. It is one of those only in Kagoshima experiences that you should absolutely try once!

9. Visit Ogawa Falls

Part of the Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, Ogawa Falls is about a 2-hour drive from Kagoshima. It’s only a 1.2km hike out to the waterfall on a mostly paved trail, making it good for almost any fitness level.

While there are a lot of beautiful waterfalls to be found around Kyushu, Ogawa Falls is particularly stunning at 46 meters high and 60 meters wide with its emerald green waters and volcanic rock walls and white sands below. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best waterfalls to visit in Kyushu!

10. Roast Your Own Hojicha at Wakōen

This might be one of the coolest hands-on experiences I’ve done in Japan! At Wakōen, you can try a handmade hojicha roasting experience where you roast the tea yourself and then get to taste it right away. I loved learning about the process of brewing authentic Japanese green tea. First, we learned how to brew a kabuse-fukamushicha (shaded deep-steamed Japanese green tea) and then we roasted hojicha using a houroku and brewed the freshly roasted hojicha. If you’re a fan of tea, this is definitely the workshop for you!

You can also see their tea fields while you’re there, or do one of their other workshops, like learning how to hand roll Japanese black tea. Plus, you can take home your freshly roasted tea as a unique souvenir.

Steal My 1-Day Tokyo Itinerary

Stopping through Tokyo for a layover on your way to Kyushu? Steal my one-day itinerary I did on my recent trip, including popular photo spots like SHIBUYA SKY and off-the-beaten path activities like a Japanese drumming workshop!

Zazen Meditation Workshop

For this activity, you meet up with a local monk at his shrine, Asakusa Kinryuji, for a morning of zen meditation. Zazen meditation is a central practice of Zen Buddhism. The workshop includes breathing exercises, learning about the long history of the practice, and participation in a matcha tea ceremony with time for questions at the end. The whole experience takes about 90 minutes, and you can book it here.

Take in the Views at SHIBUYA SKY

This is currently a very popular viewpoint in Tokyo – and for good reason! Your ticket gets you entry to the rooftop observation platform, where you can see the famous Shibuya Scramble crossing. On a clear day, you can even see Mt. Fuji in the distance!

Since this viewing platform is outside, I find this the best place to get Tokyo skyline photos with less glass in the way and better lighting. Because of its popularity, I recommend booking this 2 weeks in advance when tickets go onsale. Sunset tickets tend to sell out quickly, but if you manage to snag one of those, you can swap this activity to being later in the day or whatever works best in your trip’s schedule. Book your tickets here.

When you’re done, find a lunch spot in Shibuya and do a little shopping – there’s tons to do here! I personally love shopping at the Shibuya Parco mall and at Tower Records.

Taiko Drumming Lesson

If you’re looking to do something a little more hands-on that gets your heart pumping, this is definitely the activity for you! Taiko is a style of Japanese drumming and the word also refers to the music and drum itself.

For the workshop at TAIKO-LAB, you start with a bit of simple stretching and a short lecture on Taiko and the breakdown of the beginner lessons. Our class was broken into three lesson parts – Oroshi, Wasshoy, and 3-3-7. Once we practiced these basic taiko movements and how to hit the drum correctly, by the end we were able to put it all together for a short group performance! Our instructor even gave us his own short show at the end, so we could see what it looks like at a high level.

Overall, this was a super fun activity, and it’s even family-friendly as they allow anyone above the age of three to participate. You can book your lesson here!

Dinner and Nightlife in Sancha

To wrap up our day, we went to what was described as an “adult social yakitori restaurant” or more simply, an izakaya, called Sancha Ikkyu Hanare. This is the perfect place to go as a group of adult friends to share some drinks (and you have to try some local sake and shochu while you’re at it) and small food plates and experience a bit of what the locals normally do for after-work socializing and unwinding. Izakaya restaurants are the pub culture of Japan, so I highly recommend checking one out during your trip!