Spread the love
Post Views: 16

As Japan continues its phased border opening and begins to welcome back visitors from Australia and New Zealand, travellers can look ahead to a range of new openings and attractions across the island of Kyushu.

From a boutique hotel located on UNESCO Heritage listed island, Goto, to the launch of Japan’s newest bullet train route, there’s more to experience across Kyushu than ever before.

Hotel Openings:

Okcs Retreat Goto Ray Lobby

World Heritage Island luxury at okcs Retreat Goto ray, Nagasaki | opens late August 2022: Japanese hotel operator, onkochishin inc., together with owner, Sojitz, will open a brand-new small luxury hotel on Goto Island, Nagasaki this August. Known as okcs Retreat Goto ray, the boutique property will be located within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Goto, designated to protect its historic churches. The property will promote the island’s specialties, including churches, landscape (overlooking the lava coast) and culinary practices, while providing a one-of-a-kind luxury hotel experience. From the beginning of the day to the setting sun, the property has been designed specifically for guests to witness the changing colours of the sea and the sky. This will be the fifth hotel in the onkochishin “okcs Retreat” collection in Japan; and the second hotel on a remote island of Nagasaki Prefecture, with okcs Retreat Iki Kairi receiving a Michelin five-star rating in 2019.

Upscale farmhouse-style stay at KAI Yufuin, Oita | opens August 3rd 2022: experience the charm and relaxation of rural Japan with a farmhouse-style ryokan. With views of Mt Yufu and fields of rice that can be enjoyed from a wraparound verandah, guests can unwind in the property’s indoor and outdoor onsen pools filled with local Yufuin spring water. 45 rooms accommodate parties of 1 – 4 people, with a selection of KAI Signature rooms designed to reflect local characteristics, for example a Firefly themed room with flickering lights to mirror the fireflies dancing on the water outside, that are crafted using rare shichitoi straw.

Akane Sasu Hizen Hamashuku, Saga |Opened in January 2022, Hizen Hamashuku has prospered since the Meiji period through the brewing industry known as “Sake Brewery Street”. Three of the original 13 breweries remain, with a total of 6 operating in Kashima City. Akane Sasu Hizen Hamashuku is located on this iconic street, housed in a 100+ year-old historic building. Guests can experience the history and culture of the region and sample its Sake with the knowledge and expertise of the property’s local owners.

Stay in a Sake Brewery Onyado Fukuchiyo | Opened in May 2021, this is the first sake brewery auberge in Japan (Auberge is a French word meaning “restaurant where you can stay”). Fukuchiyo Shuzo Sake Brewery makes the famous Nabeshima Sake (an IWC world champion), so guests get an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the brewery and can order at cost a special Nabeshima Sake pairing menu to go with their dinner. With only one group booking for food and accommodation here each day, guests can expect a unique and very private experience.

Transport:

Seven Stars Luxury Train Journey

New Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Bullet Train (Nagasaki-Takeo Onsen) | September 2022: A new stretch of Shinkansen high speed line on Kyushu Island will begin operations from September 23, 2022 – known as the West Kyushu (“Nishi Kyushu”) Shinkansen service. The route will run between Takeo-Onsen Station in Saga Prefecture and Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki Prefecture, comprising five stops over approximately 66 kilometers (41 miles). Travel between Hakata Station and Nagasaki Station will now take 1 hour 20 minutes, (saving 30 minutes on the current route available). JR Kyushu recently confirmed the service name will be Kamome, meaning “Seagull”, to reflect the coastal island route, and to continue the name of the express service which has connected Hakata and Nagasaki since 1961.

Renewal Complete of Seven Stars in Kyushu | new route commences October 2022: The recently renovated Nanatsuboshi, also called the Cruise Train Seven Stars, will launch with three routes across Kyushu this October. All three of the luxury train journeys are multi-day experiences, ranging from 2-4 days, with excursions and stays en route that all focus on soaking in the local culture. A salon car will host events and activities while a dedicated tearoom will serve Kyushu teas, a gallery shop will offer crafts designed and created on the island, a new bar lounge will offer an exclusive space to enjoy a drink served by a designated bartender, and a restaurant car will serve local dishes from selected local chefs who board the train along the way to showcase their cuisine, ingredients and culture. The train operates year-round and applications for the general public are taken twice year and are for 6-month blocks of dates with the next being in October. Booking through a travel agent or luxury train product specialist is recommended to avoid disappointment with the otherwise public lottery style application process.

Experiences:

Amami Oshima Island

New UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Amami Oshima Island and Tokunoshima Island. Amami Oshima (pictured) and Tokunoshima in Kyushu’s Kagoshima Prefecture became UNESCO World Heritage Sites, unveiled in July 2021. The relatively unexplored string of islands are characterised by white sand beaches, coastal mangroves, subtropical forests and endemic plants and wildlife.

Food & Drink:

Kyushu is once again home to Japan’s Bartender of the Year: Kyushu’s Yui Ogata (Wine & Bar “Mugiya”, Miyazaki), was recently named Japan’s 2022 bartender of the year in the Diageo World Class 2022 Japan Final (held on May 26 and 27, 2022 in Tokyo). She will take place in the Diageo World Class Global Finals in Sydney in September 2022. This is the second year running that Japan’s Bartender of the Year has hailed from Kyushu, with the 2021 winner from Kumamoto Prefecture.

Further ahead:

The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka | Slated to Open Early 2023: The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka, set to open in 2023 as the seventh Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Japan, will be located in an area adjacent to the Tenjin district. It will boast an incredibly convenient location, within 5-minute walking distance from the nearest Tenjin Station. With its sweeping views from high floors, the hotel will feature 162 guest rooms and offer six restaurants and bars. In addition to conference rooms and ballrooms for business and special events, The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka will also feature a chapel for destination weddings. With an indoor pool, a gym, and The Ritz-Carlton Spa that represents the brand, the hotel will offer the ultimate guest experience and create lasting, unmatched memories for guests visiting Fukuoka.

For more information on Kyushu Tourism Organisation, please visit: www.visit-kyushu.com/en/.