Known for its natural beauty, history and culture, the island of Kyushu captures the essence of Japan, away from the crowds, that visitors are seeking. From new hotels to waterfall parks and endemic firefly exhibits, nothing is too hard to access by rail, air, road and now water. Here is a short list of Kyushu’s new offerings.
New Hotel openings:
Hotel Indigo – ‘Glover Street’, Nagasaki, will open in 2024. The hotel will embody its unique Neighbourhood Story “Travelling through time and space: Japanese, Chinese and Dutch Labyrinths”. Glover Street will the Hotel Indigo Group’s fifth Japanese property. With 270 hotels worldwide, the Hotel Indigo brand is a lifestyle boutique hotel that is built around ‘neighbourhood stories’ that include the character, history and culture of the city in every detail of the hotel’s design. The new Hotel Indigo Glover Street will debut in Nagasaki’s Minami Yamate area, a prestigious location with spectacular views overlooking Nagasaki Port. The property will display the mix of western and eastern cultures to tell its design story as part of its blueprint.
https://www.ihgplc.com/en/
The Marriott Hotel will open in Nagasaki in 2024, as part of the redevelopment of the Nagasaki JR train station complex. Conveniently located, just a short walk from the Shinkansen platform to the hotel entrance, the lift will transport guests to the 7th floor lobby for check-in. The hotel houses a number of beautiful restaurants, with outside terrace dining delivering glorious views of Mount Inasa and the harbour. The 207 rooms also enjoy stunning views of the city and harbour.
https://www.marriott.com/en-
ENOWA Yufuin, Oita’s new botanic retreat, opened in late 2023. Materials used throughout the property focus on nature, with the hillside retreat’s location the ideal setting for bathing in one of the guest villa’s infinity pools or exploring the surrounding forest. Each of the property’s four villas deliver captivating views, from the Yufuin city skyline of the Hilltop Sky Pavillion to the cedar forest views of the Forest View Villa, with a further nine rooms in the main hotel building. ENOWA’s restaurant “JIMGU” has an ever-changing farm-to-table menu. Chef Tashi Jamtso goes to the farm every morning to select seasonal ingredients to make the best possible fresh dish of the day, with Teruhisa Ishiwari, a master of vegetables, cultivating the soil and growing vegetables and herbs year-round. https://enowa-yufuin.jp/
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Fukuoka rises high in Hakata Bay, with views across the historic harbour city. Opened in 2023 and conveniently located in Tenjin, the property is only a 5 minute walk from the Tenjin Station, the hotel places guests in the buzzing fastest-growing Japanese city that blends old and new with its scenic shrines, temples and parks. The hotel has sweeping views and six restaurant and bar offerings, including a sushi bar. With 147 guest rooms and 20 suites situated on the 19th to 23rd floor, décor takes inspiration from the woven bamboo basketry for which Kyushu is renowned, with Mont Carmelo granite used across the bathrooms. Facilities include an in-house spa, conference rooms, ballrooms and even a wedding chapel, the Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka lives up to its world-wide reputation and luxury appeal.
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/
Credit: Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka – View from the swimming pool
New Activities and Events:
Sekinoo Park, Miyazaki is set to reopen in 2024. Completely reconstructed, the park will offer captivating nature experiences featuring attractions such as the Sekinoo Waterfall (one of Japan’s top 100 famous waterfalls), a fully equipped campsite, Snow Peak operated store and dining facilities within the park. The ‘Sekinoo Caves’ will be a standout scenic site within the park which will enhance the visitor experience further. The falls are situated approximately halfway between Miyazaki and Kagoshima, a convenient stop off when travelling between.
https://www.japan.travel/en/
The Hotaru and Ishibashi Museum in Yame City is under renovation and reopens in 2024 to offer attractive exhibits about nature and history. It features detailed explanations about the endemic fireflies and the historical stone bridge located within the property which has a cultural story attached, as well as a shop called “Chasai-kan” that sells local specialty products. Visitors can also enjoy delicious lunches and Ujoyacha green tea soft serve ice cream. The scenery is captivating and worth making time to visit.
https://travel.ava-intel.com/
The National Sports Festival, known in Japanese as the “Kokumin Taiiku Taikai”, is held annually to boost national morale and give hope through the power of sports”. Every year, one of Japan’s 47 prefectures has the honour of hosting the festival (a domestic version of the Olympic Games). Prefectures compete against each other in a variety of sports and approximately 700,000 people compete each year. In 2024, the Kokumin Taiiku Taikai will be held in Saga Prefecture from October 5 – 15 followed by the disability competition October 26 – 28. The viewing is spectacular with sports such as waterfall climbing and traditional Japanese competitions all the way through to football.
https://saga2024.com/en/
A new way to travel to the airport in 2024 for Oita:
After a 15 year break, the reintroduction of a custom hovercraft passenger service will commence in 2024 connecting Oita to the airport. Three British manufactured vessels will service the route utilising a new hovercraft terminal in the city’s Nishi-Oita area. This will enable passengers to travel more quickly to and from the airport whilst enjoying the scenery on the way. It is anticipated to be used by both visitors and business people for easy domestic access.
