Kyushu, Japan 2025

I’d like to give back to the community with this little trip report on my trip across Kyushu in November of 2025.
– This would be our 3rd bike trip in Japan in 3 years. We love touring in Japan !
– First trip was Osaka to Kyoto, Lake Biwa, Shimanami and Tobishim Kaido.
– Second trip was circumventing Shikoku.
– For our 3rd trip we decided to cross Kyushu island, which is famous for having many onsens (which are hot spring spas) and Japan’s largest and most active volcano.
– We wanted to experience fall colours, ride up the volcano, and visit as many onsens as possible.
– The route was Beppu > Yufuin > Aso > Kumamoto > Nagasaki > Imari > Fukuoka
– Some hightlights were the beautiful little onsen town of Yufuin, staying in the caldera of Mt Aso, and having some chill rest time in Nagasaki and Kumamoto.
– The definite highlight of this trip was riding up and down Mt Aso. While enjoying an onigiri rice ball and admiring the view of the crater, we struck up a little chat with a friendly parking lot attendant. She pointed towards the crater, smiled, and taught us a new word – Subbarashi, which means wonderful. Subbarashi, indeed !
– Kyushu was the hardest tour we’ve done in Japan because there was so much climbing but the views made it worth it and the sunset we saw when we got into Nagasaki is something I will always remember.