Kyushu Festival of Flowers Tour 2022

April 17th – 24th, 2022 6nts/8days from: $2895 dbl/tpl and $3095 single Cancel for any reason up to 60 days prior-FULL REFUND!

Maximum Tour size is 24 tour members!

Japan’s’ spring flowers paint the prefecture, turning its landscape into watercolor paintings. With summer just around the corner, this is an ideal time to visit Kyushu and enjoy the regions’ sunny days and comfortable temperatures.

Besides the stunning vistas of azaleas and wisteria, there is beauty in the spring maples, their budding new leaves often referred to as “spring foliage”. It is said that they are as lovely as their fall cousins. Yet, more vistas, Umino Nakamichi Seaside Park for Nemophila, "Baby Blue Eyes" and poppies.

There is so much more on our tour, Mt. Sarakurayama Ropeway, historic Hasami Pottery Town, bullet train, ferry ride, a hands-on experience, shōchū and sake brewery, an onsen stay, and Yakatabune dinner cruise.

Come, join us on this truly unique tour. It is Kyushu at its best!

Itinerary/Details

Day 1 – April 17th, 2022, Sunday – Depart from Honolulu

Hawaiian Airlines #827 Departs Honolulu 1:00 pm – Arrive Fukuoka 6:40 pm + 1

International check in begins 3 hours prior to the departure time. Please meet your Panda Travel representative at the Hawaiian Airlines check-in counters, Lobby 4, in Terminal 2. After clearing security, you will meet up once again at the gate area.

Day 2 – April 18th, 2022, Monday – Fukuoka-Hakata

After clearing customs, we will be met by our local guide and then the short bus ride to our hotel for the next two nights, Hotel Clio Court Hakata, adjacent to the JR Hakata Station.

Location, hard to find a more convenient spot, just steps from so many dining and shopping options. After checking in, the remainder of the evening is free.

Welcome to Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city and Japan’s sixth largest. It is made up of two former towns, the Fukuoka castle town on the west bank of the Naka-gawa and Hakata on the east. The two towns merged in 1889 as Fukuoka, though the name Hakata is still widely in use. As an example, it is Fukuoka Airport but Hakata Station. Whatever you call it; this youthful, user-friendly metropolis has a cosmopolitan charm, peppered with the flavors of its Asian neighbors. Hakata traces its trading history back some 2000 years, which continues today with visitors from Seoul and Shanghai. Among Japanese, the city is famed for its 'Hakata bijin' (beautiful women), SoftBank Hawks’ baseball team and hearty Hakata ramen.

If Fukuoka does not burst with sights like Tokyo or Kyoto, its friendly atmosphere, warm weather, and contemporary attractions – art, architecture, shopping, and cuisine – make up for it

Hotel Clio Court Hakata Hakata JR Station

Accommodations: Hotel Clio Court Hakata free

Day 3 – April 19th, 2022, Tuesday – Hakata-Kokura-Hakata (B)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:15am as we are off to visit Kokura, an ancient castle town and perhaps the luckiest Japanese city during WWII. Clouds and poor visibility on the morning of August 9th, 1945, saved the city from the atomic bomb, only to strike nearby Nagasaki.

The morning begins with a visit to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, approximately 30-minute drive. This sprawling park is a popular spot for flower viewing, with millions of flowers planted, blooming at different times of the year. Today, we can appreciate the beauty of nemophila, “Baby Blue Eyes”, a beautiful spring scene. Enjoy time to walk along this blue carpet of nemophila.

From here, off to Gintengai Shopping Street, a covered shopping arcade that is connected to the JR Kokura Station. This is the first shopping street in Japan to add a covered arcade, in 1951. At 400-meters long, it is a favorite with locals. Among the many shops are a variety of bakeries and restaurants that feature yaki-udon, a Japanese stir fry dish consisting of thick, smooth, white udon noodles mixed with a soy-based sauce, meat, and vegetables.

The street is home to Tsujiri Teahouse, a famous long-running teahouse that is known for its popular matcha green tea desserts. Enjoy free time to explore, shop, and have lunch on your own.

Our afternoon of touring includes a ride on the Mt. Sarakurayama Ropeway, the longest cable car in western Japan. In just 5-minutes you will travel 1-kilometer, 440 meters above sea leave, enjoying magnificent views in the comfort of a glass enclosed car. Transfer over to the slope car which takes you to the peak. At this viewing spot, enjoy Kita-Kyushu City in 360 degrees.

We now make our way back to Hakata and our hotel, arrival by 4:45pm. Once back, the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Accommodations: Hotel Clio Court Hakata free

Day 4 – April 20th, 2022, Wednesday – Hakata-Nagasaki (B/L)

After breakfast, please meet your guide by 9:00am as we make our way to Nagasaki.

The morning begins with a drive to Saga, a small prefecture on Kyushu Island The prefecture's best-known tourist attraction is its pottery, especially the pottery from the town of Arita. The drive time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Once here, we begin with a visit to Mifuneyama Rakuen for azalea viewing. This expansive 500,000 square meter park is at the base of Mt. Mifune and was constructed at the bequest of a former feudal lord.

Quite often called Mt. Karafune which translates as “Chinese ship”, as it is said to resemble one. While the garden is a popular site for cherry blossom, in April, folks come to view the 50,000 azaleas which merge in a way that gives the appearance of a traditional Chinese painting.

From here, a short drive to the historic town of Hasami, nestled in the mountains. With hills full of porcelain stone, timber and mountain streams providing fresh water, the town has thrived as a center of ceramic- making since olden times. The first porcelain is said to have been made around 1610, and production has continued uninterrupted for more than 400 years.

We will be stopping at the Hasami Pottery Center which includes a museum and its biggest attraction, the porcelain store. Pottery from over 30 Hasami Kilns can be found here. Each kiln has their own unique designs and characteristics. Enjoy free time to browse and shop.

Time for lunch at a local restaurant

On our way to Nagasaki, a stop at the Kasutera (Honey Cake) Factory in Isahaya. Now a specialty of Nagasaki, the cake was brought by way of Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pao de Castela, meaning “bread from Castile”.

This popular Japanese sponge cake is made from 4 basic ingredients-sugar, eggs, bread flour and honey.

It has assumed a distinctly light Japanese flavor and texture over the centuries. They are available several flavors such as honey, chestnut, and green tea. Enjoy tasting and as well, a great omiyage gift giving item.

Kasutera (Honey Cake) Factory After a short drive, we arrive in Nagasaki, our hotel, Hotel New Nagasaki at approximately 4:30pm. After checking in, the remainder of the evening is free. Our hotel is ideally located, just a short walk to the JR Nagasaki Station. You are steps away from a variety of shopping and dining options.

Nagasaki which suffered the same fate as Hiroshima in August 1945, the bombing on August 9th was the last major act of WWII and within days the Japanese had surrendered.

Today Nagasaki is a vibrant, charming, and unique gem. Rebuilt on the rubble and ashes of the old city, it is now a sprawling city of 440,00 inhabitants. It is a welcoming and peaceful city with a colorful trading history, alluring churches, shrines, temples, and an East-meets-West culinary scene, prettily set within around a gracious harbor.

Accommodations: Hotel New Nagasaki free

Day 5 – April 21st, 2022, Thursday –Nagasaki-Kirishima (B/D)

Please meet your guide in the lobby by 8:00am as we journey off to Kirishima, one of Japan’s first national parks, designated in 1934. Located in the central part of Kagoshima Prefecture, it offers scenic mountain beauty, volcanoes, and crater lakes. The area is legendary in the ancient mythology of Japan. The drive time is approximately 2.5 hours including a rest stop along the way.

The morning begins with a drive to the Shimabara Port for the ferry ride over to Kumamoto. The departure time is 10:15am, arriving at 10:45am. Our bus will be traveling along with us on the crossing.

Once here, a visit to Saukra no Baba, an area filled with shops, restaurants and museums detailing the history of Kumamoto. Kumamoto Castle is just up the hill. Enjoy free time to shop and have lunch on your own.

Now, off to Kirishima and our onsen hotel, Kirishima Kokusai Hotel. The hotel features total of 9 hot spring baths, including mud pack, indoor and outdoor baths. The arrival will be by 3:30pm, followed by dinner at 6:00pm.

Accommodations: Kirishima Kokusai Hotel free

Day 6 – April 22nd, 2022, Friday –Kirishima-Kagoshima (B/L)

After breakfast, please meet in the lobby by 8:30am as we are of on a full day of touring.

The morning begins with a drive to Kagoshima, Kyushu's southernmost major city. It is often compared with its Italian sister city, Naples, due to a similarly mild climate, palm tree lined streets, relatively hot-tempered inhabitants and Sakurajima, Kagoshima's Vesuvius. Mt. Vesuvius is a volcano near the bay of Naples.

Once here, our day begins with a hands-on experience, satasuma-age (fish cake) making. Satasuma-age is a well-known product of Kagoshima, known locally as tsukeage. It is commonly enjoyed as a snack with drinks or an addition to the daily lunchbox.

While it is simply fish ground into a paste and then deep-fried, the selection of ingredients makes all the difference. The fish must be of a white species, the oil is locally produced rapeseed oil, and an all-important seasoning of local sake and brown sugar. After preparing, enjoy your freshly made satasuma-age!

Now, off to a local brewery for tour and tastings, Satsuma Muso Shochu Brewery. Southern Kyushu and Kagoshima in particular, is considered a paradise for shochu. This traditional Japanese hard liquor is distilled from a variety of sources, including wheat, potatoes, brown cane sugar, Japanese chestnuts, and buckwheat. This process allows for a wider variety of flavors. Shochu also has a higher alcohol, around 25% and as such is often drunk diluted with cold or hot water rather than straight.

There are two types of shochu liquor: one is made from continuous distillation and the other is produced from single distillation, meaning it preserves a rich flavor and the taste of the base ingredient. Honkaku shochu refers to single distillation shochu, it is considered a higher quality and more expensive in comparison to the continuous distillation alternative.

After the tour and tastings, do stop by the gift shop as many of their offerings can only be purchased here.

We are now off for a shabu-shabu lunch at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the Senganen and Shoko Museum, an 800-year legacy of the Shimadzu Family. This museum is housed in Japan’s oldest stone factory, built in 1865. It became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2015.

Learn how the Shimadzu Family defied the Shogunate and developed trade during Japan’s period of seclusion from the outside world and see how these connections were used to acquire the knowledge and technology needed to kick-start the only industrial revolution to occur outside Europe.

From here, off to our hotel, JR Kyushu Hotel Kagoshima, directly connected to the rail station and an ideal spot to walk around and explore. Our arrival will be by 4:00pm and after time to relax and freshen up, please meet your guide in the lobby by 5:30pm as we walk over to the Kagoshima Furusato Yataimura Food Village.

Here you will find 25 uniquely different stalls, each with a capacity of about 8 guests. Choose from a variety of delicious dishes with original ingredients from different areas of Kagoshima. This regions’ foods include Kurobuta pork, Kuroushi beef, Satsuma jidori (local chicken), Kibinago (silver-striped round herring), Kagoshima fish and ramen. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Accommodations: JR Kyushu Hotel Kagoshima free

Day 7 – April 23rd, 2022, Saturday –Kagoshima-Hita (B/D)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:30am as we are off on a full day of touring and ending in Hita, in the west of Oita Prefecture. It was once Kyushu’s political, economic, and cultural center during the Edo Era.

Our morning begins with a walk over to the station for the bullet train to Kurume, on Sakura 550, departing at 10:03am and arrives at 11:22am. Our luggage will be sent separately to the hotel.

Once in Kurume, off on a half day tour which begins a visit to Yume Town Kurume, a shopping mall where you can enjoy free time to browse, shop, and have lunch on your own.

From here, a visit to the Yame Kurogi Wisteria Festival, known for its thousands of beautiful wisterias. The festival takes place from mid-April to early May to coincide with the blooming of the giant wisteria tree located on the Susano Shrine grounds. This great wisteria tree was first planted in 1395, over 600 years ago. Designated as a national treasure, it has survived countless wars and fires and still blooms vigorously to this day. Spreading across an area of approximately 3,000-meters, branches hanging down more than a meter from its trellis, covered in exquisite violet. With the longest flower clusters measuring in at 60-incues, the sight is truly spectacular.

As typical with Japanese festivals, stalls line the grounds so that you can enjoy traditional delights such as imo manjyuu (sweet potato cake) and dagojiro (miso soup and dumplings). Enjoy free time to take in the festivities.

Now, off to our ryokan for the evening, Shokyoto No Yu Mikuma Hotel, conveniently located within walking distance to the Hita Gion Museum, Kizan Park, and the Hita Liquor Museum.

Dinner this evening, on board a Yakatabune (Japanese houseboat) dinner cruise. “Hita Yakata-bune”, a tradition that dates 200 years is a highlight of Hita Onsen town. Enjoy a relaxed and delicious dinner while gently floating along the Mikuma River. There are also the views to be enjoyed, the sight 40 or more Yakata- bune along the river side, and Hita skyline views in the background. This is a Japanese cultural experience not to be missed.

We will return to the hotel by 9:00pm and the evening is free. Do enjoy the onsen!

Accommodations: Shokyoto No Yu Mikuma Hotel free- Japanese style rooms

Day 8 – April 24th, 2022, Sunday –Hita-Hakata-Fukuoka (BD)

After breakfast, please meet your guide in the lobby by 9:45am. While it is our last day on tour, there is still much to see and enjoy before our flight home later this evening.

Besides its famous hot springs, there is a lot more to enjoy here in Hita City. Our morning begins with a visit to Mamedamachi, a street that has kept the traditional atmosphere of a Japanese town. The old architecture here stands as a testament to a different time.

First, we visit Kuncho Sake Brewery, established in 1702, where sake brewing happens in Mamedamaich. The high-quality underground sweet waters and locally produced rice go into the manufacturing of sake as well as Oita’s own barley shochu.

After the tour and tasting, do stop by their shop and purchase a bottle of superior sake exclusive to this factory shop. You can also enjoy delicious frozen yogurt, “Ginjo Ice” in their café.

Now, free time to enjoy a stroll along Mamedamachi to enjoy the tranquil and quaint alleyways and imagine what it must have been like living here during the Edo Era.

Among the shops and sights, consider the following:

Hirose Gallery- discover the old Edo-styled craft museum nestled in this historic town since a few centuries, the house where the famous Confucian philosopher Tanso Hirose was born and once served as a school of finance and economics in Edo period. Learn about an abundance of priceless original documents, exquisite artifacts, furniture and other treasures from Hirose’s family, the wealthy merchants and financial officer who collected tax and dealt with Shogun’s budget in Edo period.

Hita Shoyu Hina Goten- a museum of traditional Japanese hina dolls operated by a traditional soy sauce manufacturer. You enter through the soy sauce store and perhaps make a purchase. From there you can enter the museum in the back. There is an admission fee of 300-yen. The have a large display of dolls, numbering in the thousands and not just ordinary dolls. There are many unusual creations, as an example, dolls depicting people at traditional Hita festivals, carrying large mikoshi festival floats.

The Nihongan Medicinal Museum- just a few steps from the brewery is the oldest pharmacy in Oita Prefecture. Not only is it a store of popular local pharmaceutical brand “Nihongan” selling medicine which began its business in 1887, but also a museum to exhibit vintage medicine production tools and equipment. Moreover, the building itself is magnificent, being retained since Edo period. Get a full panoramic view of the city as you reach the top floor.

For shopping the choices range from domestic handicrafts to lovely Japanese accessories. There is a must-see pottery store, Ohara Ontayaki Shop. Since 1705, the traditional skills of “Ontayaki” have been passed down from generation to generation, in secrecy of the craftsmen’s families. “Ontayaki” techniques were designated as National Important Intangible Cultural Property and has won a grand award at an international pottery exhibition of Europe.

You can also find Japanese “Geta”, the traditional Japanese sandal featuring an elevated wooden base with a fabric thong to keep the foot well above the ground.

Hita is renowned as a city of wood, having developed its craftsmanship of traditional woodcraft goods. Every item such as a chopping board is one-of-a-kind with naturally formed beautiful wood grain patterns. They make for great souvenirs.

From here, we journey back to Hakata for free time to shop and enjoy lunch on your own around the JR Hakata Station.

Our last stop, the Fukuoka Airport, just a short distance away as we begin checking in for our flight home.

Hawaiian Airlines #828 Departs Fukuoka 8:40 pm – Arrive in Honolulu 9:40 am