JR KYUSHU RAILWAY COMPANY
- All the lines of the Kyushu Shinkansen began full operation on March 12, 2011.
- The time table has been updated.
Day One
Relay Tsubame Express
Featuring a striking and sleek exterior, the interior of the Relay Tsubame Express was designed with extreme attention to detail and offers passengers the most pleasurable ride possible.
Kumamoto Station
Kumamoto Castle
2007 is the 400th anniversary of Kumamoto Castle. It is one of the three most celebrated castles in Japan and it has been designated as an outstanding historical site. The castle’s stone battlements and turrets are preserved as they were originally built. A blend of craftsmanship and ingenuity created these very effective stone defenses that are known as musha-gaeshi (repelling invaders). The park adjacent to the castle which has approximately 500 cherry-blossom trees, is equally renowned.
Suizenji-jojuen (Suizenji Park)
Suizenji-jojuen is regarded as one of the three outstanding gardens of Japan. It was built by Lord Tadatoshi Hosokawa about three hundred and fifty years ago. The farden is laid out with elegant garden stones in such a way as to recall the 53 stations of the Tokaido. The garden is in the Momoyama style in that visitors are supposed to walk around the garden in order to appreciate its beautiful, rather than sitting and viewing it. It is surprising that the water of its magnificent pond comes from a natural spring.
- ◎TEL：096-383-0074
- ◎Address: 8-1 Suizenji-koen, Kumamoto-city
- ◎Hours open: 7:30-18:00 (March - November), 8:30-17:00 (December - February)
- ◎Closed: No regular holidays
- ◎Fee: Adults 400 yen,Children (between the age 7 and 15) 200 yen
- ◎Access: A fifteen minute walk from JR Shin-suizenji Station／Board the streetcar at Kumamotojo-mae and get off at Suizenji-koen. It is a three-minute walk.
Day Two
Trans-Kyushu Limited Express·Kumagawa
Opening for service in March, 2004, the Trans-Kyushu Limited Express and Kumagawa Express trains traverse the midland of Kyushu, running from Beppu and Oita to Aso, Kumamoto, Yatsushiro and Hitoyoshi. The majesty of the railroad can be felt at the sight of the train’s ascent the steeply graded mountain slopes. And, during the journey from Oita to Kumamoto Prefecture, passengers can appreciate the beauty of the sea and the mountains of Kyushu and enjoy views of Beppu Bay, Mt. Aso, the townscapes of Hitoyoshi and the grand rapids of the Kumagawa River.
Isaburo
Riding these sightseeing trains, passengers can enjoy spectacular views of the Kirishima Mountain Range as they traverse a grand mountain pass through the loop line and switchbacks. Its picturesque urushi lacquer-colored exterior, complete with a gold emblem, and wooden bench seating in the cabins create a warm atmosphere reminiscent of Japan’s good old days. In addition to the drama of seeing from the train’s panoramic viewing space one of the three most scenic spots visible from train windows in Japan, many other sights, including the local stations along the line and the working and commuting local people, await passengers.
- Kurimeshi
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A popular Eki-ben made with chestnuts, the local specialty of the Kuma/Hitoyoshi Basin, is a long-selling bento first introduced in the 40th year of the Showa era (1965).
Note: We apologize if you are unable to purchase this popular Eki-ben as it often sells out quickly.
Hayato no Kaze Express
Commanding spectacular views of the deep green forestlands and mountains of Kirishima, the bold yet elegant jet black train with its glistening gold emblem glides across the Kyushu landscape. While enjoying the retro look of the train and the warmth and comfort of the stylish wood interior, passengers are transported to Kirishima, a mysterious and beautiful place known as a heartland of Japanese myth and blessed with lush wooded areas and hot springs.
Ibusuki Station(On arrival at Kagoshima Chuo Station,take a local train to Ibusuki Station)
Steamed sand bath (steamed sand house Saraku)
Satisfaction from gradual permeation of geothermal heat
In this Japanese style sauna, utilizing a natural hot spring on the beach, you can experience a steamed sand bath, a type of bath which is rarely found in other countries.
- ◎TEL：0993-23-3900
- ◎Hours open: 8:30-21:00 (check-in closes at 20:30)
- ◎Closed: Irregular holidays. Hours change during New Year holidays
- ◎Fee: Admission fee: 900 yen (includes a cotton kimono as a bathrobe) Note: Bring a towel with you when taking a sand bath.A commemorative towel costs 100 yen.
- ◎Access: About a eight-minute drive from JR Ibusuki Station
Yamakawa Healthy Land Open-air bat
Yamakawa Healthy Land Open-air bath
A natural steamed sand bath is also nearby
Its excellent location makes you feel like you are bathing in the ocean, thereby refreshing you both physically and mentally. The open-air bath where you can capture the view of Mt. Kaimondake is open to men and women on alternate days.
- ◎TEL：0993-35-3577
- ◎Hours open: 9:30-19:30
- ◎Closed: Closed on Thursdays (if it is a national holiday, we are closed on Friday)
- ◎Fee: Closed on Thursdays (if it is a national holiday, we are closed on Friday)
- ◎Access: About a fifteen-minute drive from JR Yamakawa Station
Day Three
Chiran-bukeyashiki
Attractive Little Kyoto of Satsuma
People still live in these seven samurai residences which were built two hundred and fifty years ago. Their gardens which have been officially designated as a place of scenic beauty, are outstanding. Beautiful streets of houses and stores give you a sense or the grace that warrior families once fostered.
- ◎TEL：0993-58-7878
- ◎Hours open: 9:00-17:00
- ◎Closed: No regular holidays
- ◎Fee: Admission fees: Adults 500 yen, Children (junior high and elementary students) 300 yen
- ◎Access: About a five-minute drive from JR Kiire Station
Nanohana Deluxe Express
Nanohana Deluxe Express
The Nanohana Deluxe Express train runs alongside the Kinko Bay between Kagoshima-Chuo and Ibusuki. From the cabin speakers, information can be heard about sights along the line such as the Osumi Peninsula visible far across the ocean and the majesty of the gradually approaching Mt. Kaimon. The train is as pleasurable a sight as the beautiful rape blossoms blooming near the southernmost of JR Kyushu’s lines.
Kagoshima-Chuo Station
Bullet Train Tsubame
Kyushu Shinkansen 'Tsubame' sleek fuselage of the white rongnojeu (Longnose) is a smart design with an impressive train. Neoljikhan 4 rows of wooden materials indoor seating and a traditional layout and color tinge, a seat in the Nishijin (西陣織) using a sheet of the traditional techniques of Japanese tradition and the most animated atmosphere is elegant.
