Kyushu: Vulcão Aso, Santuário Kamishikimi Kumanoza e Desfiladeiro Takachiho - Excursão de um dia (partindo de Fukuoka)

I joined a Klook day tour visiting Mount Aso, Takachiho Gorge, and Kumanoza Shrine, and it was a wonderful experience. Our guide, Mr. Chen, was very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. He explained the history and background of each place clearly and made the trip enjoyable for everyone. Mount Aso was impressive with its beautiful scenery and volcanic landscape. Takachiho Gorge was definitely the highlight of the trip – the view of the gorge and waterfall was stunning and very peaceful. Kumanoza Shrine was also a nice cultural stop with a calm and spiritual atmosphere. The tour was well organized and the transportation was comfortable. Overall, it was a great way to visit these famous spots in one day without worrying about transportation. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Kyushu.

The guide could only speak Japanese and English, but we were able to talk to be each other via translation apps. He also had updates and messages for the English speakers ready in every stop (for timeline, return times per location, and info). we rode a bus, and it was comfy. each location was really nice! although we couldn't really stay too long, which is too bad, but understandable since it's so far away. I was still so happy to be able to visit all these places, and I knew being able to go here on my own (without the tour) would've been very diffifuclt if 8 didn't have a car). All of the places we went to were great, and also wanted to note we had bathroom breaks both going to and from the locations.

I specifically want to praise the tour guide, who was super nice and fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese – truly versatile and very attentive to every tourist. The driver was also excellent and took great care of me, a solo traveler. They kept me company during the otherwise boring car rides. The scenery was beautiful, and every spot was lush, picturesque, and well worth visiting. The value for money is quite good. The only thing to note is that if you're not in a hurry, you might prefer to visit one place at a time, like boating in Takachiho, as this tour can feel a bit rushed. So, if that bothers you, consider carefully. However, if you want to see a lot, it's definitely worthwhile!

Tour guide Wang Qi arranged a tight itinerary, repeatedly confirming that the crater was open, and immediately adjusted the order of the itinerary to allow travelers to complete 3 important attractions in one day. The crater, Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine, and Takachiho Gorge are all unique attractions in Kyushu! I highly recommend this itinerary! Our group of 15-16 people took a small bus, and the small group made activities convenient. The team happened to be all young people, so the process was relaxed and energetic, and we returned to Hakata Station on time. This itinerary requires a lot of physical stamina; those with knee pain or the elderly may need to reconsider.

Due to the Kyushu earthquake, the tour was changed to a Miyazaki tour for safety reasons. I am Korean, and the guide was fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese, so if you know a little of one of these three languages, you should be able to travel comfortably. Also, it seems the guide is random, but the guide I had was very kind! Oh, and since you walk quite a lot, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes and looking up restaurants in advance or bringing a packed lunch.

We gathered at 7:50 AM, and our guide for the day was Xiao Chen. We thank him for giving us a wonderful day trip experience. Xiao Chen's explanations were very professional and clear, and he also recommended delicious food. This itinerary actually involves a very long time in the car and does not include meals, but Xiao Chen arranged rest stops in between for everyone to take a break and replenish their supplies. The first leg of the journey: Hakata to Takachiho (2.5 hours); the second leg of the journey: Takachiho to Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (50 minutes). The Aso red beef rice burger at the shrine's parking lot was about 200 NTD, and it was really delicious. The third leg of the journey: Shrine to Kusasenri (1 hour). Unfortunately, due to an incident in January, we were unable to go to the crater, so we went to Kusasenri instead, staying for about 30 minutes, which was a bit rushed. This itinerary involves a lot of walking, so be mindful of your physical stamina!

I was the only Japanese person on this tour, but the female guide, Chen, was very attentive and spoke to me, so I felt at ease and enjoyed myself. She even provided Japanese guidance for the destinations on the bus just for me. Thank you so much! There isn't much time for a leisurely meal at the destination, so it's a good idea to bring food and drinks that you can consume on the bus. I don't recommend this tour for those who are not physically fit, as there is a lot of walking uphill! I think it was a cost-effective tour.

The overall experience was great. Being able to visit Takachiho Gorge, Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine, and Kusasenri all in one trip is perfect for travelers only staying a few days in Fukuoka. Guide Ishibashi provided excellent service and detailed explanations, and everyone gathered quickly. It was truly a wonderful experience.

A perfect itinerary, grateful to Mount Aso for the wonderful weather. Our guide, Mr. Wang, was very experienced and changed the volcano viewing to the morning, allowing us to fortunately see the most beautiful Aso crater without strong sun or wind. In the afternoon, we went to Takachiho, and the heavy rain that had been brewing all day finally arrived late. Luckily, we had already finished visiting all the attractions, so we just quietly stayed in the pavilion waiting for the rain to stop. This also slowed down the pace of our otherwise tight schedule, making it very relaxing. The Chinese communication was perfect for us, as it was our first time visiting Kyushu.

This time I saw volcanoes, canyons, and rainbows!!! Super lucky. Although the weather wasn't great, with alternating sun and rain, luckily we didn't get caught in any of it. The schedule wasn't as tight as some reviews mentioned; we met at 8 AM, and there weren't many of us, possibly because this route isn't very popular. It looked tiring but was actually fine, so they arranged a minibus for about 20 people. Our tour guide, Wang Qi, was excellent, and the group members were also friendly and punctual. The experience was great! Finally, Guide Wang also took us to Yodobashi, which was the most pleasant surprise for me in Fukuoka. It's a great place to shop, they have everything, and it's cheap.