Kyushu Onsen to Onsen

Many overlook this remote corner of Kyushu, but those who make the effort will discover some of the most undisturbed pawā spotto (spiritual places) in all of Japan.

We meet in Fukuoka and quickly head out with a ride along the Chikugo River to an Edo-era town. After climbing up our only significant hill, we descend to the town of Usa and visit a Shinto shrine dating back to 708. Then ride around the conical 731-m high Mt. Futago volcano that has 28 ravines extending from the centre. Cycling around the perimeter allows us to avoid climbing and we can explore the beaches, ports and some hidden temples in the forest. This area is also very rural and known for producing scallions, leeks, tomatoes and prized kabosu limes.

Before we leave the peninsula we'll visit the town Kitsuki, often referred to as "little Kyoto" of Kyushu Island. This picturesque town is often used today as backdrops for Japanese movies based in the Edo Period. We'll go to the historic Samurai district and to Kitsuki Castle, the smallest in Japan. We end our tour in one of Japan's top spa destinations, Beppu. Besides luxuriating in an onsen you can also see Beppu's unique hot springs where the water bubbles forth in different manifestations - ruby red water, steamy blue, muddy brown and even a geyser that shoots off about every 35 minutes.

More than 75% mountainous terrain, Japan's southern island of Kyushu offers a remote and rugged experience hard to find within such a highly developed country. This tour covers 262 kilometers of quiet roads with amazing views, through the northeastern corner of Kyushu. Though the terrain is predominantly undulating, there are climbs, big and small, sprinkled throughout each day's ride and you can expect an average daily elevation gain of 850 metres.