Hot-Spring Circuit of Kyushu

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Kyushu, Japan's most southern of the four main islands, is the heart of the Japanese onsen. This itinerary is a relaxed pilgrimage through the most emblematic hot-spring towns, where the only daily plan is soaking in waters of different mineral make-up, strolling in yukata down old streets and dining kaiseki-style at ryokans. It begins in Yufuin, a bohemian thermal town with views of Mount Yufu, ringed by rice paddies and craft shops. It moves on to the Kurokawa hills, where ryokans hide among cedars and the onsen tour pass allows you to visit three different baths in a day. In Beppu you experience the volcanic sand baths buried on the beach and the mysterious Hells Tour with its pools of impossible colors. The trip closes at Kirishima, an ensemble of outdoor baths in the middle of the forest facing steaming volcanoes. No rush, no exhausting excursions: just thermal water, tatami, gardens and silence.