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If you look at day trips from the city of Fukuoka, Japan, you will see quite a few that will take you more than halfway across the island of Kyushu to the Takachiho Gorge. This is hardly an undiscovered part of Japan, but… sometimes places are popular for a reason. If you have the time, I highly recommend a visit.

The “Fukuoka Takachiho Gorge, Amano Iwato and Scenic Train Tour” offered by Viator promised a blend of natural beauty, spiritual sites, and unique transportation, with a full-day itinerary that included some of the most iconic spots in Kyushu.

The Road to Takachiho

This tour begins outside Lawson’s convenience store at Fukuoka’s bustling Hakata Station. It departs at 8 am because there is a lot of time riding in a bus on this full-day tour. There must have been a dozen different tours leaving from that same spot at the same time. My guide had sent me his contact information ahead of time, and that morning, he sent a picture of the bright blue jacket he would be wearing, along with the exact wording of the tour sign.

Our small group did not fill up our comfortable, air-conditioned bus. Our guide, from Hong Kong, switched between English and Chinese, pointing out regional facts and sharing snippets of Japanese mythology as we drove south toward Miyazaki Prefecture. The journey took about three hours. The first part of the trip was on the modern highway from Fukuoka to Kumamoto.

From Kumamoto, we headed into the mountains, passing through one small green valley after another, and tunneling through the mountains, past green terraced rice fields and small towns.

Because we visited on a Sunday—a popular day for local tourism—our guide wisely changed the order of the stops to help us avoid the worst of the crowds. Instead of heading directly to the gorge, we started with the scenic train ride, followed by a visit to the shrine, and concluded the day at Takachiho Gorge. Honestly, I preferred that order as it saves the best for last.

The bus made one rest stop on the way and one on the way back. The service area where we stopped on the way there had no place to buy snacks, but did have a couple of Japan’s ubiquitous drink vending machines. The service area on the way back had a couple of different convenience stores. The only thing we were not allowed to eat on the bus was ice cream.

Takachiho Amaterasu Railway: Playful Meets Picturesque

Our first stop was a ride on the Takachiho Amaterasu Railway, a short but memorable trip aboard a sightseeing train that ends on Japan’s highest railway bridge before retracing the route back to the station. The railway, which once served the area’s now-defunct train line, has been reinvented as a tourist experience—and it delivers.

We boarded two colorful open-air cars and cruised slowly through forested hills, through tunnels, and over bridges. Even before we reached the bridge, our cameras and cell phones were kept busy capturing the scenery.

Each car had a light projector that turned the tunnels into a colorful Instagrammable light show. Below us: a narrow valley filled with terraced rice paddies, with mist hovering just above the trees.

On the railroad bridge, we looked down on an impossibly green, mist-covered wooded valley with a river cutting through it.

Of course, with this being Japan, the view alone was not enough, so the conductors at both ends of the train pulled out a bubble gun and filled the sky downwind of the train with bubbles, a uniquely Japanese experience.

The train ticket is not included in the tour price. The cost is ¥2,000 for adults. Bring cash to pay the tour guide.

Amano Iwato Shrine: A Walk into Mythology

Next, we visited the Amano Iwato Shrine, a place steeped in legend. According to Japanese mythology, this is where the Sun Goddess Amaterasu (literally “Shines in Heaven”) hid herself away, casting the world into darkness. The story is part of Japan’s oldest chronicles.

A short walk through the forest led us to the Amano Iwato Cave, tucked into a cliff by the river. You can’t enter far into the cave itself. Near the temple and along the path to it, hundreds of small stone towers line the riverbed, each one stacked by pilgrims and visitors. Many of the small towers of stones were topped with a coin. Building your own tower is supposed to bring you luck.

The walk to the Shrine is not far, and it follows a stream. Everything is green, with moss-covered rocks and damp paths as if the sun had hidden away from this area.

In mythology, when Amaterasu hid away, the other gods gathered and devised a plan: they placed a mirror and sacred jewels outside the cave, and the goddess Ame-no-Uzume performed a wild, comic dance to make the gods laugh. Curious, Amaterasu peeked out, and they used the mirror to show her reflection, then pulled her out and sealed the cave, restoring light to the world.

Lunch with Miyazaki Flavors

By midday, we paused for a simple Japanese lunch at a cafe just outside the Amano Iwata Shrine, which included the region’s celebrated Miyazaki beef. The meat was tender and flavorful, served in a bun similar to a hot dog. The couple on my tour from Singapore were disappointed with the beef and preferred the chicken sandwich. But given the wonderful food scene in Singapore, I must confess that their standards might be higher than my own.

Takachiho Gorge: Nature at Its Most Dramatic

Our final major stop was the breathtaking Takachiho Gorge. This deep ravine, carved by the Gokase River, is framed by sheer basalt cliffs that seem too geometric to be natural. The crown jewel is Manai Falls, a slender cascade that plunges gracefully into an emerald pool below. The trail along the gorge offers stunning views at every turn, from mossy boulders to twisted basalt columns.

Unlike the Amano Iwato Shrine, the walk from the bus parking at the top down to the gorge and then back up to the bridge above it is a hike. It will take you 15-20 minutes one way, with many steps. The way back to meet the bus is the more strenuous direction. It is absolutely worth the hike, but please note that this is not a suitable path for a wheelchair or stroller. If you have mobility issues, it would be better to book a private tour, which may allow you to get closer to the overlook on the bridge.

If you’re lucky (or early), you can also rent a small rowboat and paddle along the gorge. On our trip, all the boats had already been rented, although our guide didn’t necessarily recommend the experience. But even from the walking path above, the scenery was stunning. Birdsong echoed through the canyon, and the sunlight filtered through layers of green.

Travel Tips

• Footwear: Wear comfortable walking shoes. The trails at both the gorge and the shrine can be uneven and slippery.
• Timing: This is a 10-hour tour with about 3 hours of driving each way. Bring a book or a podcast if you need entertainment during transit.
• Weather: The gorge, the train, and the shrine are all outdoors, so check the forecast and pack accordingly. Also, you will not be able to use an umbrella on the train for safety reasons.
• Cash: Small vendors and even the railway ticket booth may not accept credit cards, so have some yen on hand.
• Photos: Bring a good camera or a phone with sufficient storage space. You’ll want to capture the gorge, the bridge, and the light-filled tunnel.

Final Thoughts

This tour was a perfect balance of history, culture, and natural wonder. Each stop brought something new: the power of nature at Takachiho Gorge, the charm of the Amaterasu Railway, the quiet beauty of the Amano Iwato shrine.

Whether you’re a mythology buff, a nature lover, or someone just looking to escape the city for a day, this tour is a great way to see a different side of Japan. Sometimes, all it takes is one great day trip to remind you why you fell in love with travel in the first place.

I was in Japan on a press trip with WalkJapan, although this tour was paid for by me.