Kyushu Winter Gastronomy

Day 00 (Fri, 12 Dec’25) 

Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for flight to Fukuoka. 

Day 01 (Sat, 13 Dec’25) 
Singapore – Fukuoka – Hirado 
(-/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Kikka Hirado or similar 

Arriving in Fukuoka this morning, make your first stop Ito Saisai, one of Japan’s top farmer’s markets. Selling fresh produce, meat and seafood along with processed foods, homemade specialties and snacks, this vibrant market is the place to get the best foods from local producers in Itoshima. 

Day 02 (Sun, 14 Dec’25) 
Hirado – Karatsu 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (Hot Spring) or similar 

Step into history this morning at Fushun-an, home of Japan’s first tea plantation. Formally the home of Eisai, a monk credited with introducing Zen Buddhism to Japan, the grounds were also where he cultivated the first tea seeds brought from China. See the historic tea plantation from which Japan’s tea culture evolved, and delve into the roots of Zen with a zen meditation experience.  

The warm waters off the coast of Hirado boasts fertile fishing grounds with around 200 species of fish found here throughout the year. Known especially for its excellent catch of flounder, a variety of fresh seafood from fan lobsters to sea bream can be enjoyed here. Partake in a fisherman’s lunch made using the catch of the day and try some of their local specialty seafood in a meal specially prepared for you by the fishermen’s wives. 

After lunch, pay a visit to Fukuda Brewery, a respected family-run sake brewery with over 100 years of history. Known for producing sake from pure spring water, locally grown rice, and sea breezes, a tour of the brewery offers insights into their traditional sake-making techniques. Of course, you will also get to sample some of their signature sakes. 

Day 03 (Mon, 15 Dec’25)
Karatsu 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Karatsu Seaside Hotel (Hot Spring) or similar 

Today, immerse in the refined world of Karatsu ceramics, one of Japan’s most respected pottery traditions, first with a visit to the Nakazato Tarouemon Ceramic Studio. Home to a lineage of potters dating back more than 400 years, they have preserved and evolved the art of Karatsu ware, a favourite among tea masters for its rustic elegance and tactile beauty. Guided by the eminent 14th generation Nakazato Tarouemon, get hands on with a pottery experience and learn from the master himself. Further appreciate the craftemanship and heritage of Karatsu ware next door at the Ochawangama Pottery Museum which displays pieces from four generations of Nakazato potters and other historic ceramics. 

Day 04 (Tue, 16 Dec’25) 
Karatsu – Unzen 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Unzen Kyushu Hotel (Private Hot Spring) or similar 

Delve into the blessings of the land in Unzen today as you see and taste the exceptional produce grown here. Millenia of volcanic activity has enriched the soil with minerals, creating fertile farmlands perfect for growing fruits and vegetables. Start off with a healthy lunch at Vege Dream, a shop and café focused on using and selling the freshest ingredients. Using freshly-picked vegetables delivered each morning, meals are created to showcase the authentic deliciousness and quality of the produce. 

Then, visit the farmer who grew the vegetables you just ate at Unzen Tsumura Farm. Dedicated to growing the best produce free of chemicals, this organic farm goes the extra mile by blending their own soil to ensure the optimal combination of nutrients to produce the best vegetables. Learn about their dedication to producing good, quality food, and enter the field yourself for a vegetable picking experience. 

Day 05 (Wed, 17 Dec’25) 
Unzen 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Unzen Kyushu Hotel (Private Hot Spring) or similar 

Head up to the Tanabatake Observatory this morning and be treated to a sweeping view over terraced rice fields and farmlands backed by the sea. Around 800 rice fields create a beautiful patchwork over the land, accompanied by potato farms sharing the same nutrient-rich yellow soil from volcanic eruptions over a million years ago. 

Make your way down to one of the potato fields where local farmers have been cultivating premium local Dejima potatoes for over 70 years. Despite Nagasaki’s reputation as Japan’s second largest producer of potatoes, Dejima potatoes are a rare variety which is difficult to grow and hence, not commonly found in the market. Listen to the stories of the farmers working hard to preserve this potato before harvesting it yourself in a potato picking experience. 

With your freshly harvested potatoes and organic vegetables from yesterday, complete your local food experience with a unique hot spring steamed lunch! With hot spring waters bubbling up at 105 degrees Celsius, the steam from the springs give foods a unique taste while enhancing the ingredients’ natural flavours. 

Later, move on to Unzen Jigoku, sulphurous hot spring ‘hells’ scattered around the sides of Unzen Onsen that are marked by constant clouds of steam billowing above bubbling pools and vents. The hot spring hells were once used to execute Christian rebels after the Shimabara Rebellion, but are now a major attraction and the source of hot spring waters for the many resorts in the town, including your accommodation. 

Day 06 (Thu, 18 Dec’25) 
Unzen – Yanagawa 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: Yanagawa Tachibanatei Ohana or similar

Start the day with a visit to Tajima Kankitsuen a citrus farm which grows different varieties of mandarin oranges. Priding themselves in eco-farming without pesticides and only picking ripe fruit at their best, efforts to deliver the pure flavour of the fruits is maintained even in juicing. Taste and compare the different citrus varieties, freshly juiced right in front of you. 

For lunch, try the local specialty onsen yudofu, or tofu cooked in hot spring water. One of Japan’s major producers of soybeans, delicious tofu made in Saga is cooked in mineral rich waters until it is so soft and smooth it could melt in your mouth. Enjoyed on its own and arranged into multiple dishes, discover the world of tofu cuisine today. 

Step back in time with a tour of Yanagawa Tachibanatei Ohana, the former residence of the Tachibana family, feudal lords of the Yanagawa Domain, and your accommodation for tonight. This exquisite estate offers a glimpse into samurai-era sophistication with its beautifully preserved gardens, historic architecture, and private museum housing artefacts from the family’s legacy. Many of its historical buildings are recognised as cultural assets and the estate itself has been designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty, the only one in Japan you can stay in. 

Day 07 (Fri, 19 Dec’25) 
Yanagawa – Fukuoka 
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) 
Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka or similar 

Deepen your knowledge and appreciation of Japanese tea today with a chakabuki experience. Originating in the Muromachi period as a competitive tea tasting game amongst aristocrats and samurai, chakabuki today is a more casual and fun affair. Employ your senses to taste and identify the different types of tea presented, and learn more about the complexities of Japanese tea as you take part in this traditional tea tasting game. 

With a deepened knowledge of Kyushu’s food culture and connections to the producers themselves, your gastronomic journey culminates tonight with a special dinner featuring products from the various experts you have met thus far. Specially curated for you by three of Kyushu’s top chefs, indulge in a sumptuous dinner of the best local ingredients, made extra meaningful by the passion of the people behind it. 

Day 08 (Sat, 20 Dec’25) 
Fukuoka 
(Breakfast/-/-) 
Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka or similar

Free and easy 

Day 09 (Sun, 21 Dec’25) 
Fukuoka – Singapore 
(Breakfast/-/-) 

Flight back to Singapore