By Steve Corless

Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, is a great place to visit for its natural beauty, hot springs and my personal favorite Japanese food: ramen.
Most visitors to Kyushu start their journey in Kyushu’s largest city, Fukuoka, a six-hour shinkansen bullet-train ride from Tokyo. Fukuoka is closer to Seoul than to Tokyo. Its proximity to the Asian mainland as a port city and cultural crossroads continues to influence the city’s culture today. Pusan, South Korea, is a quick three-hour ferry ride and a good optional overnight trip from the city. The climate in Fukuoka is mild and, although it is one of the 10 largest cities in the country, the pace here is less hectic than in Tokyo or Osaka..  
Fukuoka may be best known for its open-air food stands called yatai. My favorite yatai are along the Naka River near the Nakasu entertainment district. A perfect end to a day of sightseeing, the yatai here are open until late. Try the white pork broth tonkotsu ramen or grilled chicken-skewer yakitori, two of Japan’s most delicious casual food items, best enjoyed with a cold Asahi Dry on a hot summer night, or with  imo (potato) shochu from the southern Kyushu prefecture of Kagoshima in the winter.
Kyushu is a highly active volcanic region, which means the hot springs are plentiful and are a part of life for those who live here. The most famous regions in Kyushu for hot-springs resorts are Beppu and, more recently, Yufuin, a scenic, several-hour train ride from Fukuoka. Yufuin is a resort town nestled in a valley surrounded by deep green mountains. The day spas, museums and shopping mean Yufuin can be an enjoyable day trip, but consider staying overnight in one of the town’s many traditional ryokan inns for a taste of old Japan.

Hotel Takegawara, Beppu	The milky white baths of a Beppu hot spring.

The city of Kumamoto, south of Fukuoka, is best known for its castle. It is one of the largest in the country, and although the original was destroyed in the 19th Century (unlike European castles, Japanese castles were wood structures), the reconstructed castle is quite authentic and includes an impressive collection of historic artifacts. Visitors can climb to the top of the castle for a panoramic view of the city. A new addition to the castle is the Honmaru Goten Palace building, created for the 400th anniversary of the castle. It is built with traditional materials and building methods, unlike the main castle building, which was rebuilt with reinforced concrete rather than wood timbers.

Kumamoto Castle

South of Kumamoto is the city of Kagoshima. The city is near an active volcano, Sakurajima. By “active,” I mean that it is always erupting; smoke and ash are constantly rising from the top of this small mountain across the bay from the city. The spring of 2010 saw some of the most spectacular eruptions in years, with molten lava shooting into the sky.    
Near Kagoshima is the onsen hot springs and seaside resort town of Ibusuki, which is famous for its sunamushi onsen hot sand baths. Visitors don a yukata cotton robe and are buried in hot sulfuric sand. Fifteen minutes is all it takes for this once-in-a-lifetime sweaty, invigorating and pore-cleansing experience.

Active volcano Sakurajima and neighboring Kagoshima city	Ibusuki’s hot sand baths