Kitakyushu

Highly recommended. However, be careful not to choose this tour on Sundays, as explained below. This is a relatively off-the-beaten-path classic tour, as it involves crossing the sea from Fukuoka to Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is quite a distance. I specifically signed up for this tour to see Japan's largest limestone cave. On the day of the tour, we took a minibus, and all the other tourists were foreigners—no, thinking about it, I was a foreigner too! But the company didn't lower the quality of the tour because of the small number of participants; the guide was still quite professional, providing English commentary throughout, and even gave me a Chinese commentary (but since I understand English, I didn't bother the guide and listened to the English commentary with everyone else). You could feel his considerable enthusiasm; he wasn't just guiding because of work, but because he genuinely enjoyed sharing Japanese scenery with us: On the way there, the bus stopped at the Kanmon Bridge rest stop, and the guide reminded us to go up to the observation deck to take pictures of the Kanmon Bridge after using the restroom. Upon arriving at Qiufang Cave, I was treated to a discount on admission tickets because I am a resident of Tainan. I simply told the ticket seller we were from Tainan, and they quickly checked our ID cards (Tainan and Meimi City, where Qiufang Cave is located, have a tourism reciprocity agreement since 2025; thank you Mayor Wei-che). We entered Qiufang Cave from the back entrance (Heigu Gate) and exited from the main entrance, saving us half the time by avoiding back and forth. Due to the language barrier, I helped a woman from Corsica climb to the Qiuji Terrace to view the karst topography from the surface (our tickets allow re-entry back into Qiufang Cave), and then back into the cave to see the stalactites. Therefore, our visit was more comprehensive than other members of our group! An hour and a half was actually quite rushed; a one-way trip inside the cave takes nearly an hour, and climbing Qiuji Terrace takes another half hour. However, the lighting inside the cave was so dim that all the photos I took were ruined. If you want to eat, you can leave half an hour at a shop outside the entrance (Qiufang Cave isn't a popular tourist spot, and the shops were quiet) to try the Tile Bridge Buckwheat Noodles. The afternoon itinerary included a visit to Motonosumi Shrine, located in the northernmost part of Yamaguchi Prefecture. Surprisingly, the shrine was closed on Sunday! It was the first time I'd known a shrine could close. Perhaps Motonosumi's location is somewhat dangerous, directly exposed to the strong waves and winds of the Sea of Japan. Therefore, if no one is on duty on holidays, the Thousand Torii trail is closed, preventing visitors from going up to worship; tourists can only take photos from the rocks below. The Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge has a rather unique little beach, but the north wind was very strong and cold. Fortunately, our stay was short, so it was a bonus. I recommend the mixed dried fish and seaweed sold at local shops. On the way back, I asked the tour guide if the company could make a profit, given that there were fewer than ten people on the trip and they had to pay for the car, driver, and guide's salary. The guide honestly said they didn't, at best breaking even. Operating a business at such a less popular spot is difficult, but the guide didn't slack off and still provided a very responsible tour. On the way back, at the Kanmon Ohashi Bridge rest stop, he even treated us to fried pufferfish (lots of bones XD).

Just finished a 5-day, 4-night trip to Kyushu, and this time I used the "Kyushu FunPASS All-Area 3-in-1" pass. The experience was truly excellent value for money! If you're planning a trip to Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Kumamoto, or Beppu, this e-passport is definitely worth getting. What is the Kyushu FunPASS 3-in-1? Simply put, it's an e-travel pass that can be used through a mobile app. The 3-in-1 plan includes: two must-see attractions, one selected attraction, plus various shopping coupons. It covers popular areas such as Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Kumamoto, and Oita (Beppu), allowing you to book your trip to multiple prefectures with one ticket. Why recommend the 3-in-1? Five major advantages: 1. Incredibly cost-effective, excellent value! My adult ticket cost about NT$680, and I chose two must-see attractions: "Fukuoka Tower" and "Kyushu Railway Memorial Museum," plus "teamLab Forest Fukuoka" as a selected attraction. These three items alone added up to over NT$800, making it a complete return on investment! Not to mention shopping discounts aren't even included. One user shared: "With coupons and additional discounts, it's a great deal to enjoy Kyushu," and "High value for money." 2. Super convenient e-tickets, skip the lines and enter directly. Previously, you had to spend time queuing to buy tickets at attractions. Now, just download the app on your phone, bind your serial number, and show the QR code at the venue to scan and enter. At teamLab Forest Fukuoka, I simply showed the QR code to the staff and entered, without having to queue for tickets at all. Users unanimously praised: "Queue-free ticket purchase is super easy," and "Buy and use immediately, very convenient." 3. Super flexible itinerary, no worries about last-minute changes. This is super friendly to independent travelers! You can activate the card within one year of purchase and use it within 14 days of activation. Even better, as long as you haven't booked or used any attractions, you can change the itinerary dates yourself in the app. Some bloggers shared that they bought fixed-date tickets in the past, only to lose thousands of dollars when changing their itinerary, but FunPASS doesn't have this problem at all. 4. Diverse Attractions, Suitable for Families and Couples: The 3-in-1 plan includes over 30 attractions, with popular options including: • Must-Visit Attractions (Choose 2): Fukuoka Tower, Kokura Castle, Moji Port Retro Observatory, Kyushu Railway Memorial Museum, Kanmon Strait Museum, Kumamoto Yatai Village (redeemable for a drink), etc. • Selected Attractions (Choose 1): teamLab Forest Fukuoka, Marine World Uminakamichi Aquarium, Beppu Hell Hot Spring Tour, Sadaharu Oh Baseball Museum, Yanagawa Cruise, etc. Whether you want to enjoy night views, visit an aquarium, soak in hot springs, or experience cultural attractions, you can find suitable options.

Because of the large group, hiring a car and planning your own itinerary to visit more distant attractions and hotels is really easy and convenient. They'll notify you before departure to create a LINE group, so you don't have to worry about not being able to contact the driver. Highly recommended.

Very convenient, and the driver was very friendly and welcoming. I hope to come again next time.