This trip is a great way to explore the southern area of Japan. It involves lots of transport including trains, buses, trams and ferries and the guide is incredibly helpful in navigating these. You visit lots of gorgeous places outside the city. The farm stay is a particularly incredible experience, with amazing delicious meals in a beautiful setting. For my first visit to Japan where I was very keen to get into the countryside rather than just the cities, this was a perfect trip

Wonderful trip to areas we would not have seen on our own. Enjoyed travelling by local transport and experiencing the local foods. Spectacular scenery along the way. Hampered somewhat with bad weather but our leader Eiko, made up for that.

The Southern Japan tour will keep you on your toes (or feet). It is an excellent (and intense) way to sample the country's southern prefectures without feeling overwhelmed nor leaving you feeling restless. Each day brings a degree of surprise and adventure for everyone. Each locations offers a variety of interests to everyone. I truly enjoyed the more off-beat locations. Be sure to read up on the trip essentials. When it says you should pack light: be sure to pack light and be able to carry your own weight. A lot of physical movements up and down stairwells, lifting of luggages for overhead bins, and being in tight spaces (trains).

It was an absolute marvelous trip. You can experience history, culture, and nature all at once. Iya Valley was my absolute favorite. And Hisa was an amazing tour leader ensuring that we made the best possible memories.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Southern Japan Experience. The itinerary included an interesting mix of cultural activities such as visiting Naoshima art island and outdoor experiences such as the hike through Yakushima, which were outside the more frequently visited cities in Japan. Our tour leader Lulu was excellent - well organised, very friendly and knowledgable about the local areas. I would highly recommend this tour.

First time using intrepid and I was skeptical but glad I went. Amazing time and people along with tour guides

This trip provided plenty of active activities and catered to a range of interests - gardens, art, historical events and destinations. The hotel accommodation was very comfortable. The train travel meant traveling light was an advantage. We were able to forward our big bags when necessary. I highly recommend this trip.

I highly recommend Intrepid's Southern Japan Experience tour. Hisa our guide was exceptional and worked tirelessly to ensure that all had a great trip. Nagasaki, Iya Valley, Yakashima were really amazing and Matsuyama was delightful. Takyama gardens were sublime. It would be lots of work to organise all the train transfers without a tour guide. So many wonderful food experiences! Make sure you leave time to relax at the end of the trip- it's a long journey back to Osaka from Yakashima.

For those who want to see Japan beyond Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, this is a great trip. Southern Japan’s role in Japan’s history overall is fascinating. The variety of culture is wonderful as well as getting away from the big cities. And if you like art, Naoshima is a delight! And if you like nature, Yakushima will be another hightlight.

We thoroughly enjoyed our South Japan tour and experienced an interesting array of activities. At all times we felt very safe and the tour was well managed every day.

I can only recommend the Ultimate Japan tour with Intrepid. Travelling by train, ferry, tram, cable car, etc. felt smooth and stressless with our two successive tour leaders, Seiji and Eiko. They took care of everything and we only had to make sure we were on time. It would have been a very different story having to organise all of that on my own. The accommodation was great: we stayed in comfortable hotels and also had several opportunities to stay in the traditional ryokans, sleep on a tatami mat and taste the traditinal breakfast and dinner, which is something I enjoyed a lot. Both our successive tour leaders, Seiji and Eiko, were very helpful, generous, competent and had a great sense of humour. My experience of Japan would not have been the same without them. This will remain one of my most memorable trips!

Had a great trip through Southern Japan, with a varied itinerary that showed things from cities to rural towns. Some long travel days, so bring something to keep yourself entertained on the trains. I can't recommend this trip enough, it gets you off the main tourist trail while having lots of interesting things to see and do, like climbing Kompira San. Or riding ebikes around Naoshima.

What a wonderful and unforgettable trip. Our tour leader Eiko was absolutely fantastic and the itinerary was something so new to me. Probably not the trip to do for your first trip to Japan, but as it was my third, I loved seeing a side of the country that most tourists don't see.

Excellent trip option if you want something different or want to avoid the big cities. The trip takes you places where wouldn't be able to arrange it on your own, such as Iya Valley. For anyone looking for something different in Japan, definitely consider this trip!

So glad I went on the Japan Southern Experience. It was packed full of wonderful experiences everyday. Full on with lots of trains and buses, but worth it. Eiko was the best of guides and made the trip so insightful and enjoyable. Thank you Intrepid, again.