Kyushu in 2 days

After the welcoming ceremony and the crew greeting passengers, the Kyushu Seven Stars luxury train departs Hakata bound for Sakata. During the trip, guests enjoy a delicious lunch prepared with local, seasonal ingredients grown in Kyushu. When the train reaches Arita, travelers will visit a town with a 400-year tradition of ceramics production. Here they will learn the beauty of traditional craft techniques by visiting the famous kiln where wonderful and exclusive Arita ceramics are made. We'll serve French cuisine for dinner while the train heads to Nagasaki. On the way, passengers can relax and enjoy time in the lounge with bar under a night sky full of stars. In the evening, guests can go on an evening sightseeing tour of Nagasaki. Until 1543, Nagasaki was a small fishing village on a quiet bay that played no role in Japanese history. All this changed with the arrival of Portuguese explorers. In 1549, the Jesuit Saint arrived in Kagoshima in southern Kyushu. Franciszek Ksawery. He soon began an extensive evangelistic campaign in Japan, converting many daimyō. Among them was Ōmura Sumitada, who in 1569 agreed to establish a port in Nagasaki. The port opened in 1571. The small port village quickly developed into a bustling port city, and Portuguese products imported through Nagasaki became part of Japanese culture. The good fortune of Christians came to an end during the times of Hideyoshi Toyotomi and the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. From 1639, when Japan isolated itself from the world, until the Meiji Restoration, Nagasaki was the only port where the Japanese could contact foreigners. The consequence of the Christian uprisings was the expulsion of missionaries from Japan. Their place was taken by the Dutch, interested only in trade. With the Meiji Restoration, Japan reopened to the world. Nagasaki became a free port in 1859, and in 1889 it gained city rights. At that time, Christianity was legalized in Japan and the previously hidden Christian religious community was legalized. Kakure-kirishitan came out of the underground, and Nagasaki regained its role as the center of Catholicism in Japan. In 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on it, which exploded over the Urakami Cathedral - the largest cathedral in East Asia at that time.

In the morning, the Kyushu Seven Stars luxury train departs for Bungo-Mori. Here, those interested can visit the station, opened in 1929. An interesting fact are the remains of a rare locomotive shed built in 1934, abandoned with the electrification of the railway line. During the Edo period, Bungo-Mori was ruled by the Kurushima family, who were descendants of the Murakami pirates from the Inland Sea during the Sengoku period. The train then departs for Yufuin in Ōita Prefecture. The Ōita Valley lies at the foot of the dormant volcano Mt. Yufu rising to a height of 1584 meters above sea level. This valley is extremely fertile due to the fact that the rains and snow that fall here filter through the mountains, absorbing nutrients from the volcanic rocks. The result is both wonderfully refreshing cold water springs and numerous hot springs, over which traditional baths - onsen - have been built. The people of this region are very hospitable and warm. Here, guests can enjoy a guided tour of the charming town of Yufuin. Cafes, boutiques and small museums line its main street, giving it an atmosphere that resembles more of an exclusive shopping district than the traditional onsen (bath) town it actually is. Guests can check out the many onsens built above the hot springs. At the end of the route around the city, there is Lake Kinrinko. They are surrounded by paths along which travelers will find even more small shops and cafes. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. The crew will hold a farewell ceremony on the train before returning to Hakata Station.