Kyushu is the source, the mountain spring from which the long river of Japanese civilization began. Archaeological evidence points to Kyushu as the earliest inhabited area of Japan. From this most southerly of Japan's major islands, traceable Japanese history emerged from the dark mire of antiquity. Strong evidence supports the belief that Jimmu Tenno, Japan's first emperor, began his northward push from here, planting the seeds of what would be the world's longest-reigning royal household, lasting to the present day.

The Yamato Japanese began their northward thrust from Hyuga, the present-day Miyazaki-ken Prefecture of southeastern Kyushu. Along with them, into the alpine vastness to the north went the subtropical architecture still prevalent in the region.

South of Miyazaki city is Nichinan Kaigan, a magnificent coast commonly called the "Devil's Washboard," and just offshore is Aoshima, known for its shrines and amazing botanical displays. Inland is the mountain fortress of Kirishima ("Cloud Island") and the Ebino Kogen Highlands. A series of 23 peaks, with many towering over 1,500 meters, makes this a trekker's paradise. In the verdant valleys are steaming onsen where you can put up for the night and soak your troubles away while gazing at the black sky dotted with silver stars. In northern Miyazaki is Takachiho Gorge, where ice blue waters have cut deep into the granite creating spires of stone that drop to the river below. The villages of Takachiho have preserved ancient dances that recount the origins of the first settlings of Japan.

In the south is Kagoshima-ken Prefecture, ancestral home of the Shimazu clan, the conquerors of Okinawa. Remaining today as a legacy to the clan's more refined side is the idyllic Iso Garden, one of the most exquisite formal gardens in Japan. Kagoshima Bay is dominated by Sakura Jima, an active and fuming conical volcano. In Kagoshima city is St. Francis Xavier Park, commemorating the beginning of Christianity in Japan. To the south is Ibusuki, where you can be buried to the neck in steaming sands that occur naturally along the shore. From Kagoshima, ferries depart for the Amami Islands that step southward to Okinawa and the Asian mainland.

Kumamoto-ken Prefecture is along the southwestern coast of the island, where volcanic rumblings make it one of the most unstable areas of Japan. Kumamoto city is the capital; here you'll find 300-year-old parks and Kumamoto-jo, a grand castle of the feudal era. In the center of the prefecture is Mt. Aso, the world's largest volcano. Oftentimes, because of its unstable activity, the summit is closed to hiking, but this ugly giant is perennially fascinating in its awesome power. Separating Nagasaki and Kumamoto prefectures are Unzen Amakusa National Park and the Shimabara Peninsula. The park, a diminutive archipelago of more than 120 islands, is bathed by warm currents that create a subtropical atmosphere complete with coral and tropical fish. Recent volcanic activity around Mt. Unzen brought fiery destruction to the villages below. In the highlands, foreign missionaries and their families sought respite from the summer heat of the cities. It was here that Japan's first Christians went underground for 300 years when their religion was banned by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Without benefit of clergy, they clung to their faith and as if by miracle emerged from their symbolic catacombs when Perry's Black Ships reopened Japan to the world in the mid-19th century.

Nagasaki, etched on the sides of rolling mountains, is the capital of Nagasaki Prefecture. The city was the unfortunate target of the second atomic bombing during WW II, but the mountains absorbed much of the blast and the city suffered far less destruction than Hiroshima. Today Nagasaki is rebuilt and thriving, and if you overlook some of the hastily built, pragmatic architecture, it remains one of Japan's most beautiful cities. Lying out to sea between Kyushu and the Asian mainland are Iki and Tsu-shima islands. These were natural stopovers for the sailing ships that traded with China and Korea, and the influence of these cultures is still very much in evidence. Even today it is said that illegal contraband still moves through the ports of these islands. Remote and virtually untouched by tourism, both islands are accessible by ferry and air and offer the traveler adventure and a glimpse of uniquely preserved culture.

Sandwiched between Nagasaki-ken and Fukuoka-ken is Saga-ken Prefecture, one of the smallest in the country. Historically, it was a staging area for the great armies of Hideyoshi Toyotomi that invaded the Korean mainland in the late 16th century. As part of this legacy, Korean ceramic artists were brought back to Japan, and under their masterful guidance, Saga became renowned for fine pottery, particularly around the towns of Arita and Imari, where the craft flourishes to the present day. Karatsu is the principal city in the north, famous for its castle and Rainbow Pine Grove, a verdant strand of 500-year-old pine trees along a white-sand beach. To the northeast is the remains of Nagoya Castle, a mountain fortress built in 1591 that rivaled Osaka Castle. In Ochi town, located in the interior, are the Udono Sekibutsu, 58 images of Buddha that were carved into the sandstone walls over 1,000 years ago.

Saga-ken is famous for its spas. Premier among them is Ureshino in the south, which is also famous for its fine Chinese tea and exquisite ceramics. The prefecture's capital is Saga, the birthplace of Hagakure, the philosophy of the samurai. Just north is Tamasudare Falls ("Bead Curtain"), where pilgrims from throughout Japan come to practice asceticism under its icy waters.

In the north is Fukuoka and its sister city, Kita-Kyushu, one enormous industrial complex that serves as the capital of Fukuoka-ken Prefecture. The gateway to Kyushu by overland routes from Honshu, the area is linked to mainland Japan by the famous Kanmon Bridge and Tunnel. One of the earliest settled regions of Japan, the northern shores of the prefecture abound with archaeological sites. Here is the Takehara Mound, where the walls of the central chamber bear primitive drawings of men and mythical beasts, and Itokoku, where Japan's largest bronze mirror was excavated. West is Shikano-shima, an island in the center of the Genkai Quasi National Park where a farmer found a gold seal in the late 1700s that corroborated early contact with the Han Dynasty of China. The island, connected by a natural causeway, offers excellent views of Hakata Bay and surrounding islands.

On the east coast is the ultrafamous spa town of Beppu, located not far from Oita, the capital of Oita-ken Prefecture. Beppu is famous throughout Japan for its "hells"_bubbling multicolored ponds that ooze from the active volcanic soil below as white steam fills the air. A few kilometers south of Oita in Usuki are the Seki Butsu, fascinating Buddhist rock carvings set in a deep mountain ravine. No one is quite sure why such art, fashioned with obviously painstaking dedication, is found in such a secluded sector of the country. Inland from Beppu is Yufuin, a mountain spa town located at the foot of Mt. Yufu and famous also for a special type of firefly that lives along the waterways of this area.

Oita-ken Prefecture is blessed with a variety of natural attractions. The coastline in the south, perfect for fishing and wandering, is rugged and carved with innumerable coves and bays. Inland are the cool heights of the Kuju-Handa Highlands and the natural wonders of the Yabakei Gorge, Furen Caverns, and powerful Harajiri Falls.

The Land and Climate

The volcanic Kyushu Mountains, tall and rugged, stretch from the Bungo Straits in the northeast to Yatsushiro Bay on the west. The low, rolling Tsukushi Mountains are in the northwest between Kita-Kyushu and Nagasaki. Numerous bays and peninsulas are found throughout the coastal areas of Kyushu, but they are more prolific on the west coast. The peninsulas are generally rugged, and the bays generally shallow. The three coastal plains of Miyazaki, Kumamoto, and Tsukushi are the island's most extensive. Active volcanoes are dotted all over Kyushu, with Mounts Unzen, Aso, Kirishima, and Sakura Jima being the most famous. They have given rise to distinctive upland plains covered with volcanic ash and pumice called shirazu, generally considered agriculturally poor.

The Climate
The southern section of Kagoshima-ken Prefecture, especially the islands running toward Okinawa, can be considered subtropical with warm, humid temperatures year-round. The northern areas near Fukuoka are cooler, and the mountainous regions can even experience snow. The rainy season (baiu) occurs in early June, and typhoons can howl ashore in early fall. The coast along the Japan Sea is drier, often undergoing droughts while other areas are being flooded. Generally, the summer is hot and sticky, the winters mild and balmy, and autumn and spring superb for traveling.

History
Kyushu, as the cradle of Japanese civilization, holds a prominent place in Japanese mythology. Legend says that Ninigi, a descendant of Amaterasu the sun goddess, first came to earth on Mt. Takachiho in Miyazaki-ken Prefecture. Here, he was invested with the regalia of royalty: the sword, the mirror, and the jewels, which symbolize the Emperor of Japan to this day. Opinion concerning the original migrations to Japan is divided, but Kyushu, with its proximity to mainland Asia, was the easiest island to reach in times past, and the mild climate would have aided the earliest settlers in making a reasonable stand in a new frontier. To the north, where the climate is harsher, a far more advanced technology, including a structured division of labor, would have been necessary; in Kyushu it was simply easier to live.

The pertinent history of Kyushu begins with the half-real, mythically embellished founder of the Japanese royal family, Jimmu Tenno. Jimmu allied his roving privateers with the sun goddess Queen Himiko of Kyushu and drove back the barbarians in the mountainous hinterlands. Then, firmly fortified with an alliance with the queen, he moved on to Honshu and established his reign around the present Nara. His kingdom, Yamato, became the strongest and in time the largest in the islands, and thus began the Imperial Japanese State. Those early alliances proved a solid bond between Yamato and Kyushu for centuries to come. Increasingly, Kyushu became a wide-open gateway for the culture, art, manufacturing, and religion that flowed into Japan from Asia and, later, for the temporarily aborted contact with the West. For the most part, these cultural exchanges were accomplished through peaceful trading, but war was also a factor.

Kublai Khan sent an expeditionary force of 100,000 warriors to Hakata (Fukuoka) in 1281 to subjugate Japan after an earlier probing force had failed. The Japanese defenders fought valiantly and were providentially aided by a typhoon that arrived just in the nick of time to sink the Khan's great fleet. The people believed that this kamikaze ("Divine Wind") was sent by the gods in answer to their prayers_its name would symbolize terror and desperation seven centuries later. Kyushu was also the home port of Japanese pirates who roamed the Yellow Sea and the Pacific seeking plunder and, as a by-product, brought back news from abroad.

Japan's first recorded contact with the West also occurred near Kyushu. In 1543, three Portuguese merchants traveling in a Chinese junk were blown off course and landed at Tanega-shima, an island just off the tip of Kagoshima. They paved the way for two Western commodities that would alter Japanese history forever: firearms and Christianity. The Lords of Satsuma, the Shimazu clan of Kagoshima, immediately recognized the value of cannons to warfare and instructed their swordsmiths to begin casting them a few years later. St. Francis Xavier came to Japan through Kyushu in 1549. Catholicism spread rapidly and was eventually considered a threat to national security by the Tokugawa Shogunate. This resulted in civil war between the converts and the shogunate. In 1637 a battle was fought at Shimabara, a peninsula just east of Nagasaki, in which 40,000 Catholics were killed. The new religion went underground and did not emerge until the reopening of Japan in the mid-1800s.

Kyushu is known for its long heritage of military leaders. The Shimazu clan subjugated Okinawa in the 17th century and expanded Japanese rule into the Pacific. A century later, Takamori Saigo was instrumental in establishing the Meiji Restoration of the 1860s. Afterward, he rebelled against the new order and led the Satsuma Rebellion, only to be defeated. He lived according to the old rules of Bushido and committed seppuku. A more modern leader was Heihachiro Togo, admiral of the Japanese Imperial Fleet that annihilated the Imperial Russian Baltic Fleet in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. The most modern historical city of note on Kyushu is Nagasaki. When Japan closed its doors, it was the one and only link to the outside world. Here, Chinese, Korean, and Dutch merchants came to trade. The traders were sequestered on one tiny island, De Jima, linked to the mainland by a small bridge that only Japanese merchants and prostitutes could cross. World War II effectively ended in Nagasaki on the morning of August 9, 1945, with the flash of the second atomic bomb blast.

Arts and Crafts
The manufacture of fine ceramics and porcelain is a thriving art throughout Kyushu. This artform dates back to the early 17th century, when Korean potters were brought into Kyushu after the abortive invasion of their homeland by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The finest kilns were founded by the Koreans, and even today the influence of the Yi Dynasty can be seen in the exquisite ceramic ware. There are numerous and varied kilns throughout Kyushu, but there are four main groupings by which most of the pottery is designated.
  Note: Although this section deals primarily with the potter's art, the most famous of Kyushu's crafts, there are also a multitude of other arts and crafts found on the island. For more information, please refer to the "Shopping" and/or "Arts and Crafts" sections for specific regions.

Satsuma Ceramic Ware
Satsuma ceramics are produced in southern Kyushu in and around Kagoshima. Shiro (white) satsuma has unique designs of elegant birds and flower but has become very popular, especially as an export item, so its high standard has suffered and the once-elegant hand-painted designs are merely stamped on. Kuro satsuma are the dark-glazed ceramics of Kagoshima that vary from black to dark green. These ceramics were highly prized by the Shimazu clan for use in the tea ceremony. Many of the pieces today are utilitarian, and along with shiro satsuma are found in numerous shops in Kagoshima. The two most famous kilns producing these wares are Ryumonji-gama at Koyamada 5445, Kajiki-cho, Airagun, Kagoshima-ken; and Sataro-gama, with master potter Samejima Sataro, at Miyama 456, Higashiichiki-cho, Hiokigun, Kagoshima-ken, tel. (099) 274-2450.

Arita-yaki
This pottery is manufactured in and around Arita at numerous kilns. Arita-yaki is beautiful enameled porcelain whose main patterns are flowers and animals. Its history dates back to the 15th century, when it was patterned after Ming porcelain from China. This ware can be seen 0900- 1630 at the Arita Ceramics Museum, 1356 Aritacho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 42-3372, closed Mondays, admission ¥100. The museum displays old Arita-yaki and gives a history of its origin.

Close to Arita is Imari, the port from which Arita-yaki was once shipped, and the mountain village of Okawachi_dedicated exclusively to pottery. At one time the inhabitants of Okawachi were prevented from leaving in order to safeguard their production secrets; today the village is becoming more and more touristed, but fine examples of family-owned and operated shops/ kilns are everywhere. A visit to any of the following kilns in the Arita area will give you a good cross-section of the pottery available: Kakiemon Kiln, Minamigawara, Arita-cho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 43-2267; Imaemon Sankokan Gallery (across from Imaemon Kiln), Akae, Arita-cho, Nishimatsura-gun, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 42-3101; and Fukagawa Seiji Kiln, 1361 Arita-cho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 42-5215.

A yearly market is held April 29-May 5 in Arita, at which time the streets are lined with open-air stalls selling a stockpile of ceramics. This is the largest fair of its kind in all Japan. Some works are treasures, while other items are of the dime-store variety.

Karatsu-yaki
Another important center for pottery is Karatsu, approximately 20 km due west of Fukuoka in Saga-ken Prefecture. Pottery works are everywhere in Karatsu, and it seems as though every shop sells Karatsu-yaki. Karatsu, being so close to Korea, has been an important trading port for centuries. A number of families in town have handed down their ceramic traditions for over four centuries, and these wares have been favorites in tea ceremonies for just as long. Most pieces are of simple buff tones with dark brown underglazes. Other prominent glazes are deep, rich blacks and striking oranges. See fine examples of Karatsu-yaki at Nakazato Taroemon Kiln, Choda, Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 72-8171; and Ochanomizu Kiln, Katanamachi, Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, tel. (0955) 72-2685. Also visit Karatsu Castle, a 10-minute walk from Higashi-Karatsu Eki, to see old Karatsu ware chronologically catalogued along with local archaeological finds. The castle is open 0900-1700, 0900-1800 in July and August, admission ¥310.

Onta-yaki
In the north-central section of Kyushu, in and around the village of Hita, you'll find Onta-yaki. This pottery is perhaps the best example of true folk art in Kyushu. It is a no-frills utilitarian pottery designed for everyday use. Manufactured in this area for three centuries, Onta-yaki favors simple designs and earthy colors, giving it an unpretentious beauty. Again, Korean potters taken from their homeland populated the nearby villages. Train to Hita on the JR Kundai Honsen Main Line and bus 40 minutes to the village of Sarayama, where you'll find almost every other family employed in the manufacture of Onta-yaki. A pottery fair is held every year on the second weekend of October. There are numerous excellent kilns in the village, and two fine examples are Sakamoto Masami Kiln, Sarayama, Motoe-cho, Hita, Oita Prefecture, tel. (0973) 29-2405; and Sakamoto Shigeki Kiln, Sarayama, Motoe-cho, Hita, Oita Prefecture, tel. (0973) 29-2404.

Folk Crafts
Hakata ningyo are famous clay dolls made in and around Fukuoka. First crafted in the 17th century by Soshiichi Misaki, a roof-tile maker who dedicated the dolls to the local daimyo, they have gained prominence in Japan for their exquisite designs, smooth complexion, and outstanding workmanship. The dolls range widely in shape and size but are usually dressed in classical Japanese kimonos and molded into poses of grace and beauty. The finer ones have delicately painted, lifelike features and can represent geisha, samurai warriors, or even Kabuki actors. The dolls can be found in shops all over the city, and in fact all over Japan, with prices ranging from ¥200 for small, hastily made models to ¥20,000-plus for those of superior workmanship.

Oita-ken Prefecture is known for its manufacture of fine bamboo products that are prized for their suppleness and craftsmanship. Articles range from baskets to umbrellas. Hizen beedoro is glassware usually colored a deep blue or red that is a specialty of Saga-ken Prefecture. Saga artists also fashion Saganishiki, natural fabrics made into belts, purses, and carryall bags.

Nagasaki, a long-established gateway to the West, reflects this tradition through the manufacture of Koga ningyo. These dolls oftentimes represent Portuguese sailors, British ladies in long dresses, and Chinese merchants bearing exotic items. The prefecture also makes kites and Sasebo tops, favorites with children for centuries.

Higo zogan is gold and silver inlay that at one time graced the swords, scabbards, and gun stocks of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto. Today, this work appears on jewelry boxes and cases. The more it is used, the glossier it becomes. One konoha zaru piece has become famous the world over as the three "see, hear, and speak no evil" monkeys. These folk toys are made of unglazed pottery and always feature monkeys, considered to be guardian spirits that kept the peace between husbands and wives.

Kagoshima, along with exquisite yaku cedar products and fine bamboo accouterments, is renowned for its weaving of Oshima pongee. This fine silk fabric is light, elegant, and amazingly durable. Miyazaki folk art includes nobori zaru, a pole-climbing monkey that uses an ingeniously simple technique. Fashioned during the Edo period by poor samurai looking to supplement their incomes, the toy has been a favorite with Japanese children for generations. Miyazaki craftsmen also make sadowara ningyo, unsophisticated dolls known for their homespun warmth.