Kokura Castle

It is located in Kitakyushu, Kyushu region and it was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1602. It was the property of the Ogasawara clan between 1632 and 1860. The castle was destroyed in 1866 in the war between the Kokura and Choshu clans.

  
Mori Ogai was based at the castle at the turn of the 19th-20th century when it was a military base. 

The keep was reconstructed in 1959, and the castle was fully restored in 1990. The Matsumoto Seicho museum and castle garden were opened in 1998.

Shiroyama Park

It is located in downtown Kagoshima that extends over Mount Shiroyama. With an altitude of 107 meters, the mountain formerly served as a castle site, which led to its name. Shiroyama literally means "castle mountain" in Japanese. The castle's former grounds at the base of the mountain now serve as the site of the Reimeikan Museum. 

 

The park is well-known for its Shiroyama Observatory with spectacular views over downtown Kagoshima, Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima. 

The night view is also recommended, particularly if a clear sky and bright moon allow Sakurajima to remain visible.

Furthermore, the park will contain the interest of travelers interested in Japanese history, as it was the location of the final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. The local hero, Saigo Takamori is said to have made his last stand at Saigo Cave, located within the park. 

Shuri Castle

It was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroyed.

Beginning in 1992, it was reconstructed on the original site based on photographs, historical records, and memory.

                       

Because of its central role in Ryukyuan political and religious life, the castle is surrounded by various sites of historical interest, including Shureimon, the main gate to the castle, and the Tamaudun Mauseoleum, the royal tombs located next to Shuri Castle.

Gunkanjima

 Gunkanjima is a small island situated about 20 kilometers from Nagasaki Port in Kyushu region. Until 1974, the island served as a coal mine, and more than 5,000 residents called the 480 meter long, 150 meter wide island home, resulting in the highest population density in history recorded worldwide.

 To accommodate lots of people in such a small area, every piece of land was built up so that the island came to resemble a massive battleship. In fact, "Gunkanjima" is a nickname that means "battleship island" in Japanese. The island's formal name is Hashima.

In 2009, a newly constructed boat dock was constructed to make it possible for sightseeing tour boats to land on Gunkanjima. Tour participants are taken to three observation decks in a small part on the southern end of the island and spend about 45 minutes on the island with Japanese speaking tour guides. Tour participants are not allowed to get too close to the buildings because of the risk of collapse.

The boat ride between Nagasaki and Gunkanjima is also interesting. Boats take about 50 minutes one way, and pass large Mitsubishi ship building factories and other islands along the way. The ride also allows for some nice views of the city of Nagasaki and its port from the boat.

Nagasaki Peace Park

The park commemorates the atomic bombing of Nagasaki of August 9, 1945, which destroyed wide parts of the city and killed ten thousands of people.

It is home to the massive Peace Statue as well as various other memorials.

A monument around a black pillar marks the atomic explosion's epicenter in the nearby Hypocenter Park and stores the name list of bomb victims.

Ibusuki Hot Springs

It is an onsen town that is well-known for its sand baths, where bathers are buried in naturally heated sand.

The town is located in the southern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula, and the main downtown area is along the coast facing Kagoshima Bay.　

Ibusuki's sand baths can be enjoyed at a number of hotels and other facilities, but the most popular bathing spot is the large Saraku Sand Bath Hall, which is about a kilometer from Ibusuki Station. At sand baths, guests get provided with yukata robes and are then buried by staff members in hot sand that is heated by natural steam coming up from below. After staying buried for typically 10 to 20 minutes, guests wash off the sand and enter regular hot spring baths.

 

At the very southern end of Ibusuki City is Cape Nagasakibana, which has a recommended lookout point with views onto the ocean and nearby Mount Kaimondake.