Usa Shrine Tickets and Tours

Private Beppu and Yufuin Hot Springs and Nature Tour

Best guide, best day!!

This review is embarrassingly late but we such vividly wonderful memories of the 3 days spent touring with Professor Shannon Lefebvre that it feels like just yesterday we were touring with him in Fukuoka, Beppu and Hot Springs. Short review- please go to this region and let Shannon pick your itinerary. Unlike other areas where we told the guide what we wanted to see, I let Shannon pick our itinerary and it was truly the best day we had in 4 weeks in Japan last year!! Detailed review- Each morning, Shannon promptly picked us from our hotel and we drove on a previously arranged itinerary. This particular day was my absolute favorite of the whole two days as Shannon showed us a more authentic Japan rather and truly how variety is in its natural beauty. Our first stop was about an hour away from Fukuoka in Nakatsu where we saw the famous bronze statue of Zenkai-osho, the monk who hand dug a tunnel for over 30 years to provide safe passage for his community over the river. His perseverance stands up even today, 300 years later. And the late fall foliage around us was serene and quiet and free of tourists!! We then went to the Usa-jingu shrine. the head of more than 40,000 Shinto shrines in Japan. From the orange Shinto gates to its beautiful smaller temples and quiet river, it was breathtaking in its peacefulness where one can truly feel at vibrations.The fall foliage was its peak as shown in the photographs I have shared. Shannon was an excellent guide teaching us the history, the customs and yet also discreet in letting us enjoy the moments. I will always be grateful to him for taking us there!! Next stop-