These three places in Kyushu let you see autumn leaves and soak in an onsen on the same day in November.
The foliage season ends first at Nomiyama Kannonji temple (呑山観音寺) in Fukuoka, then at Mount Tsurumi (鶴見岳) above Beppu via the Beppu Ropeway, and last at Kirishima Shrine (霧島神宮) in Kagoshima.
As of November 8, three weekends are left in the month: November 14–15, the three-day weekend of November 21–23 (Monday the 23rd is a national holiday), and November 28–29. Here's the best fit for each spot, based on official foliage information.
- Nomiyama Kannonji: November 14–15. By November 21–23 the temple's autumn festival is in its final days, and the only area still listed at peak is the shade around Shichifukujindo Hall (七福神堂). For the soak, plan on driving to Wakita Onsen.
- Beppu Ropeway: November 14–15 or 21–23. If you're going by bus, note that from November 15 the last car down leaves at 5:00 p.m.; the last bus back to Beppu Station is 5:46 p.m. on weekdays and 5:51 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
- Kirishima Shrine: November 21–23 or 28–29. On November 14–15 the shrine's foliage is usually not yet at its peak, but that's when the Maruo (丸尾) onsen area usually peaks.
If you're taking the bus to Kirishima Shrine on a weekend or holiday, only five buses a day (local buses plus the Access Bus) run from Kirishima-Jingu Station to the shrine.
For peak dates across the rest of the country, see Japan Autumn Leaves 2026: Peak Dates and 8 Best Spots.
Peak by weekend
Weekend | Nomiyama Kannonji | Mount Tsurumi (Beppu Ropeway) | Kirishima Shrine |
|---|---|---|---|
Nov 14–15 | Most areas at peak (through mid-November) | Foliage season (mid-October to late November); last cars 30 min earlier from Nov 15 | Early; Maruo onsen area usually peaks mid-November |
Nov 21–23 | Festival's final days; only the shade around Shichifukujindo still at peak | Foliage season (through late November) | Usual peak (late November) |
Nov 28–29 | Festival over; rose garden closed after Nov 26; shade around Shichifukujindo listed through late November | End of the foliage season | Usual peak (late November); colors can last 1–2 weeks past peak without frost |
Sources: the temple's website, the Beppu Ropeway's website, and Kirishima City's foliage report (updated November 6).
Peak shifts with the weather, so check each spot's latest update before you go.
Nomiyama Kannonji autumn festival: through November 23
Nomiyama Kannonji in Sasaguri, Fukuoka Prefecture, holds its autumn foliage festival from Wednesday, October 28, to Monday, November 23, 2026. The foliage includes Japanese maples and enkianthus, as well as mountain cherry, Japanese wax trees and zelkova.
The temple's website gives peak windows by area.
Most areas peak between late October and mid-November, including the enkianthus at Hyakukannondo Hall (百観音堂) and the approach to Tenno-in (天王院), which becomes a carpet of fallen maple leaves from mid-November. Only the shaded spots around Shichifukujindo Hall are listed through late November.
In its November 4 foliage update, Fukuoka Prefecture's tourism association listed Hokotateyama Tenno-in (鉾立山天王院) as "starting to turn," and noted that Nomiyama Kannonji is expected to peak earlier than last year.
The grounds are open 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The temple requires permission for commemorative photo sessions and for any shoot with a hired photographer.
Through November 23, festival visitors can view two features not normally open to the public: the Yugi Daihoto pagoda (瑜祇大宝塔) and a statue of the two-headed Aizen Myoo (両頭愛染明王).
It runs 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last entry 4:00). Admission is ¥500 (high school age and up); junior high students and younger get in free.
The rose garden, Kaentei (花筵庭), stays open three days longer, until November 26. Maples ring it on all four sides, and the autumn roses bloom while the maples are in color.
Nomiyama Kannonji access and Wakita Onsen
The nearest station is Sasaguri on the JR Fukuhoku Yutaka Line, about 15 minutes from the temple by taxi.
The temple's access page lists no bus that goes all the way to the temple. The temple's access page lists buses from Tenjin Bus Center (about 35 minutes) and Hakata Station Bus Center (about 30 minutes) as far as the Sasaguri stop.
As of November 8, the temple's access page says Prefectural Route 450 along Rikimaru Dam is closed for construction. Drivers coming by expressway are advised to exit at Fukuoka Interchange (福岡IC) and come through Sasaguri town (about 20 minutes).
After the temple, head on to Wakita Onsen (脇田温泉) in Miyawaka. Fukuoka Prefecture's tourism association describes the water as clear and alkaline. The temple's access page gives a driving route between Wakita Onsen and the temple via Prefectural Route 92. It lists no public transit route, so plan on driving.
For a day soak, Yunozen no Sato (湯乃禅の里), run by the ryokan Nansuikaku (楠水閣), is open 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (last entry 10:00). Adults pay ¥900 on weekdays and ¥1,000 on weekends and holidays. It closes every Wednesday.
Beppu Ropeway: autumn colors and last cars
On Mount Tsurumi, the colors start at the summit in mid-October and work their way down to the base by late November.
On November 3, the maples in the Shiki no Sato (四季の里) area at the foot of the mountain were just starting to turn, and the summit was 6°C (43°F) at 9 a.m. Bring an extra layer for the top.
Round-trip fares are ¥1,800 for adults (junior high age and up; ¥1,200 one way), ¥900 for ages 4 through elementary school, and ¥1,700 for ages 70 and up. The ropeway runs every day of the year but can stop for bad weather or maintenance.
Period | First car | Last car up | Last car down |
|---|---|---|---|
Through Nov 14 | 9:00 a. | 5:00 p. | 5:30 p. |
From Nov 15 | 9:00 a. | 4:30 p. | 5:00 p. |
Ropeway buses and Beppu's hot springs
Beppu Kogen Station (別府高原駅), the ropeway's base, is about 20 minutes from the west exit of JR Beppu Station by Kamenoi Bus (亀の井バス). Take Route 36 (toward the Ropeway, Kijima and Yufuin) from stop 1.
Route 36's first and last buses of the day from Beppu Station skip the ropeway, so check the timetable before you board.
The ropeway's website still lists the Yufurin (ゆふりん) express via Kannawa, but it has been suspended indefinitely since October 17, 2026.
The last bus from Beppu Kogen Station back to Beppu Station's west exit leaves at 5:46 p.m. on weekdays and 5:51 p.m. on weekends and holidays, per Kamenoi Bus's timetable (current as of March 14, 2026).
Check hotel availability and rates in Beppu
On the bus back to Beppu Station, you can get off at Hotta Onsen-mae (堀田温泉前) for Hotta Onsen, a city-run bathhouse. It's open 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and adults pay ¥300.
It closes for cleaning from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and all day on the first Wednesday of the month. If you stop there, check the next bus toward Beppu Station before you get off.
Back at Beppu Station, the city-run Takegawara Onsen (竹瓦温泉) is about a 10-minute walk away. A regular bath costs ¥300 for adults. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the bathhouse is closed on the third Wednesday of the month.
For Kannawa Onsen (鉄輪温泉), Kamenoi Bus's stop guide lists routes 2, 5, 7 and 41 from stop 3 at Beppu Station's west exit.
Kirishima Shrine and Kirishima Onsen
Kirishima City's foliage report (updated November 6) says Kirishima Shrine is starting to turn and usually peaks in late November. The Maruo area of Kirishima Onsen is turning too and typically peaks in mid-November.
The city says the colors hold for about one to two weeks after peak if the weather stays fair and there's no frost damage.
There's no admission charge for the shrine grounds, and all 500 parking spaces are free.
During foliage season, however, the city says roadside parking increases around the shrine and asks visitors to use parking lots such as those at tourist information centers or to take public transit.
Kirishima Onsen is a cluster of nine hot spring areas with a range of water types. The Kirishima City Tourism Association lists 16 facilities offering day-use bathing and notes that their hours and closing days may change.
Hotel Kirishima Kokusai (霧島国際ホテル), with sulfur springs, is one option. It's about a 5-minute walk from the Maruo Onsen (丸尾温泉) bus stop, the stop after Maruo on buses from the shrine.
Day bathing runs 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (last entry 2:00) for ¥1,200 per adult. It may be suspended on national holidays and some other days, so check ahead if you're going on Monday, November 23.
Kirishima by bus: weekends and holidays
From JR Kirishima-Jingu Station (霧島神宮駅), Kagoshima Kotsu (鹿児島交通) local buses bound for Kirishima Iwasaki Hotel (霧島いわさきホテル) take 13 minutes to the shrine and 28 minutes to Maruo, per the October 1 timetable on Kirishima City's website.
Six buses a day leave the station on weekdays, but only three on weekends and holidays: 9:51 a.m., 12:56 p.m. and 4:21 p.m.
The Kirishima Jingu Access Bus also leaves the station for the shrine at 7:35 a.m. (weekends and holidays only) and 4:10 p.m.
Check hotel availability and rates in Kirishima
Since the October 1 timetable change, the shrine's bus stops have been consolidated into one, and buses toward Maruo leave from the Akamatsuso-mae (あかまつ荘前) stop. The Kirishima City Tourism Association advises checking the destination before you board.
On weekends and holidays, the last local bus from Maruo back toward Kirishima-Jingu Station leaves at 2:08 p.m.
Kirishima City's page (updated November 4) lists the Kirishima Jingu Access Bus (霧島神宮アクセスバス) from Maruo to Kirishima-Jingu Station: 3:00 p.m. daily, plus 5:50 p.m. on weekends and holidays. It leaves from Maruo stop ① and does not stop at Maruo Onsen.
The only ticket is a one-day pass (¥1,500 for adults), also sold on board.
On a weekend or holiday, take the 9:51 a.m. bus from Kirishima-Jingu Station to the shrine, then the 1:09 p.m. bus from the Akamatsuso-mae stop to Maruo Onsen, arriving at 1:25.
That's enough for a soak at Hotel Kirishima Kokusai (last entry 2:00), but leave time to get to Maruo stop ① for the 3:00 p.m. Access Bus. If you're aiming for the 5:50 p.m. bus, pick a bath that stays open later.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.