Amakusa offers tourist attractions such as Suwa Shrine, Yushima Island, and Tenjiku; sightseeing events such as the Ushibuka Haya Festival, Amakusa Gobashi Festival, and Ushibuka Akane Market; and local delicacies such as horse sashimi, octopus rice, and Taihei-en.
Amakusa, consisting of more than 20 islands, is a scenic area that forms part of Unzen-Amakusa National Park. The Amakusa Five Bridges, with their red bridges set in the blue sea, are one of the best driving spots in the prefecture, and are also known as the Amakusa Pearl Line.
Visitors can also enjoy the view of Japan's three largest pine islands while visiting sightseeing spots, cafes, restaurants, and hot springs. Amakusa is also known for the dolphins that come to its waters, and you can enjoy dolphin cruising and sunset cruising on a white cruiser.
Many people may think of Amakusa Shiro when they think of Amakusa, and at the Amakusa Shiro Memorial Hall, visitors can learn about the history of Christianity and the Nanban culture of the time through easy-to-understand explanations using 3D technology.
There are also many Christian-related attractions such as the Amakusa Korejokan, which has a replica of the costume given to the Taisho Boys' Envoy by the Pope, the Amakusa Rosary Museum, which has a reproduction of a hidden room where prayers were offered, and Oe Tenshudo, a symbolic building in this area.
The Mikuri-nishi Port, with its stone masonry wharf and Western-style buildings from the Meiji era (1868-1912), is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and is definitely worth a visit.
After a day of fun, take a break at "Spa Thalasso Amakusa" for a hot spring bath and thalassotherapy. The pack using seaweed paste from France is also very effective for beautiful skin. At the Amakusa Umakamon Market, you can enjoy a wide variety of Amakusa's famous dried fish and seaweed. Freshly baked bamboo rings shipped directly from the factory are also very popular.
Sea urchins grown in the rough seas of the Amakusa Sea are a red, sweet, and luxurious product, but at local restaurants, you can eat a lot of them at surprisingly reasonable prices. In addition, be sure to check out the local delicacies that can only be found here, such as tai-men (sea bream noodles) and Amakusa dog, which will delight your taste buds with the harmony of somen noodles and grilled natural sea bream.
You will be satisfied no matter what time of year you visit, but you can also go to the Amakusa Pearl Line Marathon in March, the Ushibuka Haya Festival in April, the Amakusa Five Bridges Festival in September, and many other events in the area.