autumn

Sightseeing Active Stay

DAY 1

Arrive at Fukue Island around noon

(10 minutes by car →) Once you arrive on the island, first complete the procedures at the car rental office.

*Guests staying at our hotel can use Toyota Rent a Car at a special rate. We also offer transportation to and from the airport and port.
*For details, please click here. (Advance reservation required)

1:00 PM: Nakamoto Seimen’s Goto Udon

(10 min by car →) After completing your rental car arrangements, head to Nakamoto Seimen for a hand-stretched udon-making experience and lunch. Goto udon is a type of hand-stretched udon and is counted among Japan’s three great udon varieties.

For details on the Goto hand-stretched udon experience, click here*Advance reservation required by 2 days prior.

2:30 PM Dozaki Church

(10 min by car →) Once you are satisfied, head to a Goto-only highlight: Dozaki Catholic Church. This brick church was built in the Meiji era, and its interior now serves as a museum.

15:30 Onidake

(25 min by car →) Onidake, the round-shaped symbol of Fukue Island. After climbing the stairs for about 5 minutes from the parking lot, you will find an observation deck with panoramic views of Fukue’s townscape and the sea of the Goto Islands. From there, it is about a 20-minute climb to the summit.

16:00 Onidake Arboretum

(3 min by car →) In mid-November, as autumn deepens, the Onidake Arboretum turns golden with its ginkgo-lined avenue. Fallen leaves spread across the ground like a ginkgo carpet.

16:30 Arrive at hotel and check in

(10 min by car →) Check in at Goto Retreat ray. As soon as you step inside, ray’s signature ocean-view scenery unfolds before you.

17:30 Dinner at the hotel

Enjoy Japanese kaiseki cuisine at the in-house “ray dining” restaurant, where you can savor the flavors of Gotō. In Goto, where fish are abundant and fresh both in summer and winter, you can enjoy a variety of seasonal seafood throughout the four seasons. Another feature of the remote islands is that all agricultural products are “locally produced” because they are not connected to land.

For more information about ray dining click here

Stargazing Tour

Enjoy the Goto night sky to the fullest with commentary from your guide as you gaze up at a sky full of stars. It is a breathtaking starry sky that can only be seen on remote islands with little nighttime light. From mid-May through June, a limited-time firefly tour is also available; if you are interested, please contact us.

For details on the stargazing tour, click here*Advance reservation required.

~11:00 PM Enjoy a quiet evening at the ray bar

After dinner, take a break and spend the evening at the craft cocktail bar where you can feel the story of Gotō. A non-alcoholic menu is also available. The authentic setting, the essence of Yukio Hashimoto, is also a highlight. There is also a small meditation room behind the bar.

DAY 2

07:30 Breakfast

Wake up refreshed and enjoy breakfast at “ray dining.” Savor freshly cooked white rice and miso soup made with local barley miso. Our “Japanese-style set meal” features fish and vegetables that are gentle on the body. Enjoy a different view from dinner time.

*Available from 07:30 to 09:00 at your preferred time.

9:30 Departure from hotel

After breakfast, we departed in the rental car we rented yesterday.
*We also have a sightseeing MAP of Fukue Island available.

Fukue Island Sightseeing Map

10:10 Gyoran Kannon Observatory, Takahama Beach

(40 min by car →) Pure white sand and a crystal-clear, turquoise-blue sea—this seascape is sometimes called “Japan’s most beautiful sea.” The stunning viewpoint overlooks two beaches, Takahama and Tonhaku, and the breathtaking gradation of blue is truly spectacular.

11:00 Lunch in the Arakawa area

(10 minutes by car→)

  • Shokudo Sansan: A wide selection of set meals featuring fresh fish from the waters around Goto. Another highlight is being able to enjoy nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) at a reasonable price. *Closed Tuesdays.
  • Togarashi: A beloved local restaurant with an extensive menu. Enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine that makes the most of spices and chili oil. *Closed Mondays.

*When strolling around Arakawa, you may use the free parking lot right next to the footbath.

13:00 Oshima Island Exploration

On a pleasant autumn day, why not venture out to Oshima, a secluded island within the Goto Archipelago where untouched nature and deep history intertwine? The highlight of the trip is cave exploration—an enchanting walk through the designated natural monument known as the “Oshima Lava Tunnel,” wrapped in a serene atmosphere. Please enjoy a special time unique to Oshima, where you can feel the island’s pulse.

For details on the Oshima exploration, click here
*Advance reservation required.

16:30 Return to the hotel

(55 min by car →) You may relax in the lobby until dinner, or enjoy the ocean-view open-air bath in your room. Please take your time and unwind with the seascape at dusk.

5:30 PM: Dinner at the hotel

For dinner, visit “ray dining”, we offer a consecutive night menu for the second night, and a private room for up to 8 people.

For more information about ray dining, please visit click here

Open-air bath while gazing at the stars

Clear air and the sound of crashing waves. Countless stars twinkle in the night sky.
Please warm your body slowly at the end of the day. If you’re lucky, you might see a shooting star.

DAY 3

06:30 Depart for Osezaki to see the migration of Oriental honey-buzzards

The Oriental honey-buzzard is a large raptor with a wingspan of up to 130 cm. From September to October, they head toward Southeast Asia to overwinter, and Fukue Island is the last point before they cross the East China Sea and migrate to the continent.

07:30 Osezaki Lighthouse

(50 min by car →) More than 10,000 Oriental honey-buzzards gather at Osezaki before crossing to the continent. In the early morning, you can see “hawk columns” as they take off one after another, riding updrafts to cross the sea.The area near the Statue of the Goddess of Prayer at Osezaki is the observation spot.

09:00 Breakfast

(50 min by car →) After returning to the hotel, head to the breakfast venue at “ray dining.” Seating is available on both the ocean side and the mountain side, so you can enjoy a different view of Goto than yesterday.

*Breakfast is available between 07:30 and 09:00 at your preferred time.

11:00 Check out and look for souvenirs

After checking out, how about visiting the ray shop to find souvenirs unique to the Goto retreat for yourself or your loved ones? We have a collection of Goto and Nagasaki products, such as Goto’s famous camellia tea, Goto udon noodles, local sake, craft goods and pottery made by local artisans, and skincare products made from natural island ingredients. We also have a wide selection of original hotel products.

12:00 Orange Road

(50 min by car →) A small path that runs along the coast of Miiraku. Beyond the lawn, a lava shoreline and the blue sea stretch out before you. Why not take a drive while feeling the sea breeze?

12:30 Monument of Jihongai

Miiraku Town is said to have been the last port of call for the Japanese envoys to Tang China. “Jihongai” means “leaving the farthest edge of Japan,” and a statue of Kukai, who crossed to Tang along with the stone monument, has been placed here. As you gaze out over the East China Sea in the background, you cannot help but be moved by the courage of those envoys who risked their lives to make the journey.

13:00 Lunch in Miiraku

(10 minutes by car→)

  • Hatoba Parlor: Popular parfaits made with local fruit. Takeout and light meals are also available, making it ideal for a break during your drive.

14:30 Takasaki Beach

(5 min by car →) Takasaki is surrounded by abundant nature, where time flows at an unhurried pace. A pure white sandy beach and exceptionally clear waters stretch out before you.

15:30 Mizunoura Church

(15 min by car →) A church standing on a small hill, with white and light blue as its main colors. Highlights include the bat-wing ceiling—one of the features of Gothic architecture—and its beautiful stained glass. If you climb the hill to the right of the church, you will find the Stations of the Cross, with reliefs depicting 15 symbolic scenes from the arrest of Jesus Christ through to the Resurrection.

4:00 PM: Return Rental Car

(20 min by car →) Return your rental car at Toyota Rent a Car, then head to Fukue Port or Fukue Airport (Goto Tsubaki Airport). Shuttle service to the airport and port is also available.