Yabakei Gorge — Kyushu's Hand-Carved CanyonRoad.
Distance
80 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
700 m
Yabakei Gorge — Kyushu's Hand-Carved Canyon Road.
One of Kyushu's most celebrated scenic valleys, Yabakei follows the Yamakuni River through a landscape of jagged rock pinnacles and tunnels — including the Aonodomon, hand-chiseled over 30 years by a single monk so travelers could pass safely. Famed for autumn foliage, the route threads Hon-, Shin-, and Oku-Yabakei toward the Hita highlands.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance80 km
Days1
Total climb700 m
DifficultyEasy
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The route.
Nakatsu CityStart · Coastal castle town; head up the Yamakuni River into the gorge.
Aonodomon (Blue Tunnel)Scenic Point · A road tunnel hand-carved over 30 years by the monk Zenkai with chisel and hammer for travelers' safe passage.
Hon-Yabakei Kyoshu PeakPhoto Spot · Sheer rock pinnacles towering over the river; one of Japan's great autumn-foliage spots.
Shin-Yabakei Hitome HakkeiScenic Point · The "Eight Views at a Glance" — eight jagged peaks framed from a single roadside viewpoint.
Yabakei Rest StopRestaurant · Local soba and grilled yamame trout in the heart of the gorge.
Oku-Yabakei (Shorenji Dam)Scenic Point · The quietest, most remote upper gorge around the reservoir.
YamakuniEnd · End at the headwaters town on the way toward the Hita highlands.
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