Why Kyushu is the best destination for digital nomads

Boasting a bounty of volcanic mountains, hot springs, unspoiled beaches, and countless ways to engage with traditional culture, remote workers looking for someplace special to call home would be wise to move Kyushu — Japan’s third-largest island, and the most southerly of the four islands that make up mainland Japan — to the top of their location wish-list. Add to those undeniable allures a welcoming local community, a ready-made community of fellow digital nomads, an excellent infrastructure of co-working spaces, along with being easy to access via seaports, airports, and Shinkansen bullet train connections, and Kyushu amounts to an unforgettable longer-term base. Intrigued? Keep reading for more irresistible reasons to make Kyushu your home-from-home during an extended remote-working spell.

Things to do in Kyushu for digital nomads

Before covering detail on where digital nomads might want to base themselves in Kyushu, here we share broad-stroke reasons the island makes an excellent — and unique — remote working destination.

Access to nature and adventure from urban hubs

Encompassing extraordinary landscapes of steaming hot springs, lush forests, and beautiful beaches — all of which are easily accessible from cities and towns — Kyushu strikes a sweet spot between natural magic and urban verve.

As a bonus, adventure-minded travelers will be pleased to learn that said extraordinary landscapes also serve as the scenic stage for the likes of surfing, cycling, and hiking.

Put simply, when you’re done with work for the week, you’re never far from being able to embrace Kyushu’s wilder side.

­Traditional culture

Beyond its incredible natural landscapes, discovering traditional culture is one of the best things to do in Kyushu. 
For a few examples, studios in Fukuoka — Kyushu’s gateway city — host workshops that teach the art of painting traditional clay Hakata dolls. Come July, the city also hosts the 780-year-old UNESCO-designated Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival.

Meanwhile, the towns of Beppu and Yufuin offer opportunities to try your hand at traditional bamboo crafts, and immerse yourself in Japan's hot spring (onsen) traditions. More on that right below.

Getting to embrace Beppu’s hot new hot-spring workation trend  

Saving Kysuhu’s most unique remote working experience until last, the town of Beppu has a rising reputation for offering digital nomads opportunities to soak up local onsen culture, while also delivering all the amenities you need to work.

While we share more on Beppu below, in short, there are few better bases to relax and learn about local life around work. 

Pleasing practical amenities for digital nomads in Kyushu

First up, Kyushu is loaded with well-equipped co-working spaces and networking hubs that make it easy to work in welcoming communities.

Fukuoka even has a whole conference dedicated to digital nomads (Colive Fukuoka), and support programs for entrepreneurial remote workers, including the Startup Café hub space.

You’re also spoiled for choice when it comes to finding well-equipped lodgings for long-term stays, whether you’re seeking a co-living space or want your own space.

Key digital nomad-friendly destinations in Kyushu

Before we present detail on where to work, stay, play, and explore further afield in four of Kyushu’s key digital nomad-friendly destinations, here’s a handy overview to whet your appetite. 

Deserving of being included in any Kyushu itinerary, they come especially recommended for remote workers.

Fukuoka: best for balancing urban excitement and nature

Goto Islands: best for serenity, creativity, and inspiration

Beppu and Yufuin: best for interweaving work and wellness in hot spring hotspots

Hyuga: best for surfing, working, and joining a community

Fukuoka: best for balancing urban excitement and nature

A vibrant, easily-accessed gateway city, Fukuoka epitomises how Kyushu offers remote workers the best of both worlds. Namely, the convenience of a shiny cityscape backdrop, plus proximity to the shimmering sea, majestic mountains, and ancient cultural attractions.

Where to work

Given its track record of welcoming digital nomads, it’ll come as no surprise that the city is superbly set up for remote workers. Take Artist Café Fukuoka — designed to facilitate networking and support creative start-ups — which has a cool co-working space that invites artists to showcase their creations.

Meanwhile, the stylish sea-view SALT workspace sees digital nomads work to the tune of gently lapping waves.

Where to stay

Located in the heart of the Tenjin district, Iyf Tenjin Fukuoka boasts a smart shared kitchen and 24-hour co-working space.

Where to play

To escape the city around your work schedule, head to the Itoshima Peninsula for breath-taking beaches, scenic trails, superb surf, and sensational seafood.

On that subject, one of Fukuoka’s main allures is its food, not least the open-air Yatai dining stalls that come alive after dark to serve local specialties like Hakata ramen until the small hours.

Find out more about why Fukuoka enthrals remote workers.

Goto Islands: best for serenity, creativity, and inspiration

Gloriously unspoiled, though the Goto Islands exude an irresistibly remote vibe, they’re easily accessed from Fukuoka, and well-served by well-equipped co-working spaces. 

After a 40-minute flight to Fukue, the largest of the Goto Islands, digital nomads will be greeted by pristine beaches and lush volcanic landscapes, setting the stage for a serene stay that’s likely to prove productive and inspirational.

Where to work and stay

Located near the harbor and airport, Serendip Hotel Goto has a co-working space and café that’s patronised by locals and guests alike. As such, it provides the full package of being a welcoming place to work, rest, and play.

That’s also the case at Colorit — beautiful beachfront accommodation that boasts an ocean-view terrace and expansive co-working space that’s sure to get your creative juices going. 

Where to play

When you’ve downed tools for the day, head to the dazzlingly white sands of Takahama beach to bathe in cobalt-blue waters.

We also recommend digging into local culture through eating plenty of Goto udon noodles and visiting Goto Tsubaki Distillery to savor floral artisanal gin.

Explore more

The hillside Daihoji Temple epitomises the Goto Islands’ serene spirit while also showcasing local history. The same is true of the island’s UNESCO-designated churches — a testament to when Fukue served as a place of refuge for persecuted Christians.

Get more detail on why digital nomads need to go to the Goto Islands.

Beppu and Yufuin: best for interweaving work and wellness in hot spring hot spots

Embracing onsen culture is one of the best things to do in Kyushu, with the hot spring hotspots of Beppu and Yufuin being beautiful bases in which to relax and refresh your body and mind while keeping up with work.

The magic begins before you’ve arrived, thanks to the train journey from Fukuoka serving sublime views, setting the tone for a stay that blends the rejuvenating power of geothermal landscapes with having access to top-notch work spaces.

Where to work

Located in central Beppu, Office Hood enables remote workers to configure their own workspace, depending on your preference for working alone, or in communal spaces.

Where to stay

Melding traditional charm with modern amenities — and boasting its own hot spring and co-working space — Sunline Beppu can’t come more recommended as a convenient one-stop shop for all your remote working needs.

Where to play

Alongside chilling out in all those hot spring baths, be sure to tour the “Hells of Beppu” — seven otherworldly springs that are too hot to bathe in, with the blood-red Chinoike Jigoku pool exuding an especially uncanny aura.

Come nightfall, Beppu’s quirky clubs and bars buzz with locals and a growing digital nomad community.

Explore more

Presiding over Yufuin town, Mount Yufu is traversed by scenic trails that invite rejuvenating hikes.

Discover more reasons Beppu and Yufuin are ideal destinations for digital nomads. 

Hyuga: best for surfing, working, and joining a community

Having long attracted in-the-know surfers to its shores, Hyuga — a town that sees nomads warmly welcomed into the local community — is rising in popularity as an idyllic medium-to-long-term tropical retreat for remote workers. 

Though a little more off-the-beaten track than other key Kyushu digital nomad destinations, Hyuga remains easy to access via the Limited Express Nichirin from Miyazaki Airport. On arrival, proximity to beaches, bars, and world-class ocean-view workspaces means maintaining a work-life balance in Hyuga is super easy.

Where to work

Encapsulating many of Hyuga’s appeals at one fell swoop, Stairs of the Sea Surf Office boasts a big co-working space and on-site cafés, restaurants, and shops.

Located right by a notable surf beach, patrons of this inspiring remote-working hub have a habit of keeping their boards to hand and their eyes on the waves.

Where to stay

Moments from a scenic beach, Oise Sun Café and Hotel offers spacious rooms, plus café and co-working space.

Where to play

One of the best beaches around these parts, Isegahama Beach is an awe-inspiring place to swim, surf, and appreciate Hyuga’s natural beauty, with walks to Omi shrine and the Umagase Viewpoint on Cape Hyuga similarly igniting inspiration.

Come the evening, bars and restaurants around Hyugashi station see travelers and locals gather to eat, drink, and share stories — there’s no better place to experience Hyuga’s renowned community spirit.

Explore more

Immersive fishing experiences offered by local residents deliver deep dives into local culture and Hyuga’s coastal scenery.

Come early-August, Hyuga’s Hyottoko Summer Festival sees up to 2000 masked performers hit the streets to enact costumed dances to the tune of gongs and taiko drums. 

Wise up on why Hyuga has such huge appeal for remote workers.

All that considered, it’s clear why Kyushu is hard to beat as a destination for digital nomads. Easily accessed — and easy to get around — finding the perfect work-life balance is an absolute breeze on the island. 

The great variety of things to do in Kyushu makes it the ideal place to find out about local culture and explore remarkable natural landscapes, while enjoying well-equipped work environments that invite productivity and spark creativity. Sounds like a win-win-win situation.