In northwestern Kyushu, the small town of Ureshino offers a slower, more restorative side of Japan, shaped by its tea fields and healing hot springs. This journey brings together a private tea tasting among the fields, a quiet visit to a celebrated Shinto shrine, and an overnight stay at a hotel where tea and onsen culture meet. The day begins in Ureshino’s tea fields, where guests are welcomed into an open-air tea space set within the plantations. Hosted by a local tea farmer or certified tea concierge, the private tasting pairs a selection of teas from local growers with seasonal sweets. As you taste, your host shares the story behind each cup and what makes Ureshino tea so refined. From there, a short drive leads to Yūtoku Inari Shrine, one of Japan’s three most revered Inari shrines. Climb its stairways through vivid vermilion halls and take a moment of quiet reflection in its sacred atmosphere before returning to Ureshino. The evening belongs to Ureshino Yadoya, an elegant hotel where tea culture and onsen wellness come together, and its spa, Chakou, is a favorite among our guests. Each treatment begins with a personal consultation and an aromatic oil chosen to suit how you feel that day, made with locally grown plants. One of Chakou’s signature treatments opens with a warm Ureshino tea footbath, followed by a full-body massage and a soothing head massage to finish. Afterward, soak in waters celebrated as one of Japan’s three great hot springs for beautiful skin, prized for their silky feel, and settle in for the night, restored by tea, nature and the onsen.