Play up the rainy season in Kyushu! Have fun even on a rainy day! 7 Recommended Indoor Sightseeing Spots

Even on a rainy day, you want to go out! How about learning about history, astronomy, and herbal medicines indoors?

A change of scenery is the best way to clear the dreary mood of the rainy season! I want to go out even on a rainy day! I want to go for a drive!
Don't let a sudden rain ruin your sightseeing plans, not only during the rainy season, but also when you have come all the way here to have fun! Stay comfortable even on rainy days! You can enjoy yourself comfortably even in the hot midsummer! Here are Kyushu's recommended indoor facilities in Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima prefectures.

From families with children, to date plans for couples who want to spend time together, to group trips among friends, to a museum where you can relax alone without worrying, to a science museum that will tickle your curiosity, to a medicinal herb garden where you can learn a little, these are 7 recommended spots where you can play without worrying about the weather. And the hole-in-the-wall spots that you may be interested in? We also introduce a few of the more interesting spots!
Why don't you plan your trip and drive while enjoying the scenery because of the rain?

Excited about the mysteries of science! Enchanted by the star-filled sky!

Fujigigaregara!" is a hands-on, experiential science museum based on the concept of "Fujigigare!
In the Science Labo (permanent exhibition), visitors can experience mysterious scientific phenomena and experience the mechanism of tornadoes through a 10-meter-high large tornado generator. In addition, the "Hybrid Planetarium," which is one of the largest domes in western Japan (inner diameter of 30 meters) and uses a state-of-the-art system to reproduce the starry sky with ultimate realism, is on display in the Space Lounge, along with the largest "moon rock" on display in Japan and the actual "Apollo command ship" created by Nasa.

Priority for advance reservations online for Science LABO and Planetarium.

Photo provided by the facility

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Oto Sakura Kaido
Roadside Station Kaharu
Roadside Station Munakata

Nakatomi Memorial Pharmaceutical Museum (Tosu City)

You can also see and learn about medicinal plants! Learn about "People and Medicine" through the five senses

This museum is one of the few museums in Japan that focuses on the theme of "Pharmaceuticals". The building, designed by Italian sculptor Cecco Bonanotte, has a modern design based on stone and glass. The museum exhibits valuable materials, including documents related to the local traditional industry of pharmaceuticals, as well as old medicines and tools. There are also many hands-on exhibits that allow visitors to learn through all five senses, such as smelling medicinal herbs and touching the tools used to make medicines. The relocated exhibit of a pharmacy from late 19th century London is particularly popular for its projection mapping, which allows visitors to experience a fantastic world view. In the adjoining medicinal tree and herb garden, visitors can enjoy approximately 350 varieties of medicinal plants of all four seasons.

Photo courtesy of (c) Nakatomi Memorial Foundation

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Kamimine
Roadside Station Yoshinogari

Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, Nagasaki, Japan

See, touch, and feel! Learn about Nagasaki's 400 years of history and culture

The museum stands on the site of the former Nagasaki Magistrate's Office and is surrounded by a massive stone wall.
The "History and Culture Exhibition Zone" introduces approximately 400 years of Nagasaki's history and culture, from the Age of Exploration and Discovery to Nagasaki trade and the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Meiji period (1868-1912).
A diorama of a Chinese residence and trade goods give visitors a sense of the liveliness and exoticism of Nagasaki in those days. There are also many fun activities for children, such as a hands-on experience in typography and connoisseurship of trade goods.
In the "Nagasaki Magistrate's Office Zone," part of the magistrate's office has been reconstructed and exhibits include the "Criminal Records Book" and materials related to Christians in hiding, as well as skits of the "Goshirasu" judgments familiar from period dramas (4 times a day, Sundays only). Don't forget to pick up some original goods at the museum store, which is also popular!
Photo provided by the facility

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Yuhigaoka Sotome

Showa Roman Storehouse (Bungo Takada City)

Nostalgic and new, three generations of parents and children go back in time to the Showa era.

Showa Roman Storehouse (Bungo Takada City): A nostalgic yet new trip back in time to the Showa era for three generations of parents and children

A Showa-themed museum in Bungo Takada City, famous for its "Showa-era town. At the entrance of the museum, which was renovated from an old rice warehouse, you will find a variety of "things from the Showa era" such as classic cars and nostalgic signboards. There are three areas for parents and children of three generations to enjoy: the "Showa no Yume Sanchome-kan," where visitors can experience Showa-era life in a tea room, Goemon bath, classroom, etc.; the "Dagashi no Yume Museum," where about 60,000 retro toys and miscellaneous items are displayed; and the "Team Lab Gallery Showa no Machi," where characters drawn in pictures come alive.
The popular Showa retro fashion experience is also popular. There are many photo-worthy spots, so it is recommended to bring your camera along!
Photo provided by the facility

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Nakatsu
Roadside Station Yabatopia

Hitoyoshi Railway Museum MOZOCA Station 868 (Hitoyoshi City)

Adults and children alike are fascinated with "mozoca"! The charm of the railroad is packed into a small building!

Hitoyoshi Railway Museum MOZOCA Station 868 (Hitoyoshi City)
Located next to JR Hitoyoshi Station, it was designed by Eiji Mitooka, a train car designer. Mozoka" means "small and cute" in the Hitoyoshi dialect, and as the name implies, the adorable exterior of the small station building is eye-catching. Inside the museum, a diorama and video introducing the Hisatsu Line are on display, as well as nostalgic railroad goods. In addition, there are many exciting features such as a miniature train that adults can ride and a railroad crossing that looks just like the real thing, allowing both adults and children to forget about time and have fun. Unique railroad goods lined up in the store are also a part of the fun. In the plaza in front of the museum, "SL Hitoyoshi," which retired from active service last year, is on display, and visitors can get a close-up look at its powerful black-painted car body.
Photo provided by the facility

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Hitoyoshi

Prefectural Tropical Dome (Useful Botanical Garden)

Just one step into a different world!　You can forget about the rain and enjoy a tropical atmosphere!

This botanical garden is open to the public as a research institute for subtropical plants. In the large glass-walled greenhouse, about 80 kinds of colorful tropical flowers and about 30 kinds of subtropical fruits such as papaya and starfruit are grown, providing a tropical atmosphere throughout the year. Visitors can also enjoy watching the fruits ripen on the trees, such as mangoes in June and passion fruit in July and August. Jacaranda forests spread out in the surrounding area, and their blue-purple flowers are at their best from late May to mid-June.
The "Jacaranda Festival" will be held at the nearby "Roadside Station Nango" until June 15 (Sun.). During the festival, stage events and photo contests will be held.
Photo provided by the facility

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Nangou

Sakurajima Visitor Center, a mini museum of volcanoes (Kagoshima City)

A "mini museum of volcanoes" built on top of lava rocks!　A "mini volcano museum" built on top of lava

Enjoy a 15-minute ferry trip from Kagoshima Port and disembark at Sakurajima Port, a 10-minute walk from the port.
The Sakurajima Visitor Center was built on the lava formed by a major eruption during the Taisho Era (1912-1926). In addition to providing an easy-to-understand introduction to Sakurajima's history and eruption mechanisms, the center offers information on Sakurajima "now" through a live camera at the crater, real-time observation data, and the number of eruptions updated daily. There is also a video corner where visitors can experience the eruption, and a panel where visitors can take pictures of Sakurajima with the volcano in the background. The store attached to the museum offers a variety of unique Sakurajima goods made from volcanic ash and lava. At the nearby Sakurajima Lava Nagisa Park, visitors can enjoy one of the largest footbaths in Japan.
Photo provided by the facility *Pictures shown are slightly different because the facility is under construction as of the end of May 2025.

■Road Stations around
Roadside Station Sakurajima Hi-no-shima Megumi Kan

On rainy days, we may feel somewhat depressed, but there is a certain elegance to the sight of seasonal flowers and greenery moistened by the rain.
It would be a nice change of pace to enjoy such scenery and take a relaxing drive to a place where you can play indoors.
On the way there and back, stop at a roadside station where you can find a wide variety of local delicacies to fill your stomach.

Of course, do not take chances in stormy weather. Don't forget to check information on torrential rainfall before you go out!
Drive safely and have fun!

▼Check the weather here▼
Japan Weather Association