Kyushu, with its beautiful scenery and smoking volcanoes, may be considered the birthplace of Japanese history. According to legend, the wind god Ninigi began his rule of Japan here, which is perhaps a metaphorical reference to the earliest migrations from continental Asia. For many years Kyushu was the only link between Japan and the outside world, when the Dutch established a settlement at Nagasaki. There is a lot to enjoy here; above all, Nagasaki should not be missed, nor the dramatic countryside around Mount Aso.