Southern Kyushu access,
dated and sourced.
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on 28 July 2026. This page is deliberately different from the rest of the site: every claim below carries its as-of date and source, and we re-check it rather than let it go stale. Last full check: 6 August 2026.
As of 6 August 2026: Fukuoka city is completely unaffected — the city, its airport, subway and every northern day trip (Dazaifu, Yanagawa, Itoshima, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Beppu, Yufuin) operate normally. The Kyushu Shinkansen runs Hakata–Kumamoto, but is suspended between Kumamoto and Shin-Minamata, with that segment unlikely to reopen before September; Kumamoto Castle is closed until further notice; and about 70 km of the Kyushu Expressway south of Kumamoto is shut. Kagoshima itself is undamaged — reach it by air, not rail. Check JR Kyushu's train information page before booking anything south of Kumamoto.
The 28 July 2026 Kumamoto earthquake, plainly
What happenedA magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on 28 July 2026. Fukuoka city is completely unaffected — no damage, no advisories — and northern Kyushu day trips (Dazaifu, Yanagawa, Itoshima, Kitakyushu, Saga, Nagasaki) run normally. Southbound is different: the Kyushu Shinkansen is cut between Kumamoto and Shin-Minamata until at least September (the far southern stretch to Kagoshima-Chuo resumes 7 August), Kumamoto Castle is closed after fresh stone-wall collapses, and a ~70 km stretch of the Kyushu Expressway is shut. Status as of 6 August 2026 — check JR Kyushu's train-information page before booking anything south of Kumamoto.
The facts, per USGS and Japan's Cabinet Office disaster reports: a JMA magnitude-7.1 earthquake (USGS Mww 6.8) struck at 16:27 JST on 28 July 2026, epicentre near Uto on the Hinagu Fault, maximum intensity shindo 7 — officially the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, a distinct event from the 2016 one. It was a serious disaster for Kumamoto Prefecture, with fatalities, thousands of evacuees and aftershocks running into early August. This page keeps to what it means for travel; if you're routing near the affected area, travelling with basic patience and flexibility is part of being a decent guest.
What it did not do: damage Fukuoka. Per japan-guide's disaster alerts page (updated 6 August 2026), no Fukuoka-city locations appear in any affected zone; power across Kyushu was fully restored by 31 July (per contemporary news reporting), and government travel advisories for the region are unchanged. Mount Aso, Amakusa and Kagoshima are also not earthquake-damaged — Aso's Nakadake crater closure is a volcanic-alert measure that has run since 2014 and predates this quake entirely.
Line by line, road by road
As of 6 August 2026Each row states its status date and source. Primary aggregation: japan-guide's disaster alerts page, last updated 6 August 2026, which relays JR Kyushu and NEXCO announcements — re-verify against JR Kyushu's own train info before travelling.
| Route / place | Status | Detail, dated and sourced | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka city — airport, subway, hotels | NORMAL | No damage, no advisories; absent from all affected-zone lists (japan-guide alerts, 6 Aug 2026) | GO |
| Northern day trips — Dazaifu, Yanagawa, Itoshima, Kitakyushu, Saga | NORMAL | Operating normally; no disruption notices (japan-guide alerts, 6 Aug 2026) | GO |
| Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen to Nagasaki | NORMAL | Runs normally, incl. Relay Kamome transfer at Takeo-Onsen (japan-guide alerts, 6 Aug 2026) | GO |
| Sonic line to Beppu / Yufuin no Mori | NORMAL | Oita side undamaged and running; Yufuin, Beppu, Takachiho report no damage (japan-guide, 6 Aug 2026) | GO |
| Kyushu Shinkansen: Hakata–Kumamoto | RUNNING | Restored in stages 29–31 July 2026 (JR Kyushu, via news reports of 31 Jul) | GO |
| Kyushu Shinkansen: Kumamoto–Shin-Minamata | SUSPENDED | 'Unlikely to reopen before September' — 200+ damage sites on the southern segment (japan-guide, 6 Aug 2026) | SKIP |
| Kyushu Shinkansen: Shin-Minamata–Kagoshima-Chuo | RESUMING | Service resuming 7 August 2026 (japan-guide alerts, 6 Aug 2026) — but the gap north of it remains | DEPENDS |
| JR Kagoshima Main Line: Uki–Yatsushiro | SUSPENDED | Suspended, 'unlikely to reopen before September' (japan-guide alerts, 6 Aug 2026) | SKIP |
| Kyushu Expressway south of Kumamoto (~70 km) | CLOSED | Reopening to general traffic expected 'around late August' (japan-guide/NEXCO, 6 Aug 2026) | SKIP |
| Kumamoto Castle | CLOSED | 'Closed until further notice' — ~40 stone-wall collapse sites, 8 damaged structures (japan-guide 6 Aug; The Art Newspaper 31 Jul; Japan Times 4 Aug 2026) | SKIP |
| Kumamoto city (ex-castle) | OPEN | Reachable ~40 min by shinkansen from Hakata; check individual sights before going (status 6 Aug 2026) | DEPENDS |
| Kagoshima city | OPEN | No damage notices — the problem is overland access, not the destination; air routes normal (japan-guide, 6 Aug 2026) | FLY |
| Mount Aso — Nakadake crater | CLOSED | Volcanic-alert closure running since 2014 — unrelated to this earthquake (status 6 Aug 2026) | DEPENDS |
| Amakusa | OPEN | Open, actively promoting ferry detour routes (status 6 Aug 2026) | DEPENDS |
Two honest gaps: Kurokawa Onsen reports no damage but that is unconfirmed at primary-source level, and reopening estimates are operator statements, not promises. When this page and a JR Kyushu station board disagree, believe the board.
The four rules while this is moving
Planning through itNothing in the city or its northern day-trip belt is affected. Book Fukuoka, Dazaifu, Yanagawa, Nagasaki, Beppu and Yufuin exactly as you would have in June.
The rail spine south of Kumamoto is cut until at least September 2026. Kagoshima itself is undamaged and its airport operates normally — an FUK–KOJ flight or a rerouted itinerary beats waiting on track repairs.
As of 6 Aug 2026 · re-verify the rail gap before bookingThe castle is closed until further notice with fresh damage atop its 2016 restoration — 53 cultural properties in the prefecture were damaged (Japan Times, 4 Aug 2026). Kumamoto city is reachable and functioning, but its headline sight is not a valid day-trip payoff right now.
This situation improves weekly — the far-southern shinkansen stretch resumes 7 August, the expressway late August, the middle rail gap in September at the earliest. JR Kyushu's English train-information page is the authority; the link is on the card below.
2026 Kumamoto Earthquake — reference
The event, on one cardThe earthquake questions, answered calmly
FAQPage schema pairedIs it safe to visit Fukuoka after the Kumamoto earthquake?
Yes. Fukuoka city recorded no damage, no closures and no advisories — it sits well north of the affected zone, and government travel guidance for the region is unchanged (as of 6 August 2026). The city, airport, subway and hotels never stopped operating normally.
Can I still do day trips from Fukuoka?
Every trip this site ranks runs normally: Dazaifu, Yanagawa, Itoshima, Nanzoin, Kitakyushu/Mojiko, Nagasaki, Beppu and Yufuin are all unaffected, on their usual timetables. The disruption starts south of Kumamoto — none of the ranked day trips go there.
Is the shinkansen to Kagoshima running?
Partially, which isn't enough: Hakata–Kumamoto runs, Shin-Minamata–Kagoshima-Chuo resumes 7 August, but the middle segment (Kumamoto–Shin-Minamata) is unlikely to reopen before September (japan-guide/JR Kyushu, 6 Aug 2026). Until it closes the gap, fly to Kagoshima or reroute.
Is Kumamoto worth visiting right now?
The city is reachable — about 40 minutes from Hakata by shinkansen — and functioning, but Kumamoto Castle, the reason most travellers go, is closed until further notice after roughly 40 stone-wall collapse sites were found (reported 31 July–4 August 2026). We'd spend the day at Yanagawa or Nagasaki instead.
Are Beppu and Yufuin affected?
No — Oita Prefecture reported no damage and its trains (the Sonic to Beppu, the Yufuin no Mori) run normally; Oita was in fact sending aid to Kumamoto. The Beppu-or-Yufuin decision is unchanged by the earthquake.
Does the JR Kyushu pass still make sense?
For northern itineraries, fully — Nagasaki and Beppu, the pairing that justifies the Northern Kyushu 3-day pass, are unaffected. The All Kyushu pass's southern leg is the casualty: don't buy it for a Kagoshima loop until the rail gap closes. The arithmetic: the pass page.
When will everything reopen?
Operator estimates as of 6 August 2026: the far-southern shinkansen stretch on 7 August, the Kyushu Expressway section around late August, the Kumamoto–Shin-Minamata rail gap not before September, Kumamoto Castle no date at all. Treat these as estimates and check JR Kyushu's train information page the week you travel.