Hello all, my girlfriend and I are going to Kyushu 4/26-5/13 where we’ve never been before. We realize that the first week is Golden Week but it’s what works for our schedule and I personally don’t mind crowds. But here’s our rough itinerary. Any suggestions especially for places we should definitely check out or eat at? Any side trips/detours we should try to get in along the way?
4/26 Land late at FUK, ride train to Kokura Station in Kitakyushu where our hotel is for two nights and settle in
4/27 Tour Kitakyushu: Mojiko, Mt. Sarakura, any other suggestions?
4/28 Wake up early and pick up rental car with KEP and head to Hita (Attack on Titan stuff, Sapporo Brewery if we have time and Ukiha (she wants Totoro bread ^^) Any more suggestions? Staying the night at Ukiha
4/29-5/1 Drive to Nabegataki Falls, then depending on time and if it’s worth it, should we swing out to Daikanbo Lookout before going to our ryokan in Kurokawa Onsen? Staying at the ryokan for 2 nights. Relax, enjoy the onsens, and check out the Kurokawa Onsen Village until checking out 5/1
5/1-4 Stay 3 nights in Beppu. Spending a day in Yufuin, but also going to places including Hyotan Onsen, Jigoku Mushi, Jigoku Meguri Hells Tour, maybe Kifune Castle during this stay. Any suggestions on where to get buried in sand? What’s the optimal order between being buried in sand, lunch/food, and hot spring onsen? Anything else we must do? Anything worth seeing in Oita City?
5/4 Drive back to Kokura (Kitakyushu) to return the car. Then with now activated Northern Kyushu JR Pass (5 days), take train to Kumamoto where our hotel is for 4 nights.
5/4-8 Tour Kumamoto: Castle, Suizenji Jojuen Garden. One day going to Mt. Aso by train, hopefully can reserve a spot on Aso Boy. Maybe day trip to Nagasaki since we have our Northern Kyushu JR Pass and it’s about 2 hours each way (worth it?) Any must see/do in Nagasaki besides Dejima and Bomb Center on a day trip? Is the museum worth going if we’ve been to Hiroshima? Any other suggestions in Kumamoto and surroundings?
5/8-5/13 On the last day of our JR Pass, return to Fukuoka. Relax and shop etc in the Fukuoka area. Fukuoka Tower and teamLabs are definitely on the itinerary. Anything else? Any must eats?
5/13 Fly out of FUK around noon.
Any suggestions at any point or detours would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
by garyF1