My wife and I (both 29) will be going to the Kansai and Kyushu area for our honeymoon at the end of September. This would be my 3rd time in Japan and her 2nd. We did the classic Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto loop last time. Our main focus on this trip will be on sightseeing and trying all the top Tabelog spots and saving the shopping to the end. We’re hoping for some advice on whether our itinerary makes sense, as well as any food (wife is gluten-sensitive), shopping, or hotel recommendations. Any travel tips and tricks on attraction/transportation passes are also appreciated! Thank you in advance for your time and we both very much appreciate the helpful nature of this sub!
**Friday Sep 27: Kobe**
1. Arrive at Osaka KIX around 5 pm
2. Buy IC Card (thinking of ordering online ahead of time)
3. Take the high-speed boat to Kobe. Check into the hotel (looking to book the Royal Park Canvas Kobe Sannomiya)
4. Explore the surroundings for dinner then rest
**Saturday Sep 28: Kobe**
1. Buy the Kobe Machi-Meguri 1-day coupon at Sannomiya Station
2. Debating between Kobe Herb Gardens or Kobe Animal Kingdom in the AM
3. Lunch at Wakoku if visiting Herb Gardens, at Sakabayashi if visiting Kobe Animal Kingdom
4. Sake tasting at Kobe Shushinkan, Matashiro, Izumisyuzou in the PM
5. Hoshi no Eki Station in the evening to catch the view
6. Dinner at Yakiniku Hormone Kopu
**Sunday Sep 29: Day-trip to Arima Onsen**
1. Buy the Arima/Rokko tour 1 day pass at Sannomiya Station
2. Take the subway to Arima Onsen
3. Arima Gold & Silver Onsen and visit the main streets in the AM
4. Lunch at Kutsurogiya
5. Take the Ropeway to Rokko Sancho and visit the Rokko Garden Terrace in the PM
6. Take the bus to Mt Rokko Tenren Observatory in the evening
7. Dinner undecided (sample local Kobe beef?)
**Monday Sep 30: Kobe -> Osaka**
1. Travel to the hotel in Osaka (looking to book Aloft Osaka Dojima). We stayed at the Onyado nono Namba last time and the wife prefers a less rowdy area.
2. Osaka Kizu Market in the AM (wondering if 10-11 am would be too late to visit)
3. Lunch at Uoichi Shokudo
4. Walk to Namba / Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street in the PM
5. Dinner undecided
6. Teamlab Botanical Garden in the evening
**Tuesday Oct 1: Day-trip to Nara**
1. Get the Kansai Thru Pass (3 day) ahead of time
2. Use the Kansai Thru Pass to take the train to Kintetsu Nara Station
3. kofukuji, Todaiji, and Kasugataisha in the AM
4. Lunch undecided
5. Walk the Higashimuki Shopping Street and get the sweaty Ojisan mochi at Nakatanidou in the PM
6. Stroll around the Nara park area before heading back to Osaka
7. Dinner in Osaka undecided
**Wednesday Oct 2: Day-trip to Uji**
1. Use the Kansai Thru Pass to take the train to Uji
2. Ujikami Shrine, Byodoin (is the phoenix hall worth it?) in the Am
3. Lunch undecided
4. Walk around Byodo-in Omotesando in the PM
5. Dinner near Tenma Station at Wagyu Tanjiro
6. Walk around the Tenma area before heading back
**Thursday Oct 3: Osaka**
1. Take studio wedding photos at La-Vie Factory Osaka in the AM
2. Lunch undecided
3. Shopping in the Umeda area in the PM
4. Grand Green Osaka (if it’s open) and revisit Umeda Sky Building
5. Go back to Tenma Station area for Dinner (undecided)
**Friday Oct 4: Osaka**
1. Use the Kansai Thru Pass to take the train to Osaka Expo Memorative Park in the AM
2. Niferel aquarium
3. Lunch undecided
4. Lala Port ExpoCity
5. Dinner near the Umeda area (undecided)
6. Note: A little unsure about this day. Seems like a lot of effort to visit this area… Is it worth the trek?
**Saturday Oct 5: Osaka -> Beppu**
1. Check out of the hotel but have them store the luggage during the day
2. Visit Nakanoshima park & rose garden
3. Lunch undecided
4. PM activity is undecided, open to suggestions!
5. Need to get to the Trade Center Mae Station by 1830 to catch the sunflower ferry to Beppu
6. Dinner on the ship. Not sure if we should get food from convenience stores before boarding or go with the buffet on the ship. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
**Sunday Oct 6: Beppu**
1. Bring luggages to the hotel (looking to book Amane Seikai or Suginoi Hotel but open to recommendations!)
2. Oita Marine Palace in the AM
3. Lunch undecided
4. 7 hells of Beppu onsen tour (Mixed reviews online. Is this worth a visit or just a tourist trap?) in the PM
5. Relax at the hotel
6. Dinner at the hotel
**Monday Oct 7: Day-trip to Yufuin**
1. Take the bus to Yufuin
2. Yufuin Floral Village in the AM
3. Lunch undecided
4. Kirin Lake, Tenso Shrine, and Yunotsubo Street in the PM
5. Also thinking of visiting the Comico Art Museum but not sure if we have time / if it is worth a visit
6. Bus back to the hotel around 5 pm
7. Dinner undecided
**Tuesday Oct 8: Beppu -> Fukuoka**
1. Buy and activate the North Kyushu JR Pass
2. Take the Sonic-Nichirin to Hakata, drop off luggage at the hotel (looking to book The Basics Fukuoka)
3. Head to Nakasu Yatai Street for after-dinner drinks & snacks
4. Lalaport Fukuoka in the PM
5. Dinner at Tonkatsu Chisei
6. Head to Nakasu Yatai Street for after dinner drinks & snacks
**Wednesday Oct 9: Day-trip to Nagasaki**
1. Catch the 8:54 train to Takeo Onsen, then to Nagasaki (arrive around 10:30)
2. Lunch undecided, may eat at Osakaya at Nagasaki Station
3. Glover Garden, then Nagasaki Atomic Bomb museum in the PM
4. Mt Inasayama Observatory just before sunset
5. Dinner undecided (maybe go back to the station)
6. Catch the train back to Fukuoka
**Thursday Oct 10: Fukuoka -> Huis Ten Bosch**
1. Check out of the hotel and catch the 9:32 or 10:31 train to Huis Ten Bosch
2. Arrive around lunchtime, take the luggage to the hotel (looking to book Okura Hotel Huis Ten Bosch)
3. Note: Are there any luggage delivery services in Fukuoka where we can send our bags to the next hotel instead of bringing them with us to Huis Ten Bosch?
4. Lunch at the Cheese Waag or Flower House in Huis Ten Bosch
5. Huis Ten Bosch theme park in the PM
6. Dinner at the hotel, either the Cafe Camellia Buffet or Teppanyaki Omura Bay, or maybe in the park
7. Stroll in the park again in the evening
**Friday Oct 11: Huis Ten Bosch -> Fukuoka**
1. Check out of the hotel and catch the 10:44 Midori Huis Ten Bosch train back to Fukuoka
2. Take the luggage to the hotel (looking to book JAL Tenjin Fukuoka) arrive around 1pm
3. Quick lunch near Akasaka or at Hakata station (undecided)
4. Canal City Hakata in the PM
5. Dinner at Yoshizuka Unagi
6. Nagahamaya Yatai Street in the evening
**Saturday Oct 12: Day-trip to Kumamoto**
1. Catch the Kyushu Shinkansen to Kumamoto Station, aiming for arrival around 10:30
2. Kumamoto Castle and Sakura no Baba Josaien in the AM
3. Lunch at Yamamichi chaya
4. Suizenji Jojuen Garden in the PM
5. Dinner at Shiromiyagura
6. Catch the train back to Fukuoka
7. Note: A little unsure about this day. Is it worth a day trip to see the city itself vs staying in Fukuoka instead
**Sunday Oct 13: Day-trip to Mojiko**
1. Get the JR Hakata and Kokura Station shinkansen round trip ticket
2. Depart around 8 and get to Mojiko Station around 9:15 (take the shinkansen from Hakata to Kokura Station, then to Mojiko)
3. Take the ferry to Karato Fish Market for Sushi Brunch (Is this place worth a visit? Looking online it seems to be a tourist trap with cheap low-quality sushi. We would like to avoid wasting time at the lineup if it’s a trap… I am also wondering if the food stalls are operating that day. The market website is a little confusing)
4. Visit Akama Jingu before heading back to visit Mojiko Retro and Kaikyo Plaza
5. Visit Kokura Castle before heading back to Fukuoka
6. Dinner at Yamanaka Akasaka
**Monday Oct 14: Fukuoka**
1. Fukuoka Marine World & Uminokamichi Seaside Park in the AM
2. Lunch undecided
3. Free afternoon for shopping at Tenjin/Hakata Station Area (open to shopping suggestions)
4. Dinner at Kawaya Akasaka
**Tuesday Oct 15: Fukuoka -> Fly out of Japan**
1. Early morning stroll at Maizuru Park
2. Catch the 12:20 flight at Fukuoka Airport, and arrive at the airport by 10 am
3. End of the trip in Japan
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by SkytossFanboy