8 days Northern Kyushu itinerary feedback

Hi, I'll be visiting Japan for ~17 days in June-July, and would need some feedback for the first part of my trip. I will be spending the first eight days after my arrival in Northern Kyushu. Due to the unforeseen circumtances I'm not able to rent a car so I'm specifically looking for opinions on how to deal with that part of the trip, and am I crazy to spend so much time on public transport. For Kysuhu, I am the most interested in pottery and nature. I also enjoy shopping and eating, but since I will be spending a week in Tokyo after Kyushu, I'm leaving most of the shopping there. I have also lived in Japan before, so don't be suprised of days 9 to 11, and 11 onwards. Between days 9 to 11 I'm picking up a friend of a friend from Osaka and attending a wedding in Nagoya.

Arrival in Tokyo – 27th June, departure from Tokyo 14th July. In the end I decided to stay one night in Hiroshima because I really wanted to see Itsukushima and I didn't feel like flying after 13h flight.

I will purchase 2 week Japan rail pass, see end of the post for my calculations. All hotels except Kumamoto cancellable.

Itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrival in Narita around 1PM
  • Ship luggage to Fukuoka
  • Get Japan Rail Pass for 2 weeks
    • See end of the post for shinkansen calculations
  • Shinkansen to Hiroshima for the night, arrival between 9-10PM
    • Depending on how long it takes to get trough Narita, I might pay the 6000 yen extra for Nozomi
  • Hotel booked at Hiroshima station
• Day 2: Miyajima/Itsukushima day trip (No other interest in Hiroshima)
  • Itsukushima jinja
  • Hike or take the Miyajima ropeway to Mt. Misen (most likely ropeway up if too hot/wet)
  • Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Fukuoka
  • Check-in at a hotel close to Hakata station
  • Dinner around Hakata station/Canal city, wander around
• Day 3: Fukuoka sightseeing
  • Canal City
  • Fukuoka castle ruins
  • Ohori park
  • Suikyo Tenmangu Shrine
• Day 3: Day trip to Arita
  • Kyushu ceramics museum
  • Arita porcelain park
  • Ceramics shopping
  • Tozan shrine
  • Stop by Imari if not too tired/did not spend too much time in Arita
• Day 4: Fukuoka sightseeing
  • Uminokamichi or Shika island or Nokoshima
• Day 5: Move from Fukuoka to Kumamoto
  • Dazaifu in the morning
  • Check-in to Kumamoto hotel
  • Chill
• Day 6: Kumamoto sighseeing (Note that Kumamoto hotel is the only I can't cancel anymore)
  • Kumamoto castle
  • Sakura no baba
  • Hike Kinpusan if no chill?
• Day 6 alternative: Go to Takachiho gorge?
  • Is there any point doing this with the 3h49min bus ride there and back?
  • Takachiho gorge
  • Takachiho shrine
  • Lunch
• Day 7: Kumamoto –> Mt. Aso –> Beppu
  • Take public transportation to Mt. Aso (max. 2h)
  • See crater
  • Take public transportation to Beppu (2.5h)
• Day 7 alternative: Stay in Kurokawa onsen
  • Take public transportation to Mt. Aso (max. 2h)
  • See crater
  • Stay in Kurokawa onsen (1h from Aso station)
• Day 8: Beppu
  • Mt. Tsurumi+ropeway
  • 7-hells
  • Onsen
• Day 8 alternative: Kurokawa onsen –> Beppu (2h 40min from Kurokawa to Beppu, leave in the morning, arrival around 1PM)
  • Mt. Tsurumi+ropeway
  • 7-hells (maybe?)
  • Onsen
• Days 9-11: Start moving up to Tokyo, stop by Osaka&Nagoya for a wedding (the main reason for this trip!)
• Day 11 —> Tokyo aka shopping and spending time with friends

So my main questions are:

• Is Takachiho gorge worth the day trip with public transportation?
• Are days 7 to 9 too much, and should I stick to my original itinerary? Original:
  • Kumamoto –> Aso –> Beppu, then full day in Beppu
• Are there other nature destinations or suggested day trips I could reach with public transportation from Kumamoto? I also tought about going to Kagoshima and then Sakurajima as I have the 2 week Japan rail pass.

Shinkansen calculations

I have individual trips also calculated. All prices are from Google maps or from that Navi applications, plus from Expedia JP for flights. In the end I decided to take the 2 week Japan Trail Pass (6th row) instead of the cheapest (1st row) because I can use the Japan rail pass also in Tokyo. I will be staying in Saitama (at a friend's place) while in Tokyo, so my train trips will be slightly more expensive than they would otherwise be if I stayed in some major center of Tokyo.

I think the table really shows how Japan rail pass doesn't really make sense even if you travel a lot. The total prices include 14 trips, of which majority will be done with shinkansen. The totals also include ~30€ for other train travel not covered by the JR Pass.