Kyushu Road Trip after Tokyo/Hiroshima. Need Itinerary advice!

Hi All,

This has been a great source for information – so I am hoping you all can give me some advice/recommendations for my October trip to Japan.

This will be my GF's third trip to Japan, and my first- after spending the first half of our trip in Tokyo + Hiroshima, and then we are planning a short road trip in Kyushu.

We both live in NYC, so when traveling, I really like to balance the urban with natural-country side scenery.

I am trying to figure out the last 3 days of our trip that will cover Mt. Aso + Takachiho Gorge:

Questions:

• Using Kurukawa as a "home base" does not seem to make sense to me – why stay longer in an onsen resort town if you are not going to be there to use it!
• If we spend the day hiking in Mt. Aso — Where to stay near by?
• Does Takachiho Gorge require much time? Seems very crowdy, thinking it might be nice to depart there stay somewhere relaxing and enjoy a slow drive on the 12th/13th
• It seems out of the way, but I am growing fixated on Shiiba Village in Miyazki.

Almost thought I could use that as a "home base" Mt. Aso> Shiiba > Takachiho Gorge> Shiiba > Kumamoto — Am I crazy!?

https://www.visit-kyushu.com/en/see-and-do/spots/shiiba-village/

Thank you for your help!!

~Friday 4 – Tokyo~

• Land at Narita 3pm
• Dinner 

~Saturday 5 – Tokyo~ 

• Meiji Shrine
• Takeshita Street
• Omotesando
• Shibuya Crossing
• Metropolitan Government Building observation deck in Shinjuku – free
• Shinjuku Gyoen

~Sunday 6 – Tokyo~

• Senso-ji Temple – early morning
• Odaiba/Asakusa
• Tokyo National Museum

~Monday 7 – Tokyo~

• Open Day-TBD 

~Tuesday 8 Tokyo>Hiroshima~

Bullet train to Hiroshima – Depart 8AM – Arrive Noon

~Day:~

• Hiroshima Castle
• Peace Memorial Park
• Peace Memorial Museum
• Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims
• Children’s Peace Monument

~Evening:~

• Orizuru Tower – sunset view/view of dome
• Okonomimura – okonomiyaki for dinner!

~Wednesday 9 Tokyo>Fukuoka~ 

Miyajima

• Itsukushima Shrine
• Daisho-in Temple
• Momijidani Park
• Mount Misen Ropeway
• Omotesando street

Train to Fukuoka 4:30 pm – Arrive 5:30 pm

• DInner + Check in to Hotel 

~Thursday 10 -~ Fukuoka ~> Kurokawa~

• 9 am  Pick up rental car
• 11am – 1pm Ontayaki Pottery Village 
• 2:30 pm Arrive Kurokawa Onsen + Relax at Ryokan 

~Friday 11~

• Mt. Aso – Hike to Nakade crater 

~Saturday 12~

• Takachiho Gorge
• Amano Iwato Shrine 

~Sunday 13~

• Drive to Kumamoto 
• 8pm Flight to Tokyo

~Monday 14~

• Short afternoon in Tokyo 
• Depart Narita  5:15pm