We are 5 adults in our 30s who will be traveling to Kyushu at the end of November. Most of us have been to Japan before and done the typical Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka itinerary. For this trip, we're looking for a mix of city and nature sights, autumn foliage, and lots of good food.
Would appreciate any feedback and suggestions on our itinerary below, specifically:
- Food and coffee recommendations! Any food recommendations as my research so far has just been googling where to eat, so the options I've put in so far are probably a bit touristy, overhyped, or both.
- Feasibility of driving from Nagasaki to Kurokawa onsen on Day 4 via the Shimabara ferry and Mt. Aso. It seems like Kumamoto might have been a better in-between stop between Fukuoka and Kurokawa, but we have a strong preference for Nagasaki. Is this doable?
- Recommendations for things to do around Mt. Aso. We'll have a car, and looking to do some short hikes and visit viewpoints.
- Should we stay in Yufuin for 1 night? Since we'll have spent 2 nights at Kurokawa onsen, I thought it'd be more efficient to drive back to Fukuoka that evening so we're spending our last two nights in Fukuoka.
- Are we staying in Fukuoka for too many days as a base? We generally prefer not to move around too much while traveling (in terms of where we stay), and it also seems like most of the food options are in Fukuoka, but curious about others' thoughts.
Day 0 – Fukuoka
- Arrive in Fukuoka in the evening
- Dinner at Hakata Issou
- Stay in Airbnb in Fukuoka (near Narayamachi in Hakata Ward)
Day 1 – Dazaifu
- Breakfast at Itookashi
- Dazaifu shrine
- Daimyo neighborhood for shopping
- Dinner at Ganso Hakata Mentaiju
- Stay in Airbnb in Fukuoka
Day 2 – Yanagawa
- Day trip to Yanagawa – canals, lunch at Wakamatsuya
- Dinner at Nikuichi
- Stay in Airbnb in Fukuoka
Day 3 – Nagasaki
- Pick up rental car and drive to Nagasaki
- Glover Garden, Chinatown, Suwa shrine, Atomic Bomb Museum
- Sunset at Mt. Inasayama Observatory
- Stay in Nagasaki
Day 4 – Mt. Aso
- Drive from Nagasaki to Mt. Aso, either directly or via Unzen and Shimabara (with ferry from Shimabara)
- Explore Mt. Aso area if time permits
- Stay in Kurokawa onsen (arrive before 5 pm)
Day 5 – Takachiho Gorge
- Drive to Takachiho Gorge and visit Amano Iwato shrine
- Mt. Aso on the way back to Kurokawa
- Late lunch at Warokuya
- Stay in Kurokawa onsen
Day 6 – Yufuin
- Drive to Yufuin
- Yunotsubo street and food stalls, Yufuin Floral Village (we might skip this), Lake Kinrin
- Drive back to Fukuoka
- Stay in Fukuoka
Day 7 – Fukuoka
- Ohori Park, TeamLab Forest Museum
- Shin Shin Ramen
- Tenjin Chikagai
- Christmas markets at Hakata station
- Stay in Fukuoka
by National-Donut784