Hi, my husband and I really want to go to Miyazaki and Beppu and are trying to fit it in our trip between Okinawa and Osaka. Does this itinerary look too rushed? Has anyone taken these local trains before?
***Day 1 – Miyazaki***
* **Morning:**
* Fly from Naha (Okinawa) to Miyazaki
* Visit Aoshima Shrine and walk along the Aoshima Beach, which is known for its unique rock formations and beautiful views of the ocean.
* **Afternoon:**
* Take a short bus ride to Udo Shrine, a picturesque shrine built into the cliffs overlooking the ocean.
* Enjoy the stunning views and try the local specialty, Udo no Kuchi, a type of sea vegetable that is considered a delicacy in Miyazaki.
* **Evening:**
* Visit Miyazaki Shrine, located in the heart of Miyazaki City. It is one of the oldest shrines in Miyazaki Prefecture and is dedicated to Emperor Jinmu, the mythical founder of Japan.
***Day 2: Miyazaki***
* **Morning:**
* Take a short train ride to Aya for a nature hike through the Aya Teruha Suspension Bridge and Aya Gorge. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the lush forests and clear waters.
* **Afternoon:**
* Visit Takachiho Gorge, which is known for its stunning waterfalls and rock formations. Take a boat tour to experience the gorge from a unique perspective.
* **Evening:**
* Return to Miyazaki City and visit Miyazaki Prefectural Museum of Nature and History, which showcases the natural and cultural history of the Miyazaki region.
* Late train to Beppu (3.5 – 4hr)
* Crash at Beppu Hotel
***Day 3:*** ***Beppu***
* **Morning:**
* Start the day with a visit to Beppu Tower, which offers panoramic views of the city and the Beppu Bay.
* Take a short bus ride to the Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour) in Kannawa, where we can see several hot springs with unique colors and features, such as the Oniyama Jigoku (Demon Mountain Hell) and the Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell).
* **Afternoon:**
* Visit the Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell), which is one of the most famous and picturesque hot springs in Beppu. The blue water is a result of the high concentration of minerals and is said to have healing properties. You can also visit the nearby Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell), which has a distinctive red color due to the iron oxide in the water.
* **Evening:**
* Relax and unwind at one of the many hot spring baths in Beppu, such as the Takegawara Onsen or Hyotan Onsen.
**Day 4: Beppu –> Osaka**
* **Morning:**
* Walk around Beppu. Enjoy another relaxing hot spring bath or try the local cuisine, such as the Beppu Reimen (cold noodle dish) or Beppu Taishu Yaki (grilled dumplings).
* **Afternoon / Evening:**
* Get on train to Osaka (4.5 hr), including one transfer.
4 comments
Beppu tower is skippable but Oita is famous for it’s toriten (heavenly fried chicken) and kabosu citrus and the best spot to try in Beppu is right there by the tower. Go to Toyotsune for your fill of toriten.
Do you have tattoos? If not, are you interested in trying a mud onsen? The main mud onsen in Beppu is Hoyo Land, but there’s actually a super local one where the mud is filtered better and is cleaner, Koudei Onsen. Go right when Koudei opens at 8:15am. The hot spring is open 6 days a week for just 4 hours each day. A soak will set you back ¥900 but it is completely surreal. And hot. The recommendation is to soak in the mud bath three times for around 7 minutes each. I think it was one of the most fantastical moments I’ve had in all my Japan visits. A staff member did stop by once and asked me to step out briefly. They took a giant paddle and started stirring the mud. Apparently, this revitalizes the mud.
Be sure to double check all your transportation times between the various locations in Miyazaki. Getting from Aoshima to Udo takes 30 mins by car, but taking public transport can be longer than an hour.
How are you planning to get from Aya to Takachiho? It’s a two hour drive by car each way. You might be better served going straight from Takachiho to Beppu, it’s practically on the way.
In general, public transport in Miyazaki is less frequent. You will have to plan around bus and train times, unlike other parts of Japan where you can just go to the station and reasonably expect the next train will be soon.
I do live in Miyazaki but driving is the more common mode of transportation, especially outside of Miyazaki city.
As far as other specialties, be sure to try chicken nanban in Miyazaki! Also look for “Katsuo”, also known as bonito, a type of fish that Miyazaki is known for!
There’s an overnight ferry from Beppu to Osaka, I’ve taken it before. (Ferry Sunflower)
If you want more time in Beppu maybe consider it? Also save one night hotel…
First day you want to fly in Miyazaki, go the island 40min away, then a shrine an hour away and finally one almost 2h away. All that in an area with infrequent bus and train. So close to 4h of transit excluding your flight…
Second day is not better, Takachiho is also 3h away, make no sense to return and Beppu is almost 4h away from Miyazaki. Your plan is 10+ hours of bus/train.
You really underestimate the time required do move around. I am in Nichinan right now and will go to Beppu via Miyazaki and Takachiho and plan to take 7 days to reach Beppu, the main reason is I don’t want to spend most of my day in the train/bus.