It’s my first time travelling to Japan and will be arriving at Osaka. Since I will be travelling alone for 13 days, I intend to spend 10-13 days in Kyushu area before making my way back to Osaka to meet up with family to visit other parts of Japan like Mt Fuji, Osaka, Tokyo, etc.
Due to spike in air tickets prices (Osaka -> Kagoshima seems pretty costly on the day I reach), I’m thinking of flying to Fukuoka airport, before making my way further south and eventually reach Kagoshima and take my flight back to Osaka.
I’m thinking of using Fukuoka as base for the first 5 days, and thereafter around 1/2 days each at other locations so that it wouldn’t be too tiring to keep travelling. The places to visit as follows:
Fukuoka -> Oito -> Miyazaki -> Kagoshima.
Thereafter I will take a flight back to Osaka.
Would appreciate advice on whether my itinerary seems feasible/fast paced. Would also like recommendations in places I’ve visited that I did not list down.
**Day 1** : Osaka -> Fukuoka
\- Arrive Osaka at 2pm, take domestic flight to Fukuoka at 4pm, estimated 1h++ and reach Fukuoka at 5/6pm.
\- check in hotel and explore for dinner options in area
**Day 2/3/4/5: Fukuoka**
\- Day trip to visit Saga (Yutoku Inari Shrine and Mifuneyama Rakuen), Yanagaway, Nanzoin, Kumamoto, Nokonoshima Island Park and other places/attractions in Fukuoka, if time permits
\- Night activities: Find local night life places to chill
**Day 6/7: Oita**
\- Take train from Fukuoka to Oita
\- Spend two days to visit places like Yufuin City, Hells of Beppu, popular onsen places
Qns: Is it better to rent a car and drive in Oita? Saw some comments saying it will be better than public transportation (not sure how true).
**Day 8/9: Miyazaki**
\- Take the train from Oita Station to Miyazuki Station. Heard there’s only one from Fukuoka each day? Appreciate if anyone can advise on this!
\- Visit places like Takachiho Gorge, Sunmesse Nichinan, Miyazaki Shrine , Aoshima?
**Day 10/11: Kagoshima**
\- Take train from Miyazaki to Kagoshima-Chuo Station
\- Visit places like Sakurajim (volcanoe) via ferry, Sengan-en Garden. Appreciate for more recommendations in Kagoshima!
**Day 12/13: Back to Osaka?**
At this point, I’m not sure to stretch out my days in Kyushu to reach 13 days or head back to Osaka and head for day trips to other places. Or is there any major must-go places that I’ve missed out in Kyusu?
I’m intending to take public transport around the place but if driving is better then I’ll consider renting a car too. Hope that I can get some advice on my current planned itinerary, and if it is feasible/too packed. TIA everyone!
2 comments
For a car in Oita, it’s up to you but probably easier with a car. I drive around the area a good amount as my in laws always want to go to Yufuin for onsen weekends and my sister in law lives in Miyazaki. For Oita, if it’s just the Hells and Yufuin you could probably get by with public transport. Miyazaki on the other hand is really spread out. If you picked a car for only one area, I would say Miyazaki as your list for Oita is not that difficult to manage. Miyazaki has both Takachiho Gorge and Sunmesse Nichinan which are really not close to each other.
There are multiple trains every day from Oita to Miyazaki. looks like a 7am, 8am, 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, etc…
Oita would not really require a car just for Beppu/Yufuin.
Miyazaki, your plan is bad. Takachiho is a bit remote and will take time to reach, possible by bus from Nobeoka, that is north of Miyazaki prefecture. That will at least take a day for that only.
Miyazaki Shrine is not that special and you would have chance to see other shrines elsewhere. If you want to see it, then that would likely require you to add a full day in Miyazaki city.
If you reach Aoshima early in the morning, you can then take the bus to Sunmesse, then take the bus back to Miyazaki, but note that the bus in not really frequent, so Sunmesse, is kind of a pain to visit.
It is all doable by public transport, but I think you really underestimate the time required to move along the Miyazaki side, it is much slower because there is no shinkansen and some of the location you mentioned are not eve along a train line.
I would highly suggest you check to do a day by day plan with the exact places you want to visit each day and how to move from one to the other. While I would not usually recommend to time stuff, here you absolutely want to check train/bus schedule as it might make the difference between something possible to do and something impossible.