Hi everyone,
Hoping to get some help with my Kyushu itinerary for this November. Been to Honshu area many times but first time in Kyushu and would like to get a second eye on planning the route. It will be my first time driving on the left (I drive in Canada) so would prefer to train where I can but understand many sites are better driving. I will probably buy the Kyushu JR pass (right now the itinerary would be just the 3 day Northern Kyushu JR pass).
My partner and I enjoy photographing nice scenery, love good food and drinks, and learning a bit of history. We would love to see some fall foliage if the timing works. Temples and churches aren’t really our thing although we enjoy seeing a few if they look special. We are not set on flying to Nagasaki – we can fly into any city that has a flight from Narita airport. We are also flexible to add potentially one more day for Kyushu since we plan to just go to Osaka and Tokyo after which we’ve been before. I will be the only one driving so want to make sure not to be burnt out from driving!
Questions:
1. Does our route make sense? Noticed that Kumamoto to Kagoshima by train is only 45 mins vs. the 2.5 hr drive. Is there a better route for these cities I’m visiting?
2. We would like to take the Yufuin no mori at least one way since it’s covered under JR pass but realize Beppu is close by, is there a better way to plan this route?
3. Does picking up the rental car in Kumamoto and dropping it back there make sense? I wanted to drop it off in Beppu to avoid driving again but noticed dropping off at a different city could cost a minimum of 200,000 yen which seems a lot.
Thanks in advance and open to any suggestions and also stops in between driving or attractions I’m missing! Thank you!
Kyushu in November Itinerary
Nov 6
– arrive at NRT and stay at Narita city for the night
Nov 7
– Fly to Nagasaki at 9am from NRT (2.5 hours) arrive at 11:25pm
– Take limousine bus from airport to city center (45 mins)
– drop luggage at Hotel and eat lunch
– Glover Garden, Oura Church, Dejima area, Maganebashi Bridge, Nagasaki Chinatown, Mt Inasa observatory
– stay in Nagasaki
Nov 8 – Nagasaki
– Nagasaki Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Museum, Urakami Cathedral, Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, One legged Tori Gate, Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, Dejimi Wharf/seaside park area
– stay in Nagasaki
Nov 9 – Fukuoka
– Train from Nagasaki to Fukuoka (1.5 hours) 9:19am to 10:51am
– Fukuoka Tower, Fukuoka Castle, Fukuoka Art Museum, Ohori Park, Yatai Stalls
– stay in Fukuoka
Nov 10 – Yufuin/Fukuoka
– Train to Yufuin via Yufuin no Mori (2 hr)
– Yufuin Floral Village, Yufuincho Kawakami
– Train back to Fukuoka (2 hr)
– Canal City, Tenjin Underground Mall
– Stay in Fukuoka
Nov 11 – Fukuoka
– Kushida Shrine, Hakata Machiya Furusatokan Folk Museum, bike at Uminomakamichi Seaside Park
– Train to Kumamoto after dinner (30-40 minutes)
– Stay in Kumamoto
Nov 12 – Kumamoto
– Suizenji-Koen, Kumamon Square,Kumamoto Castle, Sakura no baba Josaien
– Pick up rental car
– Drive to Kagoshima – 2.5 hrs
– Arrive and stay in Kagoshima
Nov 13 – Kagoshima
– Drive to ferry – Sakurajima Volcano, Arimura Lava Observatory, Lava Trail, Sakurajima footbath, Shiroyama Park observation deck, Tenmonkan shopping street
– Stay in Kagoshima
Nov 14 – Kagoshima/Miyazaki
– Drive to Sengan-en, Spinning Mill, Starbucks break
– Drive to Miyazaki – 2 hours
– Check into hotel in Miyazaki
– Walk around downtown and eat at Nishitachi street
Nov 15 – Miyazaki
– Drive to Udo Jingu, Sun Messe Nichinan, Station Phoenix Road (near Nichinan Coast Park), Horikiri Pass, Aoshima Island (Miyako Botanic Garden Aoshima), Devil’s Washboard, Aoshima Shrine
– Stay in Miyazaki
Nov 16 – Miyazaki/Takachiho
– Drive to Stairs of the Sea and Sea Cross Overlook (if time permits)
– Drive to Amaterasu Railway (30 minute train ride) (2 hr drive from Miyazaki)
– Drive to Takachiho Gorge (row boat and walk around and see shrine)
– Stay in Takachiho
Nov 17 – Beppu
– Drive to Kunimigaoka Viewing Platform (see sunrise)
– Drive to Beppu (2.5 hr)
– See 8 hells of Beppu, Beppu Ropeway
– Stay in Beppu at onsen hotel
Nov 18 – Mt. Aso/Kumamoto
– Drive to Mt. Aso (2 hr)
– Drive back to Kumamoto to return car (1.5 hour)
– Train to Osaka (3.5 hr using 7 day JR pass)
Nov 18-22 Osaka
Nov 23-28 Tokyo (train to Tokyo using 7 day JR pass)
Nov 28 – leave from NRT to YVR
7 comments
Following this since I’ll be traveling in November as well
Your itinerary looks pretty good. I’d highly recommend seeing if you can squeeze an extra few days into Kyushu and try to add Yakushima into your plans. I have recently travelled around Kyushu and that was an absolutely amazing place.
Otherwise definitely agree with how much time you have allocated to different places. Sounds like a great holiday in the making.
You can take a train or bus from Yufuin to Beppu (1 hour). Visiting the Hells in Beppu can be done with the bus, though having a car would save time.
Whenever I tour friends around Beppu, I focus on the sea hell and blood hell. After a while they start to lose impact and some of them are sad (zoo animals in small spaces…). I think the mud hell and cooking hell are also nice, but I wouldn’t go to all 8 unless you have tons of time. As far as onsen hotels, there are so many that are super nice, you’re in for a treat!
I am curious why you wouldn’t take the train to Kagoshima and rent a car there? I’m going in August, have never been so just asking the question!
Just some ideas:
* I personally wouldn’t recommend the ‘hell hot springs’ in Beppu. They’re too touristy.
* I don’t know what shrine you had in mind for visiting in Takachiho, but don’t miss Amanoiwato-jinja.
* Ōmi Shrine in Hyuga is also worth a visit.
* Obi, near Udo Jingu, is a beautifully preserved town.
* Some of my favourite places in Japan are magaibutsu, Buddha statues hewn from natural rock faces. Oita is full of them. They’re a little difficult to reach, but since you’re traveling by car, I recommend you try to see one or two. I had a look on Google Maps, 普光寺磨崖仏 is pretty much on the way from that viewing platform you mentioned to Beppu. It’s huge and absolutely spectacular. The town of Usuki had the most famous magaibutsu, but it’s not really on route for you.
(If any of this seems interesting, I can always give you more info.)
I think you might be able to fit Beppu in Nov 10 itinerary because personally I think the floral village and lake is a bit small, you can finish exploring the area in a short time and head to Beppu after. You can go back to Fukuoka from Beppu then. But this might not be doable if you want to go to other areas in Yufuin or do some other activities though.