Need to hear some views on my itinerary in Kyushu/Yakushima 1 week, going soon!

5 comments

1. I think you should redo the maths on getting to Yakushima, ie is the JR pass worth it or not? ie if you are only using the JR pass for a trip to Fukuoka then waste 3 or so days of the pass in Yakushima. I think your 2nd plan is much more reasonable. I’d double-check the price and see what works out best for you. I flew into Yakushima from Fukuoka recently and my return flight was canceled due to the weather. From memory, it cost around $200 to get to Fukuoka from Yakushima by ferry and train, whilst the flight was only around $300 return. (A quick Google search shows much higher prices now flying from Fukuoka). It looks like you could fly from Tokyo to Kagoshima for about $130, then a local train and ferry to Yakushima (which would probably be the cheapest option).

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   Just a few tips for Yakushima (if you haven’t booked much yet). Since you have a car, it probably doesn’t matter as much but Miyounara is a slightly bigger town than Ambo so you will have a few more food options if you want after you finish hiking. If possible plan to do the smaller hikes first ( Shiratani Unsui and Yakusigi Land) and then do Jomon Sugi afterward. Definitely try to get the first bus to the hiking trail start and if you are willing to skip breakfast when you get there and just start hiking ASAP you will have most of the trail to yourself the whole way up there. Also best to be fairly flexible with your plans ie, weather can change fairly frequently and you should be prepared for rain whilst hiking. There are some forms your hotel may ask you to fill out if you are hiking so be prepared for that.

   You said you are a hiker, if you are particularly strong/fit you can do Jormon Sugi and Shiratani Unsui the same day through the connecting trail but in order to make the last bus you have to be fairly quick (might be worth looking into).

   As for your other plans, they are probably doable and would be easier with a car but since it seems you have such a short time in Kyushu and the extra fees they charge to return rental cars in different cities, I would look at / investigate whether any of the Kyushu JR area passes are worth it for. I have a feeling it would work out similarly for a JR Kyushu pass + flight to Saitama from Fukuoka than a full JR pass just the flight would take much less time.

   If the weather is bad and you become quite limited in what you can do, I would make Jormon Sugi a priority… it’s quite magical the hike there.

2. Takachiho is in Miyazaki and if you plan to go tot takachiho, it would be one day trip.
   There are other beautiful places in Miyazaki like Sun Messe Nichinan ,Aoshima beach,Cape Toi and so on.

3. If you have extra time while in Miyazaki, you could hit up Hyūga city and check out Umagase, the cross of the sea, and Mimitsu.

4. One week is not that much, I spent a whole month across Kyushu. You could consider flying to Kagoshima, go to Yakushima then if anything, just focus on the south of Kyushu and use the south Kyushu pass or car rental depending on where you want to go and fly out of somewhere in Kyushu, for example could be Kumamoto.

   There is obviously a lot of interesting places around Kyushu, but by public transport, some area are trickier, get longer to move around and require more planning atout the schedule of the train and bus.

5. We always fly from Haneda to Fukuoka, stay the nite, and then fly into Yakushima the next day. I believe there is only 1 flight per day, though, so you’re looking at getting in at 2PM. Those 2 flights ran about $240 total per person. I don’t think the JR Pass makes sense on any front for you.

   With more time, I would stay 2 nites in Fukuoka. It’s a cool city.

   You obviously feel strongly about Yakushima, so I would actually recommend 4 nites if you can swing it. Gives you flexibility in case you run into any weather and can’t hike certain days. On a 4 nite stay, we usually try to hike at least 2 days, spend another day renting a motorbike, and otherwise just enjoy the beaches, waterfalls, hot springs, restaurants and food, etc.

   You said you want to rent a car and I’d say that’s a necessity. Hopefully you’re not too anxious of a driver, because those roads up to some of the hiking trails are single lane, curvy as all hell, and have a speeding bus potentially coming at you around every corner. But once you’re at your destination, you get that post-rollercoaster feeling. I believe they’ve been widening the roads, little by little, for the past couple of years, though.

   Let me know if you want any specific recommendations or anything.