I’m planning a trip to Japan with my partner in late November. We’ll be starting in Tokyo, then doing a road trip through Kyushu, just looking for a bit of feedback on my itinerary (mainly on the Kyushu part).
My main questions are:
* Am I being too ambitious?
* Too much driving?
* Any spots I’ve missed that we should definitely get to?
* Any spots I’ve included that could be skipped?
* Would also love any specific recommendations for food, hotels/ryokans.
Day 1: Arrive late in Tokyo, pretty much a write-off.
Day 2: Day in Tokyo.
Day 3: Day in Tokyo.
Day 4: Looking to fly to Kumamoto later in the day and pick up a rental car. Stay the night in Kumamoto.
Day 5:
– Kumamoto Castle
– Sakuranobaba Johsaien
– Suizenji Jojuen Garden
– Drive to Aso (1 hr 20 min)
– Stay the night in Aso
Day 6:
– Aso Shrine
– Aso Caldera (1 hr 30 min drive from Aso Shrine)
– Kusasenrigahama
– Stay the night in Aso
Day 7:
– Takachiho Gorge (1hr drive from Aso)
– Saitobaru Burial Ground (1 hr 50 min drive from Takachiho) (mainly just included as a little stop over between Aso and Miyazaki)
– Drive to Miyazaki (40min from Saitobaru)
– Stay the night in Miyazaki
Day 8:
– Aoshima Island
– Udo Shrine
– Drive back to Miyazaki for the night
Day 9:
– Drive to Beppu (3 hr)
– Hells of Beppu
– Stay the night in Beppu
Day 10:
– Drive to Yufuin (40 min)
– Yufuin Floral Village
– Kinrin Lake
– Stay the night in Yufuin
Day 11:
– Drive to Fukuoka (1 hr 40 min)
– Canal City, etc
– Stay the night in Fukuoka
Day 12:
– Likely train to Hiroshima
– Hiroshima Peace Park
– Atomic Bomb Dome
– Hiroshima Castle
– Stay the night in Hiroshima
Day 13: Unplanned
Day 14: Unplanned
Day 15: Departing at night from Haneda.
2 comments
If you have the budget to stay in a good ryokan, I would do [Kurokawa Onsen](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4575.html) on day 7 after Aso instead of Yufuin on day 9. I love my hotsprings and Kurokawa is one of the best hotspring towns I’ve visited. My family preferred it to Yufuin. You can also consider staying in Kurokawa instead of on Mt. Aso on day 6, but both areas are beautiful so totally up to you.
If you have some free days, also consider flying into Nagasaki instead for Gunkanjima and champon. From Nagasaki you can take a [car ferry](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298213-d7886215-Reviews-Kumamoto_Ferry_Co_Ltd-Kumamoto_Kumamoto_Prefecture_Kyushu.html) departing from Shimabara to Kumamoto.
Edit: Just saw you wanted hotel recommendations. In Kurokawa we stayed at Yamamizuki, which is one of the pricier ryokan but totally worth price of admission. Rooms are awesome, it has one of the best riverside baths in Japan, and the food is incredible.
For food in Takachiho, go [here](https://goo.gl/maps/nLSpGyVa17yeHKuEA). It’s the best and most value for money yakiniku we’ve had in Japan. Their gyudon lunch special is limited and some of the best beef I’ve had.
The most beautiful places I’ve been in Kyushu during the koyo (fall leaf peeping) season are Mt. Hiko in Fukuoka Prefecture. Its an ancient shugendo site and my favorite hike in kyushu, mostly because it’s so pretty. Most of Kyushu hiking us volcanic but this one is forest-y and the shugendo shrine is gorgeous. It is not a tough hike! The other spot is Yabakei in Oita prefecture. The scenery is spectacular and I took a ski lift up the mountain to see Rakanji, a temple carved and built into the mountain rock. I’d never seen anything like it.