Hello, happy new year everyone! I’m officially ~~cramming~~ planning my itinerary for my trip to Fukuoka at the end of January and I would love to hear your insights and recommendations.
I would like to preface this by saying that I don’t have a car, so I’ll be travelling the whole time via public transportation (either by bus or train). I’ve gone to Tokyo twice and can speak a little bit of Japanese but I am definitely rusty.
**Day 0 – 4 (Fukuoka)**
* Arriving at the airport in the evening (at 7 PM). After I check in the hotel, I’ll walk around the area and grab some dinner (shinshin ramen if it’s still open? or any food)
* Next day, will pick up my JR Northern Kyushu pass and then go to this list of places in no particular order (for the next 2-3 days):
* Nanzoin temple
* Dazaifu tenmangu Shrine
* Hakata Port Tower
* Ohori Park
* Acros Fukuoka
* Shiomi Park Observatory
* Uminonakamichi and Nonokoshima if there is time
* Itoshima?
* Mount Homan, if time permits
* Still thinking about going on a day trip to Beppu but I already planned to go to Kurokawa Onsen next
* Food trip (will definitely try)
* Mentaiko
* Tonkotsu Ramen
* Mizutaki
* Tsukemen
**Day 5 (Fukuoka –> Kurokawa Onsen)**
* Will travel by bus from the Hakata Bus terminal
* Pay for the onsen-hopping pass
* Eat lunch at warokuya
* Go to these onsens:
* Ryokan Sanga
* Ryokan Okunoyu
* Ikoi Ryokan
* Eat dinner
* stay at a ryokan overnight (have not booked yet)
**Day 6 (Kurokawa Onsen –> Nagasaki)**
* Stroll a bit more around the area
* Really wanted to go to Daikanbo and Nabegataki falls but it seems too far to walk
* go to Yamamizuki for one last onsen?
* Ride the bus back to fukuoka
* Ride the train to Nagasaki (would love any recommendations for this route)
* Check-in to a hostel
* Stroll around the area if there is time
For this part, I am not entirely sure about the logistics of this. I still planned to stay at Nagasaki for 2 days, and then squeeze in going to Hiroshima for an overnight stay, but please let me know if this is feasible. I also thought about staying in Kumamoto after Kurokawa Onsen but other than the castle, I found Hiroshima to be more interesting to go to.
**Day 7 (Nagasaki)**
* Go to this list of places for the whole day:
* Peace Park
* Atomic Bomb Museum
* Chinatown
* Suwa Shrine
* Meganebashi Bridge
* Inasayama Observatory
* go back to the hostel
Day 8 (Nagasaki –> Hiroshima?)
* From checking it, it seems like it’s 3 hours of travel time from Nagasaki to Hiroshima via train
* checking in to hostel first
* Will visit these places:
* Atomic Bomb Dome
* Okonomimura (big reason why I’m going to Hiroshima actually)
* Miyajima if there is still time
* rest
Day 9 (Hiroshima –> Fukuoka)
* Take the train early back to Hakata Station
* go to the airport and take the flight in the afternoon
Here are some questions:
1. The schedule seems to be too packed to my liking (I realized 9D10N is too short), would it be better to just stay in Kumamoto after going to Kurokawa Onsen?
2. Is the Hiroshima trip still possible? Or maybe save that for the next trip?
3. If you have transportation tips, or more food recommendations, please let me know.
Thank you in advance!