Going to Kyushu...advice and recommend please.

[David]

Going mid-April, arriving in Fukuoka. Probably staying for 2 weeks. may extend visit to Osaka(my old home town). Some say avoid Tokyo for the time being.

 

Much appreciated and Thank You.

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Going mid-April, arriving in Fukuoka. Probably staying for 2 weeks. may extend visit to Osaka(my old home town). Some say avoid Tokyo for the time being.

 

Much appreciated and Thank You.

 

Don' forget your credit cards ....

[KARTer]

Going mid-April, arriving in Fukuoka. Probably staying for 2 weeks. may extend visit to Osaka(my old home town). Some say avoid Tokyo for the time being.

 

Much appreciated and Thank You.

Ask you frens in hometown for updates on tours?

 

anyway, i had a short holiday in fukuoka recently, pm me if you need some info, but my tour was free and lazy, so may not have cover too many places...

[AFWE69]

May go to visit Kyushu soon, recommendations are welcome.

[Mustank]

[Lotr]

In the early stages of planning for a 10~12 days trip late this year.  Will be going to Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Mt Aso plus another onsen town eg. Kurokawa, Yufuin etc and also other smaller towns

Will probably be travelling around by train but also keen to drive for part of the trip.  Are there any recommended driving routes or places which are more accessible with a car? 

[Wt_know]

i drive from Kurokawa Onsen to Mount Aso via Yamanami highway ... 

it's one the the best scenic drive in Kyushu

 

Edited March 23 by Wt_know

[bsswan]

On 3/23/2025 at 7:30 PM, Lotr said:

In the early stages of planning for a 10~12 days trip late this year.  Will be going to Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Mt Aso plus another onsen town eg. Kurokawa, Yufuin etc and also other smaller towns

Will probably be travelling around by train but also keen to drive for part of the trip.  Are there any recommended driving routes or places which are more accessible with a car? 

Yufuin if you want a chilled Onsen and countryside environment, Beppu if you want a bit more choice for food and additional activities.

If Beppu, you can also check out Jigoku, the seven hells.

[Wt_know]

On 3/23/2025 at 8:02 PM, bsswan said:

Yufuin if you want a chilled Onsen and countryside environment, Beppu if you want a bit more choice for food and additional activities.

If Beppu, you can also check out Jigoku, the seven hells.

I like Yufuin ... stay there twice ... small town but chill

however, during weekend the "popular street" sibei crowded like 9-fen in taipei ... lol

[Voodooman]

On 3/23/2025 at 7:30 PM, Lotr said:

In the early stages of planning for a 10~12 days trip late this year.  Will be going to Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Mt Aso plus another onsen town eg. Kurokawa, Yufuin etc and also other smaller towns

Will probably be travelling around by train but also keen to drive for part of the trip.  Are there any recommended driving routes or places which are more accessible with a car? 

10 days a bit rushed to cover north south east west Kyushu unless you like moving hotel every day.  You should stretch to 12-14 days if you want to cover Kagoshima.  Further, you will be travelling during winter. 

But everyone’s travel pattern is different.  

 

[Lotr]

On 3/23/2025 at 9:08 PM, Voodooman said:

10 days a bit rushed to cover north south east west Kyushu unless you like moving hotel every day.  You should stretch to 12-14 days if you want to cover Kagoshima.  Further, you will be travelling during winter. 

But everyone’s travel pattern is different.  

 

Got it ... initial plan is 10~12 days but can stretch a bit.  Not really a fan of changing hotel every day but sometimes the places does not have too many attractions

first draft of itinerary is something like this and will need to be adjusted depending on the shortlisted places to go:

• 2N Nagasaki
• 1N Kumamoto
• 2N Kagoshima
• 1N Miyazaki
• 2N Kurokawa + Mt Aso + Takachiho
• 3N Fukuoka

Total 11N

 

Edited March 23 by Lotr

[Voodooman]

On 3/23/2025 at 11:16 PM, Lotr said:

Got it ... initial plan is 10~12 days but can stretch a bit.  Not really a fan of changing hotel every day but sometimes the places does not have too many attractions

first draft of itinerary is something like this and will need to be adjusted depending on the shortlisted places to go:

• 2N Nagasaki
• 1N Kumamoto
• 2N Kagoshima
• 1N Miyazaki
• 2N Kurokawa + Mt Aso + Takachiho
• 3N Fukuoka

Total 11N

 

Perhaps you can advise no of travelers, transport mode, period of travel and what you guys like, nature, shopping, onsen, temples, art, foods, etc.

If just 2 pax, you might want to train to Nagasaki for 2 nights and cover the rest in the clockwise loop from Fukuoka.

Example, Fukuoka to Yufuin to Kurokawa to Aso to Takachiho to Miyazaki to Kagoshima to Kumamoto to Fukuoka.

It is more difficult to cover Aso / Takachiho via public transport and you don't need rental in Fukuoka unless you want to visit Itoshima area.

If you like nature and hikes, 2 nights in Kurokawa, Aso and Takachiho may be too rush.  Kirishima near Kagoshima also has a lot of nice treks but if you are traveling during winter. Then it might not be feasible.

If you like onsen, you should stay 1 or 2 nights each at Yufuin and Kurokawa and cover Mt Aso/ Beppu area from these locations. 

Happy to share my itineraries if you want it. Just PM me.  Note we usually travel during spring and autumn season to Kyushu, so those who went during winter might want to share your thoughts.

[Datsun366]

On 3/24/2025 at 10:07 AM, Voodooman said:

Perhaps you can advise no of travelers, transport mode, period of travel and what you guys like, nature, shopping, onsen, temples, art, foods, etc.

If just 2 pax, you might want to train to Nagasaki for 2 nights and cover the rest in the clockwise loop from Fukuoka.

Example, Fukuoka to Yufuin to Kurokawa to Aso to Takachiho to Miyazaki to Kagoshima to Kumamoto to Fukuoka.

It is more difficult to cover Aso / Takachiho via public transport and you don't need rental in Fukuoka unless you want to visit Itoshima area.

If you like nature and hikes, 2 nights in Kurokawa, Aso and Takachiho may be too rush.  Kirishima near Kagoshima also has a lot of nice treks but if you are traveling during winter. Then it might not be feasible.

If you like onsen, you should stay 1 or 2 nights each at Yufuin and Kurokawa and cover Mt Aso/ Beppu area from these locations. 

Happy to share my itineraries if you want it. Just PM me.  Note we usually travel during spring and autumn season to Kyushu, so those who went during winter might want to share your thoughts.

This is somebody familiar with that area.

else direct engage local guide with transport easier.
 

The composition of your group,  a bunch of 30 40 yr olds vs a spread out range from primary school to wheelchair octogenarian would make for different recommendations. The budget as well, deep pockets versus considerations…and language ability. 

 

i would not check in and out so often…maybe three times at most. I will stop at two changes of lodging.

Mapping is useful. I have already decided what are the ‘must’visits and maybe work in the ‘maybe’ visits along the way.

Suggestions is the restaurants.

happy travels.

Edited March 24 by Datsun366

[Jamesc]

Kyushu is one of the best places to drive.

Go Mt Aso best to drive. Using public transport very inconvenient. 

I was in Kyushu in October and Nagasaki has one of the 3 bes tnight views in Japan.

Fukuoka has the best road side food carts.

Nagasaki most famous dish is Kong Bak Pau and Soup dumplings. A lot of Chinese influence foods.

Don't visit Sakurai Futamigaura’s Couple Stones in Fukuoka if you hoping wife runs away and takes her mother.

That's the mistake I made. Both are still together with me.

On 3/23/2025 at 11:16 PM, Lotr said:

Got it ... initial plan is 10~12 days but can stretch a bit.  Not really a fan of changing hotel every day but sometimes the places does not have too many attractions

first draft of itinerary is something like this and will need to be adjusted depending on the shortlisted places to go:

• 2N Nagasaki
• 1N Kumamoto
• 2N Kagoshima
• 1N Miyazaki
• 2N Kurokawa + Mt Aso + Takachiho
• 3N Fukuoka

Total 11N

 

 

[Jamesc]

Go Kyushu can save a lot of money with cheap and good food.

Don't need to eat in expensive fancy restaurants, the street stalls have the cheapest and best food.

Fukuoka is the city that invented the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and see the price list so cheap.

The best restaurant is Hakataya Kawabata in Fukuoka and a bowl of ramen is just 290 Yen.

SG hawker centre cannot even get mee pok at $3 these days.

And if really hungry like MIL, I got her the set, a bowl of ramen, a bowl of rice and 4 gyozas.

[Jamesc]

Fukuoka is the birthplace of udon and soba because its the closest port to Korea and China.

And people brought back noodle making from China and Korea.

Champon is the noodle dish from Nagasaki, thick noodles, a creamy pork and chicken bone broth, and a variety of stir-fried vegetables and seafood

In Nagasaki the most famous bun is Kong Bak Pau and dumpling is soup dumpling.

Kyushu people eat a lot!

So many restaurants offer a bowl of ramen or a champon with half a plate or even a full plate of fried rice and some also offer half a dozen gyoza for just an extra 300 or 400 yen.  

[Jamesc]

Kyushu people a lot are immigrants from China and Korea and they really like spicy food especially Mapo Tofu

Cheap set meals means I can afford to feed my kids and MIL and they were never hungry when I ordered the value set for them!

[Jamesc]

Fukuoka famous dish is fried chicken skin.

Cheap and tasty. Great with beer.