Kyushu itinerary in spring: your thoughts?

Hi there,

For our second trip to Japan, we’ll be spending 22 full days in Kyushu. 😎 Here’s our draft itinerary:

1 - FUKUOKA 2 - FUKUOKA 3 - FUKUOKA 4 - FUKUOKA / SASEBO / OJIKA 5 - OJIKA 6 - OJIKA / SASEBO / NAGASAKI 7 - NAGASAKI 8 - NAGASAKI 9 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO +++ car rental +++ 10 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 11 - ASO 12 - ASO / KUROKAWA ONSEN 13 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / KUMAMOTO +++ end of car rental +++ 14 - KUMAMOTO / KAGOSHIMA 15 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 16 - SAKURAJIMA (car?) 17 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA 18 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 19 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 20 - YAKUSHIMA / KAGOSHIMA 21 - ??? 22 - FUKUOKA

We’ve deliberately skipped the eastern part (from Beppu to Miyazaki…)

We still have a few questions about our itinerary:

Car: For most of our travel, we plan to take the train or bus, except in the Aso region where we’ll rent a car. We’re wondering about Sakurajima and Yakushima: is a car necessary there?

Ojika: Would one night be enough?

Yakushima: Are two full days (plus two half-days) sufficient?

If we keep the schedule as is, we have one extra day to fit in somewhere—any suggestions?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

Hello,

4 - FUKUOKA / SASEBO / OJIKA 5 - OJIKA 6 - OJIKA / SASEBO / NAGASAKI

There’s an overnight ferry from Fukuoka to Ojika. If you want to include Sasebo, I think it’s better to adjust this part of the itinerary because, as it stands, I don’t think you’ll have enough time to really enjoy it with all the travel involved. For example, you could leave on the night of the 3rd day and then do Ojika to Sasebo on day 5 if you’re only staying one night there. I’m not familiar with the places (neither Sasebo nor Ojika), but in my opinion, to savor the slow pace of the island, two nights is preferable, and it also gives you at least one full day.

9 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO

The route isn’t direct. Plan for half a day of travel. So, leave early in the morning if you want to enjoy Kumamoto in the afternoon, like visiting the garden or the castle.

10 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 11 - ASO 12 - ASO / KUROKAWA ONSEN 13 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / KUMAMOTO

I’m not familiar with this part of Kyushu, but I think on day 11, it’s probably possible to stay overnight in Kurokawa Onsen. Read up on the itineraries—there are quite a few articles about it.

14 - KUMAMOTO / KAGOSHIMA

It depends on whether you plan to visit Kumamoto or not, but if you don’t, why not head straight to Kagoshima after Kurokawa Onsen? That would give you an extra day in Kagoshima.

15 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 16 - SAKURAJIMA (car?)

Having a car can be a plus to better enjoy the region, but it’s accessible by public transport. If you’re staying several days, I’d recommend a car for more freedom.

17 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA

Apparently, there’s a ferry from Ibusuki to Yakushima. That could be an interesting option to avoid having to go back to Kagoshima.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4651.html

High-speed boat from Ibusuki

There’s one hydrofoil per day between Miyanoura Port on Yakushima and Ibusuki on the Satsuma Peninsula. The one-way trip takes 75 minutes and costs 9,800 yen. A round-trip ticket costs 17,800 yen and must be used within seven days. Online reservations can be made via Direct Ferries. Book now

18 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 19 - YAKUSHIMA (car?)

Essential for making the most of it. There are very few buses.

Yakushima: Is 2 full days (+ 2 half-days) enough?

In 2 days, you can’t see everything, but you can already get a nice overview.

If I keep the schedule as is, we have one day left to fit in somewhere: any suggestions?

Instead of adding a new place that involves changing accommodations and transfers, I’d suggest staying longer in one spot to better explore an area, like the surroundings of Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Yakushima, or Kumamoto (Takachiho Gorge with a rental car). It also depends on your interests.

Another tip: it’s always better to keep 2 or 3 days before your departure to return from an island before your international flight, so it might be possible to swap Yakushima and the Satsuma Peninsula (Chiran/Ibusuki).

For example, here’s how the itinerary could look with the suggestions mentioned:

1 - FUKUOKA 2 - FUKUOKA (overnight ferry leaving at midnight to Ojika) 3 - Ojika 4 - OJIKA - Sasebo 5 - SASEBO / NAGASAKI 6 - NAGASAKI 7 - NAGASAKI 8 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO 9 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 10 - ASO - overnight in KUROKAWA ONSEN 11 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / Takachiho Gorge + kagura performance in the evening (overnight in Takachiho or Kumamoto) 12 - KUMAMOTO - KAGOSHIMA 13 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA 14 - YAKUSHIMA 15 - YAKUSHIMA 16 - YAKUSHIMA / IBUSUKI 17 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 18 - Kagoshima 19 - Sakurajima 20 - Extra day to add as you choose: Nagasaki (to explore the surroundings a bit more), Ojika (for total disconnection and to enjoy the slow pace and natural landscapes), Kagoshima (Kirishima Shrine or the Satsuma Peninsula for lakes or the fishing village of Makurazaki), or Fukuoka and its surroundings (Dazaifu, Kitakyushu, Kurume, Nokonoshima, etc.) 21 - FUKUOKA 22 - FUKUOKA

Hi Nathalie,

Thanks so much for your reply! 😉 I think I wasn’t very clear about the Ojika part: we don’t want to visit Sasebo. It’s just the departure and arrival port for the ferries to Ojika. There’s a speedboat at 9:25 that connects Sasebo to Ojika in 1h30. And for the return, a ferry leaves Ojika around 2 PM. That would give us Day 4 afternoon + Day 5 + Day 6 morning on Ojika. The overnight ferry only takes 5 hours and arrives in Ojika at 4:40 AM 🤪... we’d rather avoid that! :)

9 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO

The trip isn’t direct. Allow half a day for transport. So leave early in the morning if you want to enjoy Kumamoto a bit in the afternoon, like visiting the garden or the castle.

OK - we’ll leave early

10 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 11 - ASO 12 - ASO / KUROKAWA ONSEN 13 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / KUMAMOTO

I’m not familiar with this part of Kyushu, but I think on day 11, it’s probably possible to stay overnight in KUROKAWA Onsen. Read up on the itineraries—there are quite a few.

14 - KUMAMOTO / KAGOSHIMA

It depends on whether you plan to visit Kumamoto or not, but if you don’t, why not head straight to Kagoshima after Kurokawa Onsen? That would give you an extra day in Kagoshima.

Actually, the return via Kumamoto is to drop off the rental car. But maybe there’s a way to leave it in Kurokawa Onsen without too many drop-off fees? I need to check that. It would save us some time, for sure.

15 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 16 - SAKURAJIMA (car?)

A car can be a plus to better enjoy the area, but it’s accessible by public transport. If you’re staying several days, I’d recommend a car for more freedom.

That’s what I think too 🙂

17 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA

There’s a ferry from Ibusuki to Yakushima, which might be a good option to avoid having to go back to Kagoshima.

Oh, that’s a great idea!!!

18 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) 19 - YAKUSHIMA (car?) Essential for making the most of it. There are very few buses.

Yakushima: Are 2 full days (+ 2 half-days) enough?

In 2 days, you can’t see everything, but you can already get a nice overview.

If I keep the schedule as is, we have one day left to fit in somewhere: any suggestions?

Instead of adding a new place that involves changing accommodation and transfers, I’d suggest staying longer in one spot to explore an area better, like the surroundings of Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Yakushima, or Kumamoto (Takachiho Gorge with a rental car). It also depends on your interests.

Another tip: it’s always better to keep 2 or 3 days before your departure to return from an island before your international flight, so maybe swap Yakushima with the Satsuma Peninsula (Chiran/Ibusuki).

Yeah, we hadn’t thought of that 🤪 We’ll avoid the big stress before leaving and swap it with the Kagoshima area.

For example, here’s what the itinerary could look like with the suggestions mentioned:

1 - FUKUOKA 2 - FUKUOKA overnight ferry leaving at midnight to Ojika 3 - Ojika 4 - OJIKA - Sasebo 5 - SASEBO / NAGASAKI 6 - NAGASAKI 7 - NAGASAKI 8 - NAGASAKI / KUMAMOTO 9 - KUMAMOTO / ASO 10 - ASO - overnight in KUROKAWA ONSEN 11 - KUROKAWA ONSEN / Takachiho Gorge + kagura show in the evening (overnight in Takachiho or Kumamoto) 12 - KUMAMOTO - KAGOSHIMA 13 - KAGOSHIMA / YAKUSHIMA 14 - YAKUSHIMA 15 - YAKUSHIMA 16 - YAKUSHIMA / IBUSUKI 17 - IBUSUKI / CHIRAN 18 - Kagoshima 19 - Sakurajima 20 - Extra day to add as you like: near Nagasaki (to explore the surroundings a bit more), Ojika (for total disconnection and enjoying the slow pace and nature), Kagoshima (Kirishima Shrine or the Satsuma Peninsula for lakes or the fishing village of Makurazaki), or Fukuoka and its surroundings (Dazaifu, Kitakyushu, Kurume, Nokonoshima, etc.) 21 - FUKUOKA 22 - FUKUOKA

Thanks for this new suggestion—it’s pretty much what we’re going to do. Now we just have to decide where to add our extra day 😎 Yapuka, as they say!

Thanks again for your help.🙂 Anne