Itineraries Enjoy summer in Kyushu driving around in a rental car By JNTO on 7 October 2020

Day 1

Departure from Changi Airport  Arrival to Fukuoka Airport  Nippon Rent-A-car Fukuoka Airport International Terminal  Local Cuisine "Yufumabushi Shin"  Traditional Japanese Rickshaw  Yama no Hotel Musouen  Yunotsubo Kaido Street  Yufuin Milch

Day 2

Departure from the hotel  Kokonoe "Yume" Grand Suspension Bridge  Kuju Flower Park  Local Cuisine "Hanabishi"  Helicopter Tour in Aso  TAKEFUE Natural hot spring, resort & spa

Day 3

Departure from the hotel  Takachiho Gorge  Somen Nagashi "Chiho-no-ie"  Horikiri Pass & Roadside Station "Phoenix"  ANA Holiday Inn Resort Miyazaki  Seafood "Amimoto"

Day 4

Departure from the hotel  Aoshima Shrine  Nichinan Phoenix Road  Udo Shrine  Local Cuisine "Gallery Kodama"  Departure from Kagoshima-Chuo Station  Arrival to Hakata Station  Hakata Excel Hotel Tokyu  Food stalls "Nakasu-Yatai"

DAY1 (Fukuoka, Oita)

Sophia and Donna arrive at Fukuoka Airport on a direct flight from Changi Airport. Their road trip is about to start! After renting a car at the airport, they first head to Yufuin, Oita Prefecture. Yufuin is one of the most popular, top-class hot spring resorts in Japan. Soaking in an open-air bath while enjoying a splendid view of Mt. Yufudake is a real treat! All the fatigue of travel is washed away. Filled with delicious restaurants and sweet shops, Yufuin is also a great place for shopping and eating out.

1:20 Departure from Changi Airport

Singapore Airlines flies to Fukuoka daily

 

8:35 Arrival to Fukuoka Airport

 

10:00 Nippon Rent-A-car Fukuoka Airport International Terminal

Nippon Rent-A-car

 

12:00 Local Cuisine "Yufumabushi Shin"

For the specialty dish, "kama-meshi" rice, you can choose one out of three kinds of toppings: Bungo-gyu beef, chicken, or eel, all produced in Oita Prefecture. You can enjoy your choice of topping on rice with condiments and pickles or with dashi soup, to create your own preferred taste. Local Cuisine "Yufumabushi Shin"

 

14:00 Traditional Japanese Rickshaw

You can enjoy peaceful streets, rural landscapes, temples and shrines in the mountains in Yufuin from a rickshaw, which allows for different views to when you are walking, cycling, or driving by car. Traditional Japanese Rickshaw

 

15:00 Yama no Hotel Musouen

The hotel's highlight is definitely its large open-air bath with a great panoramic view of Mt. Yufudake! From the fresh greenery in early summer to the colorful foliage in autumn, you can admire Mt. Yufudake from a privileged location. A perfect place to unwind and relax surrounded by rich nature. Yama no Hotel Musouen

 

16:30 Yunotsubo Kaido Street

One of the most popular areas for strolling in Yufuin, this street is lined with about 70 shops and stores, including variety stores, souvenir shops, restaurants, and sweets shops. Wearing a yukata will make your stroll even more fun! Yunotsubo Kaido Street

 

17:00 Yufuin Milch

Famous sweet shop using 100% locally produced milk. Its oven-fresh "Kase kuchen" (cheesecake) is very popular. You can choose between the soft and creamy “hot” version and the moist “cold” one. Yufuin Milch

 

 

DAY2 (Kumamoto)

On the second day, Sophia and Donna enjoy an uplifting drive along the Yamanami Highway, one of the most popular driving routes in Kyushu. As they make their way to Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture, they admire mountains over 1000m high, the highest pedestrian bridge in Japan and fields covered with flowers in bloom. The endless succession of stunning sceneries fills the girls' hearts with excitement. To enjoy the vast panorama of Aso to the fullest, nothing beats a thrilling helicopter ride! That night, the two girls enjoy a relaxed and quiet stay at a luxury hot spring ryokan located in a secluded area.

8:30 Departure from the hotel

 

9:30 Kokonoe "Yume" Grand Suspension Bridge

Located 173 meters above the river, this 390-meter hanging bridge has the highest altitude of all pedestrian-only bridges in Japan. Stunning views below the bridge indeed make it a "walkway in the sky." Kokonoe "Yume" Grand Suspension Bridge

 

11:00 Kuju Flower Park

Located in a national park, this flower park is a perfect place to enjoy beautiful nature to the fullest. The vast park is adorned with 5 million flowers of 500 kinds throughout the year. Kuju Flower Park

 

13:00 Local Cuisine "Hanabishi"

This restaurant offers local dishes with local ingredients and pure water of the Aso area using traditional cooking methods. The popular dish "gyu-katsu ju" is a rice dish topped with a cutlet made from Kumamoto’s brand beef, Akaushi, which is cooked rare and served with wasabi and soy sauce. Local Cuisine "Hanabishi"

 

14:30 Helicopter Tour in Aso

To fully enjoy the vast nature of Mt. Aso, why not take a helicopter ride? Enjoy from midair a panoramic view of the splendid Kusasenri prairie with a beautiful contrast between green grass and blue water, and the breathtaking sight of an active volcano crater. Helicopter Tour in Aso

 

15:30 TAKEFUE Natural Hot Spring, Resort & Spa Ryokan

A secluded hot spring ryokan located in the interior of Aso. It has just 12 lodges scattered through a vast land surrounded by a bamboo forest. All lodges, built in a traditional Japanese style, are equipped with a private open-air bath and feature a stylish interior. With an array of carefully-selected amenities, this quiet, luxury ryokan is the perfect place to give yourself a treat. TAKEFUE Natural Hot Spring

 

 

DAY3 (Miyazaki)

After leaving the hot spring resort in Aso, Sophia and Donna head straight to Miyazaki Prefecture. A land steeped in legends and mystery, Takachiko is now attracting much attention, especially from women, as the strongest power spot in Kyushu. The two girls take some time to enjoy the refreshing scenery of the gorge and waterfalls and take in the healthy, negative ions. Then it's time for lunch! Why not try "nagashi somen," a dish that is said to have been invented in Takachiho? After lunch, as they drive along the coastline, the scenery suddenly changes to a tropical-like landscape. Delicious fresh seafood is awaiting them for dinner!

8:30 Departure from the hotel

 

10:00 Takachiho Gorge

As one of the most popular tourist spots in Kyushu, this gorge with steep cliffs with a height of 80 meters on average and stretching east and west for about seven kilometers has been designated a Natural Monument and National Place of Scenic Beauty. The area has well-maintained pathways and there is also a rental boat service. Takachiho Gorge

 

12:00 Somen Nagashi "Chiho-no-ie"

A restaurant near Takachiho Gorge where "nagashi somen" was invented. With fresh water flowing in from a nearby spring, the place is cool even in the hot summer. Catch the thin noodles coming down the bamboo flume and enjoy this Takachiho specialty! Somen Nagashi "Chiho-no-ie

 

15:30 Horikiri Pass & Roadside Station "Phoenix"

A rest stop along the Nichinan Coast Drive with an observation deck from which you get a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy soft ice cream made with Miyazaki mangoes and "hyuga-natsu" oranges. Horikiri Pass & Roadside Station "Phoenix"

 

16:30 ANA Holiday Inn Resort Miyazaki

This beach front resort hotel with a tropical feel offers a relaxing stay with a dazzling ocean view and a panoramic hot spring. It is located within walking distance from the popular tourist attraction Aoshima Shrine. ANA Holiday Inn Resort Miyazaki

 

18:30 Seafood "Amimoto"

If you want to take a seat in one of the private rooms looking down at the large fish tank at the center of the restaurant, we recommend you reserve in advance. You can enjoy fresh seafood along with dishes made with locally-produced chicken, including Miyazaki’s specialty "chicken-namban."

 

 

DAY4 (Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka)

Running along the Miyazaki coastline, the Nichinan Phoenix Road is a popular driving route, featuring many scenic seaside spots and unique spiritual sites. Driving in the early summer sun makes Sophia and Donna feel extraordinarily refreshed. This is certainly one of the highlights of this trip! Finally they bid farewell to the many beautiful sights and head to Fukuoka, the final destination of their road trip. Eating at the food stalls is the best way to enjoy Hakata by night. As the two girls have a nice chat with the stall vendor and the local people, the night falls on the last day of this unforgettable journey.

8:30 Departure from the hotel

 

8:45 Aoshima Shrine

Located at almost the center of Aoshima Island, which has been worshipped as a holy area since ancient times, this shrine is a famous spot for marriage. Offering prayers here will bring you romance. Aoshima Shrine

 

9:45 Nichinan Phoenix Road

This driving route is popular for its coastal scenic beauty. It has many spots to enjoy wonderful views and popular sightseeing places along the way.

 

10:30 Udo Shrine

Uniquely situated inside a cave on the beach, facing the ocean, this bright red painted shrine offers visitors a unique way of wishing for luck: if you toss an "undama," a small round piece of unglazed clay, and it goes into the hole on the back of a turtle-shaped rock, your wish will be fulfilled! Udo Shrine; Roadside Station "Phoenix"

 

12:00 Local Cuisine "Gallery Kodama"

Located in a renovated Japanese-style house built more than 100 years ago, this restaurant has a nice atmosphere. "Katsuo-aburi ju," rice topped with charcoal-grilled marinated bonito, is a popular dish. Local Cuisine "Gallery Kodama"

 

15:59 Departure from Kagoshima-Chuo Station

 

17:16 Arrival to Hakata Station

 

18:00 Hakata Excel Hotel Tokyu

Situated along the Naka River, just 30 seconds on foot from Kyushu's largest entertainment district Nakasu, this hotel is conveniently located 20 minutes by taxi from Fukuoka Airport and 1 minute from the nearest subway station. Its strategic location makes it the perfect base for sightseeing and shopping in Hakata. Hakata Excel Hotel Tokyu

 

18:30 Food stalls "Nakasu-Yatai"

At night, street stalls are set up one after another, creating an area said to have the highest number of street stalls in Japan. Eat Hakata’s local dishes and have a drink with local people, and you will have an unforgettable memory of your trip. Food stalls "Nakasu-Yatai"