Northern Kyushu discussion thread.

[zoossh]

Yet to go and sharing my temporary itinerary here. It is by no means a recommendation, and I am open to any suggestion or advices for minor adjustement.

If anyone are not getting traffic and want to hijack this thread for the same region regardless of your different itinerary or period (i'm not sure if this will get any traffic either), by all means go ahead i dun mind.

Day 1:
- Fukuoka: yanagibashi market
- tobata/wakamatsu: old buildings/market/sunset by the bridge
- mojiko: pier night walk
- meals: tanya beef tongue, ippudo, sanjirou, motsunabe

Day 2:
- mojiko: karato market, ferry / undersea tunnel, shiokaze retro-train
- beppu: yukimuri observatory, hyotan sandbath
- meals: nodoguro sashimi, 茶寮 japanese curry, hidesan chicken

Day 3:
- yufuin: cafe/floral village
- beppu: kifune castle, two of the 7 hell onsens, global tower/sunset, takegawara facade
- meals: hanamizuki, toyotsune*, miiima - chicken tempura
* not sure if can get to eat ryukyu marinated sashimi (or any advices on seki and dango-jiru?)

Day 4:
- fukuoka: daizifu*, lalaport shopping/gundam nite view
- meals: shinomaya, kurumatsu katsudon, danbo/ikkousha ramen
* where gd for sunset at daizaifu region?

Day 5:
- fukuoka: ainoshima, momoshi/sunset
- meals: itookhashi, orten cafe, fujiya, taigen yakiniku

Day 6:
- nagasaki: dejima/bunmeido bakery, nagasaki port/gunkanshima, glover park,
- meals: fujio cafe, shippoku, chinatown

Day 7:
- ikeshima coal mine
- nagasaki: atomic bomb park/shiritsu shiroyama primary, inasa yama nightview,
- meals: youssou chawanmushi, izumiya unagi

Day 8:
- takeo: library
- itoshima: palm beach cafe/couple stone sunset, tenjin shopping
- meals: zauo oysters, yatai/chez remy, hanamidori mizutaki chicken-pot

Day 9:
- yamaga: theatre, onsen
- fukuoka: nakasu/kushida shrine/sunset, clubbing
- meals: horsemeat curry 火の国ゆるり庵, yatai/kokinchan yakisoba

As I am going in the cold winter and wrong period, I will miss some places good for their scenaries/blossom. places that i end up dropping
- mt aso, takachiho gorge, mt tsurumi
- shime mine tower (heard it was fenced up and block people entering due to many suicides)
- miyajidake: probably leave it next time if i ever go right period where light shine into the temple.
- kumamoto castle: leave it to next time if i ever return for kagoshima/sakurajima
- many places at sasebo/nagasaki region and ukiha region no time to go
- not interested in huis ten bosch

 

[rrr2015]

- miyajidake: probably leave it next time if i ever go right period where light shine into the temple.
- kumamoto castle: leave it to next time if i ever return for kagoshima/sakurajima

want more attention just post in EDMW

i think Miyajidake Shrine still can go just that sunset won't align exactly on the path end (something like diamond fuji phenomenal)

kumamoto castle got plenty of gingko trees (when i was there) will be pretty during autumn. if u go during mizuakari festival i think can see light up & gingko. but i think nowadays they use LEDs not candles

 

[zoossh]

want more attention just post in EDMW

?? maybe sharing photos there ok, but itinerary to be here. That’s what the subforum is for.

and I’ve got help and advices from others, so I’m just sharing what I’ve got so far here,whether or not if it is of any use to anyone. It might

i think Miyajidake Shrine still can go just that sunset won't align exactly on the path end (something like diamond fuji phenomenal)

I’ll reconsider. Any point of going in the morning?

kumamoto castle got plenty of gingko trees (when i was there) will be pretty during autumn. if u go during mizuakari festival i think can see light up & gingko. but i think nowadays they use LEDs not candles

Yamaga takes a lot of time to travel so I might leave Kumamoto in future. I heard people spending many hours there

 

[rrr2015]

?? maybe sharing photos there ok, but itinerary to be here. That’s what the subforum is for.

wish there are more folks coming out to share

I’ll reconsider. Any point of going in the morning?

why not? off season means less crowd. Miyajidake Shrine 3 ton straw rope is quite a sight. "path of light" street from high ground looks pretty interesting shot. anyway can browse thru YT to spot photographic opportunity & decide if worth the trip

Yamaga takes a lot of time to travel so I might leave Kumamoto in future. I heard people spending many hours there

the one i refer to is right below kumamoto castle
https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/stor...kumamoto-city-mesmerizing-scenes-waters-edge/

 

[zoossh]

I think I might give miyajidake a miss this time round. It is quite a distance from ainoshima and hakata so the transport time investment needs to pay off by going the right time aka sunset

It is a long walk up, and need to wait for sunset. The park nearby is dry in winter time and the best part which is the rope will be in shadows until the afternoon light.

I saw a couple of videos and realize it was made famous by a JAL cm; which have been nicer if they lift a little shadow details in the video

 

[zoossh]

wish there are more folks coming out to share

That is part of life which I can understand as I’m also not a frequent traveler

the interest is usually only Luke warm when planning. And then some after the trip may share and many dun. So they won’t even linger in the thread unless they are constantly going to the same region

I’m only here because I’ve to accompany family to visit some distant relatives and had months to slowly research on the area

and since winter daytime is short and distances are long, I dun have a luxury of time.

 

[zoossh]

Just returned, many things didn’t turn out as good as I hope due to the weather but overall still a good trip and hopefully next time can go back cover the places I want to go

not an expert but just share some things useful

custom
- fill up visit japan web https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/ in advance
- screen shot the QR code and saved it in print and on phone.

Data sim
- kddi had less well and more inconsistent coverage
- Ubigi account only allow one esim per email addr

Transport
- JR pass
- electronic Suica on iPhone: tap IC reader boarding at mid of bus, alight at front tap again
- coins needed for some small buses

F/B
- many hot fav restaurants req reservations
- makes me wonder if I should pay $70 to get a sim with voice call

accomodation
recommended:
- Premier Hotel Mojiko: nice location, luxurious, cheap
- hotel new nagasaki: nice location, spacious, good for kids

plus minus:
- beppu omoloso hostel: nearest (8mins walk) to yukemuri observatory but ulu, need bring lock, no keys.
- beppu seawave: good location, ok size
- Route Inn Hakata Ekimae: good location but small and rundown, wifi not working well

 

[zoossh]

i posted my chit chat photo thread here.

when free, i may tidy up the changed itinerary.

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Just returned, many things didn’t turn out as good as I hope due to the weather but overall still a good trip and hopefully next time can go back cover the places I want to go

not an expert but just share some things useful

custom
- fill up visit japan web https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/ in advance
- screen shot the QR code and saved it in print and on phone.

Data sim
- kddi had less well and more inconsistent coverage
- Ubigi account only allow one esim per email addr

Transport
- JR pass
- electronic Suica on iPhone: tap IC reader boarding at mid of bus, alight at front tap again
- coins needed for some small buses

F/B
- many hot fav restaurants req reservations
- makes me wonder if I should pay $70 to get a sim with voice call

accomodation
recommended:
- Premier Hotel Mojiko: nice location, luxurious, cheap
- hotel new nagasaki: nice location, spacious, good for kids

plus minus:
- beppu omoloso hostel: nearest (8mins walk) to yukemuri observatory but ulu, need bring lock, no keys.
- beppu seawave: good location, ok size
- Route Inn Hakata Ekimae: good location but small and rundown, wifi not working well

Good report, thanks, I add my couple of comments:

>kddi had less well and more inconsistent coverage
Basically any SIM I've tried is patchy in Kyushu except for big cities - I often can't even get coverage when I try use Google translate in my local supermarket and can't listen music (except downloaded stuff) in my bath at home

>makes me wonder if I should pay $70 to get a sim with voice call
Except for touristy places almost nobody who answers the phone will speak English anyway

>Premier Hotel Mojiko: nice location, luxurious, cheap
I stayed there, agree. Best time Mojiko is Friday-Sunday or public holiday because that's when nearby sushi market is open

 

[rrr2015]

Data sim
- kddi had less well and more inconsistent coverage
- Ubigi account only allow one esim per email addr

bad experience with kddi in kansai, kanto cities as well. there were very few (if any) bands available. i think ubigi uses softbank & DoCoMo that i could see more, at least on my mobile.

i don't know if e-Suica works offline, so i think still better get physical card for backup

 

[zoossh]

eventual itinerary

Day 1:
- tobata/wakamatsu: old buildings/market/sunset by the bridge

Day 2:
- mojiko: karato market, ferry / undersea tunnel
- beppu: yukimuri observatory, hidesan chicken bbq/sashimi

Day 3:
- yufuin: floral village
- beppu: two of the 7 hell onsens, global tower

Day 4:
- fukuoka: daizifu, lalaport shopping/gundam nite view
- meals: shinomaya, kurumatsu katsudon, danbo ramen

Day 5:
- fukuoka: miyajidake, momoshi/sunset
- meals: ikkousha ramen, fujiya

Day 6:
- nagasaki: suwa inari, dejima, glover park, shianbashi
- meals: fujio cafe, izumiya unagi

Day 7:
- nagasaki: port, atomic bomb museum/shiritsu shiroyama primary, inasa yama nightview
- meals: shippoku, youssou chawanmushi

Day 8:
- takeo: library
- fukuoka: ainoshima, kushida shrine at night
- meals: motsunabe at hakata station
- links to read up planning for ainoshima

Day 9:
- yamaga: sakurayu onsen
- Fukuoka: yanagibashi market, kurasukoto, maizuru park sunset
- meals: shirogane sabo

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Nice itinerary.

>takeo: library

For lover of history like me, I'd add 3,000 year old camphor tree in Takeo Shrine and the super-retro Romon onsen area. I blogged about them here

https://www.kyushujourneys.com/around-kyushu/takeo-onsen-and-ureshino/

 

[szeli]

Kyushu is nice. would love to visit again

 

[zoossh]

Kyushu is nice. would love to visit again

I miss several locations so may want to go back again but maybe some years later.

 

[zoossh]

added some links to ainoshima

https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/gpgt-a-trip-to-north-kyushu.6994975/page-6#post-151422659

 

[Cheonga]

Is it better to drive or the public transport is good enough to get around?

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Is it better to drive or the public transport is good enough to get around?

If it's just the main cities, public transport is fine. But the best thing about Kyushu is the countryside and a car works best for this.

 

[szeli]

Is it better to drive or the public transport is good enough to get around?

driving can take you to many places

 

[Witch King]

How easy to drive in Kyushu as compare to Singapore?

 

[KyushuWoozy]

I always advise clients to skip driving within Fukuoka city because that's just like driving in Singapore – lots of traffic, sometimes challenging to find parking, and not really required because the subway system is easy to use.

Outside of the city I rarely see a traffic jam here and the drivers are usually polite and well-behaved. Definitely recommend driving for outside the city area and I guess 80% of our Singapore and Malaysia clients choose this option. And the good thing is we drive on the same side of the road here as you guys