Onsen from Okayama - 2 days to spare

Hi there,

I am visiting Japan next month and have about two days to spare that I'd like to use to visit an onsen town. I will be coming from Okayama (staying overnight after a visit to Naoshima and Teshima islands) and leaving in the morning. I'll be staying at Yumato Cyoza earlier in the trip for a night so I don't need the whole fancy ryokan bells and whistles thing. I have been considering Kinosaki though everything is on the expensive side (even without meals).

I am kicking around the idea of going to Kyushu because I really want to experience Kurokawa Onsen (hear it is more tranquil and less touristy than Beppu and Yufuin) and Takachiho, but I will not have a car and I think this might be more travel than it's worth for two days.

Can you advise whether this would be a totally crazy itinerary:
Day 1: AM train Okayama to Fukuoka, bus to Kurokawa Onsen. Stay at ryokan
Day 2: Onsen day, Takachiho gorge (if it's possible to access), back to Fukuoka. Stay in Fukuoka
Day 3: AM train Fukuoka to Tokyo

Otherwise, would there be another onsen town between Okayama and Tokyo that you would recommend?

I would recommend:

Yubara Onsen in Okayama
http://okayama-japan.jp/en/onsen/onsen-mimasaka/yubara.html

Tamatsukuri Onsen in Shimane
http://www.kankou-shimane.com/eng/spot/detail/28

Your timing is rather tight for Kurokawa.

Kurokawa is wonderful, but, as said, your itinerary is tight. You *could* do it, but would be rushed. However, if you want to experience great onsen, you might want to do it and accept that you'll be travelling a fair bit.

You'll have a wonderful time at Yumoto Cyouza. The hospitality is fantastic. The food is wonderful. And the bathing is great, especially the three private baths with small rotemburo. BUT, you don't get the experience of bathing in nature that you can get in Kurokawa (where, at some onsen, you're almost in the river).

If it were me, I'd go to Kurokawa, but I guess it depends on your priorities. If you're going to Naoshima (and especially if you're staying at Benesse), and also to Yumuto Cyouza, you're already experiencing some things that I think will stay in your memory forever. For me, Kurokawa is another place that's of a similar standard, and I'd travel to go there rather than *just* stay in an ordinary ryokan in an ordinary onsen town, but we're all different....

Definitely go to Yubara Onsen. It's one of the top onsen in West Japan.

There are buses from Chugoku-Katsuyama Station.

In addition, Katsuyama Town around the station is nice. Here is some information about the town/area:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/a40e1/22ab76/

Thanks so much for all of your advice. I have rearranged my trip a bit and am now planning to spend a night in Fukuoka, leave for Kurokawa Onsen the next morning, spend that day/night and the following day in the area, then return to Fukuoka. I think it will be a little more reasonable than making the trip from Okayama. I think Kurokawa Onsen will be worth the trip and the long journey!

One question: I really want to go to Takachiho Gorge from Kurokawa Onsen. Is this unreasonable without a car? If not, should I buy a Sun Q bus pass? I am thinking I would go before heading back to Fukuoka.