Itinerary for Kyushu in September

Hi There,

My wife and I are planning to visit Kyushu this coming September for 5 days 4 nights. We will be flying into Fukuoka and local travel will be via trains, buses etc.

Please provide sugguestion where we should visit and "must do". Onsen is definitely a must for us. :)

Thank you in advance.

Regards,
George

First, start here: http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1108.html

Kyushu has a lot of choices for onsen. It is a matter of which ones you want to see versus the time you have. I would read through those pages and make a list of what sounds the most appealing to you, then think of a good route to hit everything. Once you've got a general itinerary, post again and people will help you finalize the smaller details.

Have fun!

What to see depends a lot on your interests of course, but Kyushu has something for nearly any traveler. There are a lot of places of course - but unless you are sure you will not be back in Kyushu for a very, very long time, if ever, it would probably be better to concentrate on the northern half of the island and use a 5 day JR Northern Kyushu Rail Pass.

Regarding onsen, I think most people would agree that Kurokawa is the best on the island. Unfortunately it is isolated and you can't get there by train. But the outdoor baths in the serene forested atmosphere is really special. Some other possibilities are Beppu, Yufuin, and Unzen.
For Fukuoka, there are many open parks, shopping, seaside historical areas, and urban neon. See this site as a good guide:
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html
Don't miss the Nanzoin Temple which is one of Japan's finest yet almost totally unknown to the outside world and completely free!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT4VQFmHFyM
There are also many useful videos to give you a preview:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-j4RLa6iC7ayvBAbOn8-0...
Look into a Fukuoka Tourist City Pass also:
http://yokanavi.com/access_tourist_eg
The Rakusuien and Yusentei Gardens are also very beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLUJeYi57ks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbsU4N99Qu4
Nagasaki is really the most interesting city on the island. It is worth a couple days to see the city, and another day to see areas nearby like Shimabara/Unzen or whatever interests you. Gunkanjima, while it takes 3 hours, will blow your mind. Be sure to see Mt. Inasa at night if the weather is clear, and try the Nagasaki chanpon and saraudon! Also the Koshibyo temple is an often overlooked shrine that is quite unique in Japan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu_JnkVInTU
Kumamoto is famous for its castle, Suizenji Garden (a must-see), Mt. Aso (crater area currently closed).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9xyXmU8U1g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyh_nKrv5tY
Oita has some nice sites too. Beppu is famous for its hot springs, Hells Tour, plus monkey park & aquarium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2NNi8MLcXM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zepPfkuqhok

For comprehensive info on Kyushu, see:
http://www.visitkyushu.org