Recommended transport method and route

Hi, I will be making a trip to Kyushu in March 2010. I am planning to see the Usuki Sekibutsu, Nioza Historical Street and the Udo Jingu Shrine within 1 day. Is this possible by bus or would driving be recommended?

If driving is recommended, then:
1. How should I travel (route to take)?
2. How long is the journey in terms of time taken and distance to travel?
3. Do I have to pay toll on the recommended route?
4. What is the road condition (paved road or gravel mountain road)?
5. The approximate charge for renting a car in Oita and returning the car in Miyazaki?
6. Is parking readily available at the sites that I intend to visit?
7. Any other point that I should look out for?

On a separate note, I am keen to see the ''Kokonoe Yume Otsuribashi''. Besides the bus tour, is there any other bus service which goes to this site from Yufuin? If so, how long would it take and how much does the bus fare cost? Alternatively, do you recommend renting a car in Yufuin to visit this site and if there are other sites in the vicinity of Yufuin that should be visiting?

Thank you for your attention and thank you in advance for your assistance.

I think it is too much driving. Driving times in eastern Kyushu are very long because of the absence of expressways. Usuki to Udo Shrine alone is an estimated 5-6 hours. And that does not include driving time from your starting point to Usuki and from Udo Shrine to the final destination of the day.

With public transportation it does not look any better.

1. How should I travel (route to take)?

National Route 10.

How long is the journey in terms of time taken and distance to travel?

About 210 kilometers from Usuki to Udo Shrine. That probably translates into about 5-6 hours.

Do I have to pay toll on the recommended route?

No. That's the main problem. There are no expressways along the route.

What is the road condition (paved road or gravel mountain road)?

It is all gravel mountain road. The Japanese have yet to invent road pavement.

The approximate charge for renting a car in Oita and returning the car in Miyazaki?

It depends on the time period and car type. For a small car, I estimate 10,000 yen for a 24-hour period, including the drop-off charge.

Is parking readily available at the sites that I intend to visit?

There is a large parking lot at Udo Shrine, but I have never been in Usuki.