Kyushu region question

Hello,

I'm traveling through the Kyushu region for three days at the end of a month long trip and I have a couple of questions about it.

Does it make sense to take a train from Hagi to Beppu and then rent a car from there to go from Beppu-Asosan-Kagoshima-Chiran ? Is this a good order to travel through these places? Can I do this in three days?

What are some "must-see" areas in Kyushu?

A car isn't a bad decision when it comes to Kyushu, but having only 3 days (2 from Beppu?) wouldn't give you much time except to drive if going all the way to Chiran.

The 4-lanes would have to be picked up either in Kumamoto City or in Miyazaki City to save time. In between Beppu and these 4-lanes, you'd be driving 2-lane roads with lots of stops and towns, cutting into your time.

You would also have to drive the car back to Beppu to drop it off unless you can find a company that allows a one-way, which would add an extra rental fee.

That said, a drive along the Yamanami Highway from Beppu to Aso is an exception in Japan in that it's scenic and doesn't have a lot of stopping unless you want. Once in the Aso caldera, having your own car is nice to get up to the volcano, stopping again when you want which you can't do on a bus. To get to Kagoshima from Aso, you have to drive to Kumamoto City or to Miyazaki City, both routes taking a lot of time.

In 3 days, you could take the train from Hakata to Kagoshima (Relay Tsubame to Shin-Yatsushiro and then the Tsubame Shinkansen to Kagoshima), rent a car in Kagoshima to check out the hot springs in Ibusuki, driving over to Chiran for a side trip, and then back to Kagoshima to drop off the car and take the trains back to Hakata. You could take the ferry over to Sakurajima for half a day also which would give you a volcano, a hot spring, and the historic Chiran. You just wouldn't get the Aso volcano or the Beppu hot springs.

Alternatively, you could drop Kagoshima and use a car from Beppu to see Aso, and head east on Route 57 into Oita-ken to stop in Taketa City to see the old town and the ruins of Oka Castle.

I wouldn't try 3 days for Beppu and Chiran, even using the toll roads.

Hagi to Beppu takes 4-5 hours. That leaves you with the rest of the day to enjoy Beppu. That is not much time, but can be enough for those who like a fast travel pace.

On day 2, you could be driving from Beppu to Kumamoto via Aso. This can be comfortably done in one day if you like a relatively fast pace of travel.

Day 3 would involve a lot of driving, but if you do not mind that you could cover Chiran and be back in Kagoshima in the evening.

Many many hours of driving, but possible, if you do not mind that.

Thanks to both of you for responding.

What if I dropped Beppu from the itinerary. Where would I go from Hagi on a train in the area? Kumamoto?

I want to see Asosan, Kagoshima and Chiran in three days if possible. Do I need a car for Kumamoto and Asosan? Or could I experience it there and then take a train to Kagoshima and rent a car?

It seems complicated to create an itinerary for Kyushu compared to the rest of Japan for some reason!

Not knowing where you are going after Kyushu, I would go straight to Kagoshima via Hakata and stay a night, go to Chiran, then to Kumamoto, Aso, then by bus to Yufuin/Beppu via Kurokawa or JR train to Oita/Beppu, then to Kokura to catch shinkansen to where ever.
If you had a chance, visit Yasukumi Jinjya in Tokyo. They have movies re:the WWII & Zero & other war plane/machine/submarine displays.

My apologies, I should make it clear that this is the end of a month long trip in Japan, so I'm flying back to Narita from Kagoshima or another airport in the Kyushu region after I finish there.

What if I dropped Beppu from the itinerary. Where would I go from Hagi on a train in the area?

It does not drastically change the situation, as the round trip from Kumamoto to Aso and back does not dramatically differ in length from a one way trip from Beppu to Kumamoto.

Do I need a car for Kumamoto and Asosan?

No, but a car will be faster and more comfortable. If you are short of time, I recommend to rent a car.

Thanks again for answering.

What about just simply taking the train to Kagoshima and then visiting Sakurajima instead of Asosan (since this is also an active volcano) and visiting Chiran and Ibusuki around that area with a rental car. Does this make sense? Is Sakurajima just as impressive as the Asosan volcano?

I'm not sure it's feasible to rent a car in Beppu area because I'm flying out of Kagoshima back to Narita.

Thanks.

Is Sakurajima just as impressive as the Asosan volcano?

From afar Sakurajima can be more impressive, because it is an island and it is often visibly smoking. I don't think that Asosan is usually smoking a lot. But at Asosan it is possible to get to the summit and look into the volcano's crater (unless there is too much poisonous gas around), which is very impressive. Such a thing is not possible at Sakurajima.