Kirishima/Itinerary advice

Hi, I'm having a couple of weeks in Japan in December this year. My main question is this:

Is it still worth visiting Kirishima, even with the 2km no-go zone around Mount Shinmoedake? If it is, could anyone recommend me a hike, transport and a place to stay? I originally had the idea of staying near Kirishima Jingu, taking the early morning bus to Ebino Kogen then doing the ridge hike back to my hotel. Looks to me like this is not an option now.

Other advice. I've been to Kyoto and Tokyo before and I thought I'd stay in the South of the country this time around. So I've drawn up an itinerary for myself which I'd like some advice on. I admit, it does seem pretty packed. This is my time in Kyushu.

Day 1 Kagoshima
fly into Kagoshima, afternoon and evening there

Day 2 Yakushima (Miyanoura)
first boat out to Yakushima, get a quick hike in.

Day 3 Yakushima (Miyanoura)
do the big 10 hour round trip hike from Arakawa trailhead to Jomunsugi

Day 4 Kirishima
early ferry back, make my way to Kirishima

Day 5 Kirishima
hike

Day 6 Kumamoto
if I have enough time, visit Mt Aso, otherwise do it tomorrow. Maybe could stay nearer Mt. Aso rather than Kumamoto?

Day 7 Nagasaki
Ferry across from Kumamoto

Day 8 Nagasaki

Day 9 Fukouka

Day 10 Hiroshima
and onwards from there to Osaka.

It's a lot of travelling obviously, but I'm trying to do this trip with only a 7 day railcard. I reckon I wouldnt have to use it till I'm doing the Kirishima-Kumamoto day so that gives me 7 days to get from there to Osaka.

I would really appreciate any advice you could give on this plan and where I should go if Kirishima is not worth it at the moment. More time in Kagoshima and Yakushima perhaps?

Thanks!

Is it still worth visiting Kirishima, even with the 2km no-go zone around Mount Shinmoedake?

I personally think that the baths around Kirishima Onsen alone are worth a trip at any time of the year. Furthermore, there are lots of spectacular hiking and walking opportunities, e.g. Takachihonomine, that are worth a trip, however, some of them may not be possible in December due to snow.

If it is, could anyone recommend me a hike, transport and a place to stay?

In my opinion by far the most interesting hike these days is Takachihonomine, but I think that the mountain can be covered in snow in December. You will have to judge the situation. But there are also interesting hiking opportunities around Karakunidake and easier walking trails around Ebino Kogen.

Renting a car makes everything a lot easier around Kirishima. If that is not an option, you will have to rely on that inconvenient Ebino Kogen bus or taxis.

I like to stay at the large hotels around Maruo Onsen because of the hotels' amazing baths, but I understand that many foreign travelers don't like these large concrete hotels too much. Furthermore, they are not convenient for catching the Ebino Kogen bus. For a more intimate accommodation, I would try the Shinmoeso, however, it is impossible to do the Takachihonomine hike from there by public transportation due to the nature of the bus timetable. Hiking in the Karakunidake and Ebino Kogen area would be possible, though.

I am not familiar with accommodation around Kirishima Jingu, but that would obviously be a good place for catching the Ebino Kogen bus.

Your itinerary looks very good to me. I would call it medium paced rather than fast paced. Not too bad. But for slow travelers it would be too fast. For day 6, Kurokawa Onsen near Mount Aso is one of my favorite hot spring towns:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4575.html

Okay, thanks very much for the advice. I am still not sure whether going to Kirishima will be worth it though. I know you will think this is silly but I think I will be too self conscious to go in for the onsen experience. I really just want to walk about and see some cool scenery. :) This is a place I thought I could stay at Kirishima Jingumae. http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostel032150.en.htm?himap=Y#book=&tabs=1 but I guess it would be kindof pointless if everything was snowed off?

Also, pretty important, can anyone help me out with this bit of confusion: according to this website "There are two bus round trips per day between JR Kirishima Jingu Station and Ebino Kogen via Kirishima Shrine and the Takachiho-gawara Visitor Center." but according to Wikitravel "From Kirishima Jingu, there are two buses on Sat/Sun only (and daily in May) to Ebino Kogen"

Which is right? I'm not going to be there on the weekend so if Wikitravel is right I'll have to think of car rental or something else to do I guess.

I can drive but I'm not a great driver, I've never driven outside the UK and I understand Japanese car rental prices are pretty high, as with everything else ;) If anyone knows a good budget rental company I'd appreciate a recommendation on that too. Thanks!

The bus used to run only on weekends (and everyday in May), but since the no-entry zone around Shinmoedake was reduced from 3 to 2 kilometers in July this year, the bus is supposed to be running daily. At least this was the case when I phoned them in July.

The best way to make the most of your time in Kirishima is to have your own transportation. The nearest Tocoo rental agency is at Kagoshima Airport, just south of Kirishima and north of the the city. Most rental places in Japan like the car to be returned to the place of rental (back to the airport), but some will allow a drop-off charge that increases with distance from the original rental place.

If you go to Takachihogawara, you can see the foundations of the original shrine before they rebuilt it at its present location. You can also hike a ways up Takachihono-mine and get good views after just a short distance.

At the other end (west) is Ebino-Kogen, where there are some nice walks around some crater lakes or up Karakuni-dake (which some locals call Kankoku-dake -- same kanji). There are also several shops and restaurants here and one free foot onsen outside. If you park next to or behind the restaurant/shop that has the foot onsen out front, it's free.

The road up on either end is windy and steep in places but no one goes fast so driving shouldn't be too difficult. There also isn't much traffic.

I drove down to the trailhead for Onami this past June and it was all taped off as well as trails closer to but downhill from Shinmoe-dake.

The hostel down in the town below the shrine used to have its own onsen but I haven't stayed there in 20 years. There's also a good yakiniku restaurant on the west side of the street with red square signs above the entrance that has venison and wild boar as well as the regular stuff.

Thanks very much for the advice so far. I am definitely starting off with Kagoshima anda Yakushima trip, but I am still not totally sure on whether to go for the mountains, Kirishima and MT Aso, or whether to try for some towns in the area instead. Any idea of what the weathers looking like now, or for the next week or two? Is it normal to hike mountains in Kyushu in December? I don't want to get there and its all snowed off. Thanks. :)
Jon

Because of unforeseen circumstances I need to go to Fukuoka tomorrow (day 2 of my trip) to pick up a western union. Obviously this messes up my plan. It means I will have my railpass for the next 7 days, then it will expire. I thought maybe what I could do is
Fukuoka 1 night
Hiroshima 2 nights
Then over the next 4 days somehow make my way back to kagoshima, then without my railpass I can go to yakushima, then MT aso and fly to Osaka from kumanoto.
Any ideas on where I should go on those 4 days or even where else in the country I can go for nature and culture in December from where I can get to Osaka and have a week with no train pass. Not Kyoto, Tokyo or nara because I've already been there. Maybe one or two days in Tokyo would be OK if its on the way to somewhere else cool. :) thank you!

I like to stay at the large hotels around Maruo Onsen because of the hotels' amazing baths

Uji san,

May I ask which hotel you were referring to ?

I am visiting Kirishima in Nov, and would like to stay one night in the area.

The Kirishima Hotel and Kirishima Iwasaki Hotel:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4628.html