Kyushu Itinerary March 2022, possible?

Hi all,

Finally convinced my BF to go with me to Japan and I am soo excited to go. Since I wanted to see the Island of Kyushu this time and he will be in Japan for the first time I made a combination trip of the must-see sights when in Japan and Kyushu. However, since this is my first time to Kyushu I was wondering what you guys think about my itinerary and if there is a day in my itinerary which will be impossible to do beforehand. I want to try and plan this trip so I can visit Kyushu do some Hanami somewhere in the Kyoto-Tokyo week.
Please comment on as much as you like :)

Day:
1- Flight - Kagoshima Airport - Visit some Kagoshima like Shiroyama park+lookout and sengen-an garden. Other sights will be a bonus.
2-Yakushima early ferry - Hike the Shiratani Unsui Gorge - Stay at Yakushima
3-Yakushima Jomonsugi Trail (is it really worth it? Read that it is a long walk on rails before seeing the good part, the Jomonsugi. Other suggestions for a day trail?)- Stay at Yakushima
4-Yakushima early ferry to Kagoshima or Ibusuki - Pick up rental car. -Do Sand bath and some exploring peninsula if time in the morning. Head to Sakurajima in the afternoon - Drive and sleep to Kirishima
5-Kirishima Ridge Trail
6-Kirishima Takachiho no mine trail + some sights if time, Ryumon falls, wake shrine, kirishima jingu, maruo falls
7-Nichinan Coastal Drive - From Kirishima via Sekinoofalls - Visit Obi town - Udo Jingu, Sun Messe, Enjoy some beach?, Aoshima Shrine and Devil's Washboard - Sleep at Sukimuland. (Will I have time for Obi? I really want to see Udo Jingu, is there anything which might be worth dropping if time is limited?)
8-Sukimuland explore in the morning - Takachiho (depends on the crowds, to walk the gorge, do the boat rental or the shrines), See Yokagura at Night
9-Rise early and see sunrise at Kunimigaoka Viewing Platform, visit the attractions left at the Gorge or visit Gorogotaki falls (Suspension bridge + Base walk), Go to Aso afterwards and see the Nakadake Crater and hike mount Aso, Nakadake hike (5 hours if open) or Eboshidake and Kishimadake (if Nakadake is closed). Drive to Daikanbo Lookout for a quick view and see Nabegataki Falls near Kurokawa Onsen. Stay at Kurokawa Onsen. (seems like a full day, would if be possible? Any suggestion how to do the day another way?)
10 -Go to the Kuju Mountains, visit Kuju Flower Park (worth it? Nice flowers in March?), Then hike the Makinoto Pass, Nakadake and Kuji Peak (6 hours), Visit the Kokonoe Yume Otsuribashi late afternoon, Travel to Yufuin and stay the night
11-See lake in Yufuin in early morning -go to Beppu, beppu park, hells (only some) and Mount Tsurumi. Hand in rental car. Stay the night at Beppu
12-Activate JR pass - Beppu to Fukuoka by JR, explore Fukuoka and visit Nanzoin temple
13-Fukuoka to Nagasaki via Yutoku Inari Shrine. See southern sights in Nagasaki
14-Nagasaki - Morning Gunkanjima afternoon Nagasaki Peace Park+museum, evening: Mount Inasa
15-Sasebo, Kujukushima Pearl Resort and do a cruise. Take a bus to Tenkaiho lookout and go to Huis ten Bosch in the evening and see the Winter Illuminations. Overnight at the Hen na hotel
16-Huis ten Bosch during daylight, untill we have had enough of it. Go to Takeo and visit Takeo Shrine and Mifuneyama Rakuen Garden (see illuminations, and possible start cherry blossoms), Spend the night in Takeo
17-Takeo-Kumamoto-Kyoto. If we feel like seeing the castle, otherwise skip Kumamoto and go directly to Kyoto by Shinkansen
18-19-Kyoto (hopefully see Cherry Blossoms)
20-22-Tokyo (hopefully see Cherry Blossoms)
23-Return home

Thanks in advance. ^_^

Day 4 13 14 and 16 seem doable but very rushed.

Also you zigzag Kyushu map in the itinerary bwtween Kagoshima and Beppu. Suggest looking at a map and rearranging a few things. Might save a few hours.

Hi!

Since you would need a 2 week pass to cover everything you have in Kyushu and then going from Kyushu to Tokyo, I would price out whether or not it actually makes sense. A lot of your travel in Kyushu involves limited expresses vs. the shinkansen, particularly since going by the Beppu section on this website you can get a one way limited express between Beppu and Fukuoka for 6600 yen for 2 people. It's also possible it makes more sense to fly from Kumamoto Airport to Itami Airport and then go to Kyoto, assuming there are still discounted airline tickets offered to tourists. There are at least 2 nonstops a day and getting from Itami to Kyoto is pretty easy. I went by airport bus and it was quite pleasant.

Just to note, Kyoto tends to get sakura later than Tokyo.

Good luck!

Hi H and Rkold,
Thanks for answering so quickly

@H
Can you elaborate on your answers? I guess I can see day 4 being sorta rushed, but day 13,14 and 16 were not on my list of possible rushed days. Can you please tell me why you think those days will be rushed?

@Rkold
I will look into what you said about the JR pass. I guess the JR Pass is just a very convenient way to easy travel, but if you suggest it might be a lot cheaper to buy separate tickets the first week, I will investigate that! Thanks for thinking along with me!

Wanted to keep you guys updated on the new changes:

Day 1: Fly to Kagoshima - Travel to Ibusuki by Train (Ibusuki No Tamatebako or regular train) - Saraku Sand Bath Hall - Sleep at Ibusuki.
Day 2: Take the Ferry from Ibusuki port to Yakushima.
-
Day 4:Take the early Ferry to Kagoshima - Explore Shiroyama Lookout + Lunch + Sengen-en garden - Sakurajima - Sleep in Kirishima

Hi!

I think the issue is what is most important to you: ease of use/convenience, cost, or your time spent in transport. How you rate those 3 is what makes the most sense for transport. A JR nationwide pass can be awesome, but if the first week of a 2 week pass is just being spent in Kyushu mostly taking limited expresses it seems like an odd choice to make unless you want the option to completely change your plans and take the shinkansen to say Hiroshima or Okayama as a day trip

If you really want to use rail passes to leave things open you are better off buying a 5 day Northern Kyushu Pass and a 1 week JR Pass. https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/railpass/railpass.html (in regards to the northern Kyushu pass) which would total 11,000+29650 or 40650 vs. the 47250 yen for the nationwide pass for 2 weeks. You would use the 5 day pass for days 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and then on the 17th day switch to nationwide since it would cover the shinkansen from Hakata to Kyoto.

Good luck!

Hi Rkold,

You are totally right! I love the convenience of a Rail Pass vs having to buy tickets every single time, especially if it only costs me a little bit more. However, the JR Kyushu Pass fits exactly into my intinerary without compensating on convience. I will buy the JR Northern Kyushu pass for 5 days and then transfer to the JR 1 week pass. Saves me another 6600 yen ^_^ Thanks for the suggestion