Itinerary suggestions for Sept travel

Hi Everyone,

I have booked my Sept trip to Japan with following dates and places locked in.

My itinerary is - Osaka 5th to 8th of September, Kobe 8th to 10th of Sept followed by Kyoto 10th to 15th of Sept.

What local attractions does anyone recommend that are not so touristy?


I then plan to catch a train to Fukuoka where I have booked to be located and want to explore Kyushu area from 15th to 22nd of September. I have bought rail pass for a week here and would appreciate suggestions where to go and explore.

As I am relying on public transport only trains buses etc would like to know what places and activities does anyone recommend.

I have been suggested to visit Nagasaki and Beppu and should these be day tours or stay overnight kinda places.

Will cross into South Korea and spend 5 days in Busan before I fly back to Osaka for one night prior to my departure back home.

Fukuoka Trip:
You can buy JR Fukuoka wide pass 2 Day= 3060 yen,cover Fukuoka,kokura city etc

Thanks, I am planning to use and activate my rail pass during my Fukouka 7 days.

Osaka 5th to 8th of September, Kobe 8th to 10th of Sept followed by Kyoto 10th to 15th of Sept.

What local attractions does anyone recommend that are not so touristy?

Early/mid September is still hot in these areas (and in most of Japan). So you may better consider mountain area.

Osaka: Koyasan. From Namba it will take about 2 hours by train/cable car.

Kyoto: Mt. Hiei, Kurama and Kifune, the Biwako terrace.

Kobe: Rokkosan, Mayasan and Nunobiki herb garden.


I then plan to catch a train to Fukuoka where I have booked to be located and want to explore Kyushu area from 15th to 22nd of September. I have bought rail pass for a week here and would appreciate suggestions where to go and explore.

I guess you bought the Japan Rail Pass 7 days (nation wide). My suggestion is as follows.

Day 1 Kyoto to Himeji by Hikari Shinkansen in the morning. See Himeji castle. Take afternoon Sakura Shinkansen to Hiroshima and stay there. Peace park.

Day 2 Take JR train and ferry to Miyajima. Back to Hiroshima and take Sakura to Kagoshima-Chuo. Stay in Kagoshima.

Day 3. Explore Kagoshima (take sight-seeing bus or loop bus). Take afternoon Shinkansen to Nagasaki.

Day 4. Explore Nagasaki and then take train to Yufuin which is close to Beppu and somewhat cooler.

Day 5. Yufuin. You can do a day trip to Beppu.

Day 6. Take bus to Aso and then Kumamoto.

Day 7. Move to Fukuoka (Hakata) by Shinkansen.

Thank you very much, I should have mentioned that I have been to Hiroshima and Miyajima in my last trip to Japan.

My initial plan was to get to Fukuoka from Kyoto and spend couple of initial days exploring Fukuoka say 15th, 16th and 17th and then explore other areas till 22nd of Sept. Do you think itfs ok or is it better to follow your recommendations?

If I drop Hiroshima and Miyajima do you recommend I add a day to other places you have recommended?

My initial plan was to get to Fukuoka from Kyoto and spend couple of initial days exploring Fukuoka say 15th, 16th and 17th and then explore other areas till 22nd of Sept. Do you think itfs ok or is it better to follow your recommendations?

Of course it itfs me I would do as I suggested, but it depends on the person :). Fukuoka is the largest city west of Kobe so there seems to be many night spots. Personally I am not a night life person, prefer nature scenery so I suggested the above mentioned itinerary. If you like onsen, basically no onsen in Fukuoka. Kagoshima, Yufuin, Beppu and Kumamoto have nice onsen places.

One more thing is it may be very hot. When you travel by JR trains, especially by Shinkansen, you can avoid heat and enjoy the scenery. So I recommend the itinerary though it may seem to have too much train rides.

If I drop Hiroshima and Miyajima do you recommend I add a day to other places you have recommended?

No. You may add 1 night for Fukuoka or Yufuin.

Have a nice trip!

Thank you I appreciate your help and suggestions will work on my itinerary.

Dragan

@frog1954 thanks again for your recommendations.

I have added Koyasan to my itinerary one night stay. I am looking at Beppu and Yufuin and they both appeal to me and l leaning towards spending a night at each instead of doing a day trip.

Any recommendations for where to stay and or most try or visit places in both towns? Thanks again

My itinerary so far with changes made:

Osaka 3N - Koyasan 1N - Kobe 2N - Kyoto 4N

Fukuoka 3N- Beppu 1N - Yufuin 2N - Kagoshima 2N.

I come back to Fukuoka for one night and move to Busan for 4 nights.

@frog1954 thank you for your recommendations so have mixed my itinerary with city life and slow down pace and taking time to enjoy nature and scenery too.

Fukuoka 3N- Beppu 1N - Yufuin 2N - Kagoshima 2N.

With this itinerary, I am afraid your Japan Rail Pass will be invalid in Kagoshima. You may better put your Fukuoka days at the end.

Yes I did notice I added 8 days to my Kyushu itinerary:). Is it possible to just use it for 7 days based on my current itinerary and for my remaining day in Kagoshima go without it and buy whatever train ticket i may need.

I donft mind paying for one way rail ticket from Kagoshima to Fukuoka.

By Shinkansen, 10440 yen (base fare plus reserved seat for Shinkansen), 86 min.

https://train.yoyaku.jrkyushu.co.jp/jr/pc/inbound/route/TopAction/redi...

By bus, 4000-6000 yen, 253 min.

Note that Kagoshima to Hakata is about 300 km.

Do you have specific reason to visit Fukuoka early? If so you might consider going to Kagoshima after Fukuoka, and finally to Beppu or Yufuin.

From Beppu there are 8 buses/day running to Hakata. 3250 yen, 140 min.

If you take JR Limited Express from Yufuin to Hakata, it will take 138 min, 7170 yen.

Thanks @frog1954 for your info appreciate cost insight for train, bus and approx times.

Fukuoka three days is for me to enjoy the buzz and feel energy of the city as I do enjoy nights out in general. Similar why I chose Osaka as my starting point. Looking for bit of both in this trip.

I do love taking in nature and scenery and have now added one more night for Koyasan 2N, so along with my trips Beppu 1N and Yufuin 2N and Kagoshima this is where I am looking to walk around and hike and simply enjoy my surroundings more.

I like the train option you shared by Shinkansen that takes 86 min - perfect for me as I will be looking to catch a ferry to Busan on 23rd of Sept.


Thanks again

@frog1954 more I look at Kagoshima the more I want spend more than just 2 days. Looks so beautiful please convince me that 2 days is plenty 😁. Now I feel like maybe leaving Busan for another trip, which would be a shame as it looks amazing too.

I may need to amend my return flights:).

I would love to hike around Kagoshima so that is why I want extra day or 2 and not rush the experience.

Have you ever been to Busan by any chance as I do have it currently booked for 4 nights.

Would be good to know your thoughts on it.

Thanks

We had a terrific couple of days in Kagoshima several years ago. Visited and had a tour of the fish market, and delicious breakfast at one of the sushi places there; Shiroyama Park, Sanganen Garden and the Reimeikan museum; the aquarium was good too.

Lots of history about the Satsuma Rebellion and the Meiji Restoration if history is your thing.

It's quite a sub-tropical city, very walkable. We didn't get over to Sakurajima-I like plenty of space between me and active volcanoes-but it is a big feature of the town. We didn't get to take any side trips but I'd happily go back and do those.

Whatever you choose, have a wonderful time in Japan!

Thank you yes Kagoshima does look amazing and it feels to me it deserves more than 2 days. Thank you for your suggestions too appreciate them.

I am sorry for replying late. I am a resident of Kagoshima for more than 40 years so I think I know about Kagoshima more than most of persons here. But this does not make me the best guide for Kagoshima. Maybe I am too used to the typical sightseeing spots. It's like I don't prefer Tokyo since I have been too many times in Tokyo. But I will try.

Sakurajima is definitely the most important spots in Kagoshima. The mountain by itself is not so spectacular, but itf active volcano and is very close to the relatively big city, and further you can see it beyond the city and strait. This is quite unique view. As Who? wrote, Shiroyama park is the best spot for seeing Sakurajima.

Other than that Kagoshima city by itself has not so many things to see. Itfs because of the WWII.

You can visit the mountain. Yunohira observatory which is 8 km from Sakurajima port, 373 m high. You canft see the crater, but can see the huge body of the mountain.

Other than that Kagoshima city by it self has not so many things to see. Itfs because of the WWII. By the way do you know about 200 years ago, Japan is not a single country but an alliance of small countries? Kagoshima is one of them and in 1863 it fought against the Great Britain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment_of_Kagoshima

Apart from Sakurajima, there are so many volcanoes in Kagoshima. Take a look at Google map and you will find many circular lakes/ponds. Many of them are crater lake.

https://www.google.com/maps/@31.9191993,130.8574763,11187m/data=!3m1!1...

Well two days enough? I donft know. But I can arrange 2 day tour including Sakurajima, Kagoshima city and some side trips to somewhere depending on your interest.

After I joined the Japanguide, I had honor to drive 4 foreign guests around Kagoshima. Of course I drove my Japanese friends several times.

Below are the places I took them. Of course they are my favorite places in Kagoshima.

Shiroyama park.
Ferry to Sakurajima and Yunohira observatory.
Ibusuki gskylineh driveway and Chiran samurai village.
Kasasa fishery village/port.
Sengan-en garden.
Ebino plateau and the volcanoes around. Actually Ebino Plateau is in Miyazaki prefecture though.

In the past Japanguide allowed us to communicate personally, but it seems to be no means on the Japanguide. I think showing my e-mail address is prohibited. If you would like to communicate with me personally there may be some methods.

Enjoy your planning and trip in Japan (especially Kagoshima)!