Places of interest between Fukuoka and Aso

Hi, we will be going to Japan in mid-feb and are looking for recommendation for places of interest to visit and ryokan with onsen to stay between Fukuoka and Aso.

Was thinking of Tadewara Wetlands / Kokonoe Yume Otsuribashi but would not like to go there if the drive is steep and windy.

Will Mamedamachi in Hita city be a good place to visit?

Current plan as follows:
Day 1-2 - Fukuoka
Day 3 - ?
Day 4 - Mt Aso
Day 5 - Kumamoto
Day 6 - Yanagawa / Kurume
Day 7 - back to Fukuoka

Thank you!

Kurokawa onsen would be my choice without hesitation. Assuming you have a car.

Other interesting place is Dazaifu. But that�fs really close to Fukuoka and easily doable as a day trip.

As an idea you may be able to fit in Beppu or Yufuin. Beppu or Oita are especially interesting as Onsen towns, I enjoy it every time we go there. Not so sure how well it fits as it takes a while (I believe somewehere around 2h from Fukuoka by Train) to get there. But you would be on the other side of Mt. Aso and have a JR line to Aso as well as seeing another side of Kyushu. If you're traveling by car it shouldn't be an issue anyway :-)

Hita
Amagase Onsen

Thanks all for the suggestions! We will be driving and would like to avoid steep and windy roads as its winter.

I love Kurokawa too but their ryokans are hard to book and I feel that they (or Japan hotels in general) are getting more and more expensive. I would like to keep to 18,000 yen and below per person for half board.

I have been to Beppu and Yufuin so not that keen to go there again.

Hita and Amagase onsen sounds like a great alternative :)

Hita has a nickname: little Kyoto. You probably won't see other foreign tourists there.
Your budget will make it challenging to find good ryokans. Inflation worldwide has caused prices everywhere to shoot up.

I recommend you to check Sujiyu Onsen. There are several 4.5+ (on Google map) small inns within your budget. You may need to prepare for the snow though.

If driving, then you have a lot more options. But the Tadewara Wetlands is not that interesting during the cold winter months. Much better from late spring through autumn.
There are some good possibilities though in the Aso area - Nabagataki Falls is an excellent sight as well as the Daikanbo Lookout, and winter time has some clear skies compared to spring and summer. Yabakei is another possibility - it is very popular in autumn, but any season is not bad. There is also the Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine SE of Aso.
If you haven't been there yet and you are driving, you could possibly go see Takachiho. It's one of the most beautiful sights on the island.
https://goo.gl/Q843Bg

Thanks all for the recommendation! Will do more research for them and we intend to visit Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine too.

@H i am just wondering: What is there to see in Hita? - Maybe we are not talking about the same Hita? I mean the one next to Amagase (where there are very nice Onsen at least) but what is there to see in Hita?

and regarding the question:
if you want to keep your route in the north a little you could make:

In case you are into pottery:
Onta Pottery Village
https://goo.gl/maps/8bpNGzYw2qEFU6iZA

Rakanji
https://goo.gl/maps/FNnx7x6iyzs3EaK57

Usa Jingu
https://goo.gl/maps/J5Y1g3j7sdiwHqVH9

Hitome Hakkei Observation Deck
https://goo.gl/maps/LdYYY6GhvSUfgmbQ7

Higashi Shiiya Falls
https://goo.gl/maps/ut1n8FRCbx2Y36e4A

maybe with the stop then in Beppu for the night