This is the full Kyushu loop, from the ramen stalls of Fukuoka all the way down to the subtropical south, and back. It starts and ends in Fukuoka, so you can fly in and out of the same airport, and it runs entirely on trains, buses and one fast boat.
The first week follows the classics: Yufuin, Beppu, Kumamoto. Then the Shinkansen takes you south to Kagoshima, a city that lives with an active volcano across the bay. From there a jetfoil crosses to Yakushima, a round mountain island of thousand-year-old cedars, moss and waterfalls (and a lot of rain). On the way back come the hot-sand baths of Ibusuki and two nights in Nagasaki before the last ramen in Fukuoka.
*Accommodation (sharing a room) and transport, middle version. International flights not included.
The route at a glance
Tap or click the map to open it at full size.
Prices are per room for two per night. Ryokan prices include dinner and breakfast. ⭐ = famous / worth it · ⭐⭐ = splurge.
Stop by stop
Fukuoka 福岡
Nights 1–3 · Ramen capital & yatai food stalls
Plan
- Arrival: Fukuoka Airport is only two subway stops from Hakata Station. Check in, then tonkotsu ramen
- Canal City, Ohori Park, Fukuoka Tower above the bay, teamLab Forest
- Half-day trip to Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine, or the giant reclining Buddha of Nanzoin
- Evenings: the yatai stalls along the river in Nakasu
Where to stay
- Hotel Il Palazzo design hotel by Aldo Rossi, walk to the Nakasu yatai¥18–30k
- Nishitetsu Hotel Croom Hakata big public bath, 5 min from Hakata Station¥15–25k
- ⭐⭐ The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka high above Tenjin, views over the city¥80k+
Also worth seeing
Where I eat
- Nagahama Yatai Dogenyayatai street stall
- Hakata Issoutonkotsu ramen
- Hakata Ramen ShinShintonkotsu ramen
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- Maedaya Motsunabemotsunabe hot pot
- 博多もつ鍋菊武motsunabe hot pot
- Hakataro Nishinakasumizutaki & motsunabe
- Yoshizuka Unagigrilled eel
- Daichi no UdonHakata udon
- Hakata Yakiniku Hachi Hachiyakiniku
- Hakata Sushi Momonoki (博多鮨桃の木)sushi
- A Happy Pancake Tenjinsoufflé pancakes
- Rec Coffee · Stereo Coffee · Blue Bottlecoffee
Yufuin 由布院
Night 4 · A ryokan night under Mount Yufu
Plan
- Day 4: the Yufuin no Mori limited express from Hakata (~2 h 15, reserve seats) or the highway bus (~2 h)
- Lake Kinrin, the shops and cafés of Yunotsubo street, the Comico Art Museum
- Kaiseki dinner and a long soak; Lake Kinrin again early next morning when the mist rises
Where to stay
- ⭐ Yufuin Gettouan every room is a cottage with its own outdoor bath¥60–90k
- ⭐⭐ Yufuin Tamanoyu secluded garden ryokan, kaiseki dinner¥90k+
- Smaller ryokans along the river simpler inns, many with private baths¥35–55k
Also worth seeing
Beppu 別府
Nights 5–6 · The hells & a hot spring on every corner
Plan
- Day 5: local bus from Yufuin (~1 h)
- The Hells of Beppu (jigoku) in Kannawa: boiling blue, red and mud ponds you look at, not bathe in
- Lunch steamed in onsen steam (jigoku-mushi), a sand bath at Takegawara, the ropeway up Mount Tsurumi
- Optional half day: the samurai slopes of Kitsuki
Where to stay
- ⭐⭐ ANA InterContinental Beppu hilltop resort with an infinity onsen over the bay¥70k+
- ⭐ Suginoi Hotel huge onsen hotel with the terraced Tanayu baths¥25–45k
- Small Kannawa ryokans family inns in the steaming old onsen quarter¥20–35k
Kumamoto 熊本
Nights 7–8 · Mount Aso on the way, then castle & Kumamon
Plan
- Day 7: the Kyushu Odan bus from Beppu crosses the Aso caldera. Break the journey at Aso: Kusasenri meadow and the Nakadake crater, then the JR Hohi line down to Kumamoto
- Day 8: Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji garden, Kumamon Square, horse sashimi or Kumamoto ramen with fried garlic
- Optional: a day tour to Takachiho Gorge or Kurokawa Onsen instead
Where to stay
- ⭐ Kumamoto Hotel Castle rooms facing the castle¥20–30k
- Mitsui Garden Hotel Kumamoto modern, near the tram and Shimotori arcade¥15–25k
Kagoshima 鹿児島
Nights 9–10 · A city facing a live volcano
Plan
- Day 9: Kyushu Shinkansen Kumamoto → Kagoshima-Chuo (~45 min). Sengan-en, the Shimadzu clan garden with Sakurajima as its backdrop, then sunset from the Shiroyama lookout
- Day 10: the 15-minute ferry to Sakurajima (it runs around the clock): the Yunohira viewpoint, a walk on the Nagisa lava trail and the long free footbath by the water
- Evening in Tenmonkan: kurobuta black-pork shabu-shabu or tonkatsu, imo shochu, and shirokuma shaved ice for dessert
- Optional half day: Chiran (~1 h 15 by bus), a street of samurai gardens and the moving Chiran Peace Museum
Where to stay
- ⭐ Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima on the hill, open-air onsen facing Sakurajima¥30–50k
- Remm Kagoshima smart city hotel in Tenmonkan¥15–25k
- JR Kyushu Hotel Kagoshima next to Kagoshima-Chuo Station¥14–22k
Yakushima 屋久島
Nights 11–13 · Ancient cedars, moss forests & waterfalls
Plan
- Day 11: jetfoil from Kagoshima's high-speed ferry terminal to Miyanoura (~2 h direct). Afternoon: Shiratani Unsuikyo, the moss forest that inspired Princess Mononoke, 2–4 h on marked trails
- Day 12, the big one: the Jomon Sugi hike, ~22 km and about 10 hours return to a cedar thought to be several thousand years old. Start before dawn by mountain bus; a local guide makes it easier
- Day 13, slower: Yakusugi Land's forest walks, the 88-m Oko Falls, the coast road past Nagata beach (sea turtles nest here in early summer) and Hirauchi's sea-rock onsen, only usable around low tide
Where to stay
- ⭐⭐ Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima villa resort high above the sea¥150k+
- ⭐ JR Hotel Yakushima onsen with a view over the ocean, in the south¥40–60k
- Guesthouses in Miyanoura & Anbo small family stays, often with dinner¥12–20k
Ibusuki 指宿
Night 14 · Buried in hot sand at the southern tip
Plan
- Day 14: jetfoil back to Kagoshima, then the Ibusuki no Tamatebako limited express (~50 min), a train that hisses steam when the doors open
- The sunamushi sand bath: staff bury you to the neck in naturally heated beach sand, ten minutes is plenty
- If time allows: the local train to Nishi-Oyama under the perfect cone of Kaimondake, and Lake Ikeda, Kyushu's largest crater lake
Where to stay
- ⭐ Ibusuki Hakusuikan seaside ryokan with a huge Edo-style bathhouse and its own sand bath¥40–60k
- ⭐⭐ Ibusuki Syusuien small ryokan known for its food¥70–100k
Nagasaki 長崎
Nights 15–16 · Harbour, history & a famous night view
Plan
- Day 15: back to Kagoshima-Chuo, Kyushu Shinkansen north, and the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen from Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki (~3 h 30 in total)
- Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum, Glover Garden above the harbour, Meganebashi and Chinatown
- Mount Inasa at night, then champon noodles
- Optional: the boat tour to Gunkanjima, the abandoned Battleship Island
Where to stay
- ⭐ Garden Terrace Nagasaki on the hillside, every room looks over the harbour¥50–80k
- Hilton Nagasaki right at Nagasaki Station¥30–50k
- Hotel Monterey Nagasaki near the Dutch Slope and Glover Garden¥16–26k
Also worth seeing
Fukuoka 福岡
Night 17 · One last bowl of ramen
Plan
- Day 17: Nagasaki → Hakata (~1 h 30 via Takeo-Onsen), last shopping in Tenjin, a final yatai night
- Day 18: fly out from Fukuoka Airport, 10 minutes from Hakata by subway
Where to stay
- Hotel Il Palazzo design hotel by Aldo Rossi, walk to the Nakasu yatai¥18–30k
- Nishitetsu Hotel Croom Hakata big public bath, 5 min from Hakata Station¥15–25k
Budget
Estimates for October at ¥150 ≈ US$1 · ¥165 ≈ €1. Ranges, not promises.
| Version | Accommodation (2 people) | + Transport (per person) | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value: business hotels and guesthouses, one simple ryokan | ≈ ¥300k | ≈ ¥80k | ≈ ¥230k |
| Middle: ryokans in Yufuin and Ibusuki, onsen hotels elsewhere | ≈ ¥400k | ≈ ¥80k | ≈ ¥280k |
| + Splurge: Gettouan in Yufuin or a night at Sankara | + ¥60–150k | + ¥30–75k |
My recommendation
Take the middle version, about ¥280k per person. If you splurge once, do it in Yufuin: the private-bath ryokans are what Kyushu does best.
🚗 Transport includes Shinkansen and limited express trains, the Kyushu Odan bus, and the Kagoshima ⇄ Yakushima jetfoil (roughly ¥20k return).
Not included
- International flights
- Food outside the ryokan dinners
- Car or tours on Yakushima: about ¥8–12k per day for a small car
- Ropeways, boat tours, entrance fees, guides
- Golden Week, Obon and autumn weekends: up to +30%
Booking & practical tips
Rail pass or tickets?
JR Kyushu Rail Passes run on consecutive days, and Yakushima sits in the middle of this trip. Price them against single tickets: point-to-point often wins. Book seats online with JR Kyushu.
Yakushima boats
Jetfoils (~2 h) can be cancelled in rough seas, especially in typhoon season. The slower ferry (~4 h) is cheaper and more robust; there are also flights from Kagoshima and Fukuoka.
Weather
Spring and October–November are best. June is the rainy season, and August–September bring typhoons, which hit Yakushima and the south hardest.
Luggage
Forward your big suitcase with takkyubin from Kagoshima to your Nagasaki or Fukuoka hotel and take only a backpack to Yakushima.
Eat
Hakata ramen and yatai, jigoku-mushi in Beppu, horse sashimi in Kumamoto, kurobuta pork and shirokuma in Kagoshima, flying fish on Yakushima, champon in Nagasaki.
Book early
Yufuin ryokans and Yakushima's few good hotels fill first. Book about six months ahead for spring and autumn.
Shorter or longer
14 days · the quick south
- Fukuoka (2 nights)
- Beppu (2)
- Kumamoto via Aso (1)
- Kagoshima (2)
- Yakushima (3)
- fly Yakushima → Fukuoka (1)
- Nagasaki as a day trip from Fukuoka, or skip
21 days · slow travel
- add a 2nd night in Yufuin
- add Kurokawa Onsen between Beppu and Kumamoto
- add a 4th Yakushima night as a rain buffer
- add a 2nd Ibusuki night for Kaimondake
- add Takeo or Ureshino Onsen before Nagasaki
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need on Yakushima?
Three nights is the minimum: one day for the Jomon Sugi hike, one for the forests and the coast, and one as a buffer for rain or cancelled boats.
Is the Jomon Sugi hike hard?
It's long rather than technical: about 22 km and 10 hours, partly along an old logging railway, then steep forest trail. You need good fitness, proper shoes and a very early start. Shiratani Unsuikyo is the easier alternative.
What happens if the jetfoil is cancelled?
It happens in rough seas, mostly in typhoon season. The slower ferry runs more often in bad weather, and flights connect Yakushima with Kagoshima and Fukuoka. Keep a spare day before your flight home.
Can I really do Yakushima without a car?
Yes, with buses and tours, but buses are infrequent. Renting a small car on the island for a day or two is the easiest way to see the coast road and the waterfalls.
Is Sakurajima safe to visit?
Yes. It erupts small ash plumes regularly, but visitor areas are kept well away from the crater. Check the volcano alert level and expect ash on cars and streets.
Comments
Questions, tips, your own experience?
Done this route, planning it, or found a great ryokan I missed? Leave a comment below. Please keep it friendly and on topic.
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