Kyushu is the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands and, in addition to being known
for its vibrant cities brimming with interesting history and culture, it is also celebrated
as among the best regions in the country to take in breathtaking volcanic landscapes and
experience atmospheric hot spring towns.
One of the ultimate ways to enjoy what this rugged land has to offer is to travel the
breadth of the island between two of its most visited cities
in part along the iconic Yamanami Highway.
Passing three of Japan’s top hot spring towns, each of which retain their own unique
charm, this route also treats travelers to a variety of the island’s hallmark culture,
history and food.
Add to these attractions an almost uninterrupted series of awe-inspiring volcanic landscapes
as the route winds through Kyushu’s mountainous interior, and you have one of the most epic
road trips in all of Japan.
With so much to do and see along this route, this was a road trip I was extremely eager
to experience for myself.
I’m Sam Evans for japan-guide.com, and for the next three days I’ll be making the trip
across Kyushu.
Here’s the plan: After flying from Tokyo to Oita, we’ll start
our journey by visiting the coastal hot spring mecca of Beppu and then drive along the Yamanami
Highway to reach the quaint hot spring town of Yufuin
where we’ll bed down for the night.
On day two, we’ll continue along the Yamanami Highway taking in the incredible landscape
and making a couple of fun-filled stops along the way before reaching Kurokawa Onsen, a
rustic hot spring town tucked away in a lush valley.
On our third and final day it’s up early as we continue on to majestic Mount Aso before
finishing our road trip with a cultural tour of Kumamoto City.
So follow along as we travel across Kyushu on a three day road trip.
DAY 1
Upon arrival in Kyushu, we’ll pick up a
rental car and begin our exciting three-day tour, first stopping in Beppu, and then moving
on to Yufuin Onsen, where we’ll be spending our first night.
When most people think about travel in Japan they think about trains, but when going a
long distance like we are today then the best option can sometimes be the plane.
So that’s why this morning we’re travelling early out of the airport down to begin our
Kyushu exploration, and it’s exciting, I’ve had a good sleep so let’s get on with this.
All ready for takeoff, now to sit back for the one and a half hour flight, and take in
some impressive bird’s eye views along the way.
After arriving at Oita Airport in Sunny Oita, which is my first time to this prefecture
and a great one to get off the list, we’re on our way to Beppu where we’re going to
check out the hells.
There are seven hells in Beppu, and first up today we are going to visit the Umi jigoku
which literally means “sea hell” in Japanese.
So here we are in Beppu, now this town is special for a number of reasons.
Firstly this town outputs more hot spring water than any other hot spring town in the
entire country.
Secondly, this town isn't just about bathing.
Apart from the baths there are various areas around town, such as this one behind me, which
are called ‘hells’ where you can go and view the hot water.
And third, when it does come to bathing well, Beppu’s got you covered because here there
are a multitude of different bathing options, not just limited to water but also steam,
mud and sand.
And speaking of sand baths, we’re going to try one a little later on.
After Umi Jigoku, we’ll now check out the Kamado Jigoku, or cooking pot hell, where
we’ll walk around a bit and then fill our stomachs with a lunch of onsen-steamed food.
So at this hell you can drink this 80 degree water.
So I’m going to give it a try.
It's like British tea, only not at all.
So we've got the food and we're about to eat.
There is so much thermal heat, that is it is used to cook in Beppu.
So I'm about to enjoy some steam-cooked corn, steam-cookied pork bun, steamed eggs, and
some steamed pudding.
Let's dig in.
Itadakimasu.
That's great.
Really good.
So this is ramune.
It's basically a nostalgic flavored fizzy drink.
And it's sold here in Beppu.
Now to open it, you interestingly have to kind of smash this top
and make a marble fall through.
So I'm going to give it a whirl now and hopefully I don't break the table while I'm doing it.
Delicious!
That's really good.
Following the fun at the hells, it’s only a few minutes’ drive over to the beach where
I am about to indulge in a sand bath experience.
With less than a handful of places in the country where one can enjoy this special kind
of bath, I feel fortunate that this will mark my second sand bath experience.
From what I remember of my last experience having a sand bath, it’s incredibly pleasant,
super warm, comfy and relaxing, and I’ll be surprised if I don’t nod off.
So for this experience I was given a yukata which is typical, got changed in the changing
room, and proceeded to lie down here and got buried as you’ve just seen.
So it's surprisingly it's a really nice temperature.
It's not too hot, but it does feel really nice and cozy.
It feels great.
So relaxing.
You can hear the waves in the distance from the beach.
And it's honestly like you're being given a big warm hug.
After this I'm to proceed to rise out of the ground and then I'm going to have to get clean.
So before getting changed I'll go and take a bath in the bathhouse back there.
But what an incredible experience this is.
I recommend it.
Reinvigorated after the sand bath, it’s time to make the 30 minute drive on to the
quaint hot spring town of Yufuin.
Along the way we’ll take in the unique scenery surrounding Mount Yufudake, the twin-peaked
volcano that overlooks Yufuin, before descending into the town.
After checking into our beautiful ryokan and dropping my bags, I’ll make the short walk
out to explore this scenic town.
Next it’s back to the ryokan to indulge in a traditional course dinner
and a pre-bedtime bath.
When staying in a ryokan your traditional Japanese robe, or Yukata, will usually be
found in a closet kind of like this one.
Now, while you’re at the ryokan your yukata can be worn for pretty much anything.
You can eat in it, walk around in it, you can even sleep in it.
So with that being said I’m gonna put mine on right now.
Now I’m ready for dinner.
So it’s finally dinner time and I’ve sat down to a kaiseki course meal.
It looks absolutely delicious, so itadakimasu and kampai!
I do love a bit of sashimi, especially maguro.
Incredible.
So this is local high grade local beef.
We’re gonna have shabu shabu style.
Which means that you pick it up and give it a gentle dip in this broth.
And then eat it.
Amazing.
A kaiseki course meal always ends with rice, miso soup, and pickles.
What a lovely meal.
Before bed it’s definitely time for a bath.
Now it’s not uncommon for ryokan to have bathing facilities.
So let me tell you how it’s done.
First of all, before getting in the bath you've got to give your body a good rinse and then
get in and enjoy the soak but try and remember not to let your body towel touch the water.
DAY 2
Today after leaving Yufuin Onsen, we really
switch gears into road-trip mode as we drive along a large stretch of the Yamanami Highway.
Along the way, we’ll trade tarmac for trekking around some scenic marshlands and then explore
a unique hillside flower park, before arriving in Kurokawa Onsen, the destination for our
second night’s stay.
To get the day started we’ll enjoy a pleasant early-morning stroll around Lake Kinrinko,
just a stone’s throw from our ryokan.
It’s a shrine.
Now one of the ways you can tell it’s a shinto shrine as opposed to a buddhist temple
is the shimenawa, that straw rope that hangs in an arch there.
I’m not the earliest of risers usually, but getting up early and seeing something
like this makes me think I should get up early more often.
This is amazingly beautiful.
So this is onsen tamago.
It’s an egg that’s been boiled you could say in 80 degree water.
So, it's not fully boiled.
It’s got a unique taste and it’s great breakfast food.
And with that it’s time to leave Yufuin Onsen and get back on the road for an enjoyable
day of driving and adventure.
So this morning we’re back driving along the Yamanami Highway, that stretches from
Beppu to Aso.
So we're going to be driving along this highway a lot during this trip.
Now what’s special about this highway, apart from it passing a bunch of natural wonders
like hot springs and hot spring towns and even volcanoes.
It’s absolutely beautiful, the scenery that you pass is just phenomenal, which makes driving
along it kinda one of the attractions all on its own.
We’ve made a quick stop at one of the natural points of interest along the highway, these
wetlands at the base of Mount Kuju, which is the tallest mountain on all of Kyushu.
From the wetlands we drive further into the Kuju Mountains, stopping briefly at the Makinoto
Pass, the highest point along the Yamanami Highway, to enjoy the breathtaking vista.
Following this, we visit the Kuju Flower Park, a hillside park that boasts thousands upon
thousands of vividly colored flowers around its well manicured grounds.
With rugged Mount Kuju acting as a photogenic backdrop to the floral displays, this park
truly is a feast for the eyes.
We’re now closing in on Kurokawa Onsen, but before arriving and checking in to our
ryokan, we have enough time to make a quick stop at a hot spring bath on the outskirts
of town to enjoy a heavenly soak in pristine nature.
After having a pleasant bath, we’re heading to our ryokan on the other side of Kurokawa
Onsen to check in.
Before dinner there’s just enough time to walk around and explore this hot spring town on foot.
Kurokawa Onsen is one of Japan’s most attractive hot spring towns, notable for its wooden buildings
and earthen walls contributing to a quaint aesthetic that has been consciously preserved here.
The compact town center is comprised of narrow lanes punctuated by traditional inns and shops,
with a river flowing through to make for an intensely pleasant atmosphere.
Having worked up an appetite from strolling around the town
now let’s get back to the ryokan for dinner.
This is another first for me, staying overnight in Kumamoto Prefecture, and we’re about
to enjoy another delicious looking traditional meal at a ryokan.
This includes some Kumamoto delicacies including horse meat.
I’m starving after all that travelling so let’s dig in.
Itadakimasu.
Tastes ever so slightly gamey.
It's chewy.
It's got a great texture.
A little bit smokey because it’s been seared.
And it's just incredible.
DAY 3
On this third and final day of our incredible
cross-Kyushu trip, we’re first headed to see the area’s most famous volcano before
taking to the road one last time and driving to Kumamoto City.
Before breakfast we’ll take advantage of our ryokan’s private baths for a pre-breakfast soak.
Private baths, or kashikiriburo, are not uncommon in ryokan and are typically reservable or
first come first served.
These types of baths are perfect for couples or young families who want to bathe together
or for those who just aren’t quite comfortable bathing in public.
But either way they make for a great experience.
So, this morning we’re being treated to another traditional breakfast.
And today some of the specialities include locally-sourced milk, this locally-made konnyaku
and it looks delicious and I can’t wait to dig in.
So just finished breakfast and what can I say about Kurokawa onsen?
It’s been an amazing place to stay, such a pretty little town, and I love this time
of year, late spring early summer when it’s beginning to get really really green.
After this we’re gona hop back in the car and move on.
Our first stop is at Mount Aso and then after that we’re gona come to an end in Kumamoto.
Before arriving at Mount Aso, I couldn’t resist stopping at another observation area
called the Daikanbo Lookout, to take in more breathtaking views of the surroundings.
So we’ve arrived and over here you can see majestic Mount Aso.
Now, when it’s deemed safe
it’s possible to go right up to the rim and look down into the crater.
But there was a minor eruption a few weeks ago, so now it’s only possible to get within
a kilometer of the crater, but I mean look at it that’s still a fantastic view.
So we’ve just come from being close to the crater of Mount Aso.
I mean that was quite an awesome experience to say the least.
The scale of the landscape around these parts is just incredible.
It’s huge.
And now we are back in the car obviously and are en route to Kumamoto.
So we are just about coming into Kumamoto and in a way I’m kinda sad because that
means that the driving part of this trip is very nearly over.
But having said that I’m looking forward to getting into the city and exploring the
famous Kumamoto Castle and then also eating some Kumamoto ramen which I haven’t tried
yet but I’ve heard is absolutely delicious.
Upon arriving in central Kumamoto our first stop is at Suizenji Garden.
This spacious Japanese garden was built in the 17th century for the enjoyment of the
local feudal lords, and contains various picturesque features such as its own much smaller version
of Mount Fuji.
Today the garden is open to the public, so anyone can enter and meander along the paths
while soaking up the garden’s tranquility.
After wandering around Suizenji Garden it’s time to drive across town and grab a bowl
of Kumamoto ramen before getting up close to Kumamoto Castle, the last spot on our itinerary.
Kumamoto is famous for its ramen.
Two typical ingredients are the pork bone broth and the garlic chips.
This one that I’ve got in front of me looks absolutely delicious so I’m gona dig in.
Salty, a little bit sweet and so rich, oh my.
So in Japan, it’s totally normal to slurp your noodles, so I’m gonna slurp away.
So we’re here at Kumamoto Castle.
Now this castle stands as one of the largest and most impressive castles in all of Japan.
Now as you can see a little bit behind me the castle was severely damaged during the
2016 earthquakes, and while there are still plenty of fantastic scenes it won’t be fully
restored for a number of years yet.
And with that our journey draws to an end, so we head to Aso Kumamoto Airport to take
the flight back to Tokyo and say farewell to this stunning part of the country until next time
And that concludes our journey across Kyushu.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas, should you decide
to plan a trip in Kyushu.
For more information about Kyushu, this itinerary, or to watch another video, click the links
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Happy travels.