Looking for an alternative for the bustling tourist hotspots of Japan? Say goodbye to the crowded streets of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, and embark on an adventure to the underrated gems in Kyushu! After diving into this Kyushu Guide, you'll be tempted to book a flight heading to one of the most vibrant cities in the island. 

Fukuoka, Japan

Kyushu, Japan

Oita, Japan

Nagasaki, Japan

Hiroshima, Japan

Yufuin, Yufu, Oita, Japan

Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan

Kumamoto, Japan

Japan

Kyushu Travel Guide: Visiting the Hidden Gems of Japan

Kyushu is the third largest island in Japan and home to some of the nation's most stunning natural landscapes and cities. Despite its truly incredible potential as a tourist hub, the island remains unpopular among international tourists, which makes finding an English travel guide even more challenging—and inspiring me to share my personal experience of exploring Kyushu.

Due to Kyushu's vast landscape, you should start planning your itinerary by making smart decisions about where to enter and where to stay. Don't randomly choose your point of entry and accommodation. Stay close to public transport stations, especially if you're exploring different cities in Northern and Southern Kyushu.

If you’re only staying for a month or less, choosing only one region is highly recommended. In this guide, I will only focus on navigating around Northern Kyushu. Since Fukuoka is the largest city on the region, we decided to stay there the longest.

Most guides in Fukuoka suggest travelers to stay overnight in Tenjin, as you can easily access the famous yatai stalls and izakayas from there. However, if you're planning an all-out trip exploring several attractions, there's no better option than staying near Hakata Station.

It only takes approximately a 15-minute bus ride to reach JR Hakata Station from Fukuoka Airport, and it won't cost you much. The bus fare is only 270 JPY (2 USD). Given how ideal it is to stay close to the station, the area is surrounded by luxury hotels that may be out of the budget. 

So, how do you make this trip convenient and affordable? The key is always booking in advance, around 3 to 6 months before your flight. To avoid the risk of flight cancellation, book accommodations with free cancellation until at least up to a month before your stay.

During our trip, we stayed at Rakuten STAY Hakata Station North. We booked the apartment for five people, which featured two double beds and a single bed. An overnight stay cost us only 115 USD. The apartment had a fully equipped kitchen, which helped us save more money on food. 

In terms of location, this is more convenient. It also has cozy beds and an aesthetic layout. However, you won't get to live your dream Japanese bathroom experience here, as the bathrooms are too small, similar to what you see in airplanes. I still recommend it because of the price and location.

We also stayed in an accommodation even closer to Hakata Station. If you're looking for a cheaper option and only traveling with friends or acquaintances, consider booking at N33 Hakata Sta Riverside. 

I also recommend this place because it has the most relaxing Japanese bathroom with a tub and shower, and a separate toilet room. It is definitely the perfect place to rest after a long day of walking along the streets of Kyushu.

Of course, a part of deciding to stay near JR Hakata Station is that you’ve purchased a JR pass. By this point, if you haven't booked a rail pass, click below to see the price details of the passes available in Kyushu. 

JR Kyushu Rail Pass 

We also planned to visit areas outside Kyushu, so instead of purchasing the regular JR Northern Kyushu Pass, we bought the 7-day Sanyo-San'in Northern Kyushu Pass—a rail pass that includes trips to both the Northern Kyushu and Sanyo-San'in areas. It covers trips to famous attractions, including Shimonoseki, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, and more.

JR Sanyo-San in-Northern Kyushu Area Pass

If you plan to depart outside Kyushu, Hakata Bus Terminal also offers trips to Shinjuku and Hiroshima.

With the upcoming price increase of JR Lines, it is no longer cost-effective to purchase the rail pass. Don't worry! You’ll still get to see the best of Kyushu without it as long as you stay in Hakata Station, which is right next to Hakata Bus Terminal.

We limited our itinerary to visiting the cities and nature attractions that caught our attention the most during our research. I will soon create a more comprehensive guide to help you explore all the sites we've visited. For now, check out the itinerary below to see how we made the most of our rail pass.

Whether purchasing a JR Kyushu Pass or not, don't start your trip with a tiring itinerary. Instead, explore only the areas within the city where you've booked your accommodation. In our case, we explored Fukuoka on our first day. Before leaving Hakata Station to visit our first stop, we picked up our rail passes at the ticket office and booked our train tickets to get a reserved seat. 

Note: Our 7-day Sanyo-San'in Northern Kyushu Pass started on the second day of our travel, as majority of our planned destinations on the first day did not require the use of a JR Pass.

- Ride Yufuin no Mori Express Train (covered by JR Pass, reserve seats in advance)

I'll be sharing more details about our Kyushu trip soon. If you find this guide helpful, don't hesitate to subscribe and give a tip!

Our itinerary before arriving in Kyushu was packed with numerous destinations, which turned out to be a mistake. When you plan your trip, be sure to limit the number of destinations, as navigating Kyushu isn't as easy as in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, where attractions are just a few steps away from each other or a short train ride away. 

Before heading back to Hakata Station, don't forget to explore Shimonoseki to taste some of the best seafood in Japan. Head directly to Karato Market via bus. You can easily find a bus going directly to the market when you arrive at Shimonoseki Station.  

- Shimonoseki Municipal Aquarium Kaikyokan

Start your shopping spree in Fukuoka. You can find several amazing shops and gadget stores surrounding Hakata Station. 

Wrap up your itinerary by saving the best spots in Fukuoka near the end of your travel. Visit Hakata Bus Terminal to know your options.

Kyushu Travel Guide: Visiting the Hidden Gems of Japan

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