Japan Drive Route Guide

This day will head from Fukuoka to Yufuin/Beppu a nationally famous hot spring resort. Mileage is about 160㎞. However, this day has many attractions, and in today's highlights Yufuin and Beppu, most of the shops and sightseeing spots close about 17-18 o'clock. It is recommended to start 8:00～9:00 if you don't lile huried travel. The first destination should be "Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine(太宰府天満宮)" the most famous shrines in Kyushu. You can enjoy walking along the approach of the shrine where has many shop of local products and food. If you like sweets and fruit, it is god idea to go to fruit picking after the shrine. "Hita old town(日田の古い町並み)" is located good place to have lunch. Our daily driving map will guide you to recommended eel restaurant, ”Hita Yakisoba” the local grilled noodle erstaurant and so on. Then let's facing to Yuhuin. The main street "Yufuin Yunotsubo street(由布院湯の坪街道)" is filled with charming shops selling localproducts and food too and you can enjoy walking to small beautiful "Lake Kinrinko(金鱗湖)". It is 25km away from Yufuin to Beppu and dakes about 40 minutes. Highlight "Beppu Jigoku Hells(別府地獄めぐり)" is highly recommended but is closed at 17:00. If you stay in Yufuin or Beppu continuously or will return back to Fukuoka tomorrow, it would be good visit Beppu on the next day. If you travel to Aso tomorrow, it might be better to skip the Hita old town to keep time to visit Beppu. Onsen is wating for you to heal your fatigue. In addition, we recommend you different place at cherry blossom period in spring and autumn coloured leaves period with our daily driving map.. It is really worth to see and please priority there.

This day will head from Yufuin/Beppu to Aso. Mileage is 140㎞ only. However, this day has many attractions and it is recommended to start 8:00～9:00 if you don't lile huried travel. The first destination is "Kokonoe Suspension Bridge(九重夢大吊橋)". In particular, you can see wonderful colored leaves in the Autumn. Then you can stop by farm which provide fresh yogurt drinks and beautiful wetland which has 1 - 2.5km walking trails. "Kurokawa Onsen town(黒川温泉)" is good place to have lunch. Our daily driving map will let you know nice recommended restaurants there. The biggest highlight on this day is driving along the Aso Sky Line from "Skyline observatory" to "Daikanbo Observatory(大観峰)". Driving on outer rim of a Aso caldera will be your lifetime unforgettable memory. If you have time, let's go to "Kusasenri(草千里)". Breathtaking panoramic grass plains are waiting for you. Aso area where you stay this day is countryside and you had better to eat dinner at your inn. Then please control your schedule to reach your inn by 18 around o'clock.

This day will head from Aso to Nagasaki. Mileage is about 150km but you need to take car ferry from Kumamoto port to Shimabara port and there are many sightseeing spots along this load. So It is highly recommended to depart Aso as early as possible. You had better to reach Kumamoto port at reast before 13:00 to take 13:40 ferry. First destination is Kumamoto city. The symbol of the city "Kumamoto castle(熊本城)" is under reconstruction from the damage of the earthquake. It may be nicer to visit sonderful Japanese garden "Suizenji Jojuen Garden(水前寺成趣園)". Recommended lunch on this day is Kumamoto Ramen. Our daily driving map will guide you nice ramen shop which is popular among locals. You need to take "Kyusho Ferry(九商フェリー)" from Kumamoto port to Shimabara port. It is 1 hour voyage to Shimabara port. Our daily driving map will let you know details about Kyusho ferry and how to take it. From Shimabara port, let's move to "Unzen Jigoku Hell(雲仙地獄)". Unzen is famous for its volcanoes and Onsen. You can see fantastic scene with steam blowing out from the ground. If the weather is nice, it is nice to stop by "Nita Pass 2nd Lookout(仁田峠第二展望所)" to see spectacular views looking over the Shimabara town. Nagasaki is 70km away from Kumamoto port and due to no highway, it takes about 2 hours. After dinner, it is highly recommended to take "Nagasaki Ropeway(長崎ロープウェイ)" to "Mt.Inasayama observatory(稲佐山展望台)". Japan Top 3 night veiw is waiting for you.

This day will head from Nagasaki to Takeo/Ureshino. Since mileage is long(about 170km) without highway and it is recommended to start 8:00～9:00 if you don't lile huried travel. If you haven't visit major sightseeing spots in Nagasaki such as "Nagasaki Peace Park(長崎平和公園)", "Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum(長崎原爆資料館)" or "Dejima(出島)”, let's visit there first. After that, let's drive to "Roadside Station YuhigaokaSotome(道の駅 夕陽が丘そとめ)". From there, you can enjoy refreshing driving through beautiful coastal road "Nagasaki Sunset Road". Then you can move to Sasebo city via "Saikaibashi Bridge(西海橋)". Recommended lucnch on this day is either oyster or Sasebo burger. Our daily driving map will let you now nice shop and you must try. Today's biggest highlight is "Ishidake Observatory(石岳展望台)". You can enjoy 360 degree panolamic view with Kujukushima(99 islands) and Sasebo city with huge shipyard. Another "Tenkaiho Observatory(展海峰)" is more famous but the view from hear is more great. If you still have time, you can stop by pottery town Arita and go to your inn. At night, please take a rest with Onsen in either Takeo or Ureshino. In addition, there are amazing cherry blossom and azelea places on this route. If you will travel in spring, our daily driving map will guide you these spots. It is really worth to see and please priority there.

This day will go back to Fukuoka from Takeo/Ureshino. Because of long mileage 190km and many sightseeing spots, it is recommended to start 8:00～9:00 if you don't lile huried travel. If you haven't visit "Mifuneyama Rakuen garden(御船山楽園)" near Takeo, famous pottery town Arita and "Imari Okawa Uchiyama(伊万里大川内山)", it is recommended to go there first. The biggest hightlight on this day is "Kagamiyama Observatory(鏡山西展望台)". This is a observatory where you can see very panolamic scenery with Karatsu bay and "Niji no Matsubara Pine Tree Forest(虹の松原)".It is highly recommended. After that you can drive through the forest and move to Yobuko(呼子) town to have a lunch. Their speciality is squid and you can taste amazing flesh squid you may never eaten before. Our daily driving map will guide you recommended restaurant. If you still have time, let's stop by "Sakurai Futamigaura Couple Rock(桜井二見ヶ浦の夫婦岩)" to take typical Japan-ish photo with Torii gate stainding in the sea. If you have been Karatsu and Yobuko already, you can go back to Fukuoka with another route. You can travel to Yanagawa town via "Yutoku Inari Shrine(祐徳稲荷神社)"."Ohana Shotoen(御花松涛園)" is an old house and amazing Japanese garden which was built about 300 years ago. You can try traditional grilled eel and cheap and good local Udon noodle for lunch. "Yame Chuo Tea Gaden(八女中央大茶園)" is highly recommended to visit. It is the secret spot where can be reach by car only and you will be amazed due to panolamic scenery covered with green tea trees. If you would like to enjoy shopping before going back to your country, you can stop at "Tosu Premium Outlets(鳥栖プレミアムアウトレット)". There are some traffic jam adound Fukuoka and it takes time to filling up gas and return your car too. If you don't stay Fukuoka and take flight on this day, please reach rental car shop at least 3 hours before the flight.