Hello all,
We are a group of 6 people (5 are elders) travelling in Kyushu from late January til late February for 25 days. We love onsen (I have tried very hard so that we won't be onsen-out in this trip however), scenic area and getting to know japanese family homes (so any home-stay suggestion woudl be great!). Since most participants are rather old, they don't want too much walking however and definitely no hiking (I did put in one very easy trail in Kirishima to see frost flower in Onami lake - crossing my fingers that the frost flower are still around when we get there ). We all come from tropical area so we don't want to stay too long in the cold (from 10degree C and above is most ideal). We are on budget (say 1500-2000$ per pax - is that too little/too much?).
We are qualified to drive in Japan but I don't feel comfortable to navigate in Japan in a long trip, in wintersnow, neither are we ready to pay high toll fee, drop-off fee, parking fee (especially the timed one), that may just increase our budget substantially without being able to foresee all additional cost. Plus our group is large so standard size car with great discount isn't an option. We will drive, however in the extremely remote area that are also easy to return car in a day or too at the same destination, like in here, as the day trip to Takachiho.
Enough explanation, here is our plan:
Day 1: Arrive at noon in Fukuoka, over night in Fukuoka
Day 2: Nagasaki day trip: Gunkanjima trip and Nomozaki daffodil festival / Kamome sightseeing train?
Day 3 - Day 10: Aso, Kurokawa and Beppu area, then back to Hakata/Nagasaki (northern course)
A course:
Day 3: Fukuoka - Beppu; Day 4: Beppu , Day 5: Kurokawa; Day 6: Aso , Day 7: Takachiho day trip, overnight in Aso - Day 8,9, 10: Aso back to Hakata and/or Nagasaki (some day in Saga is likely considered)
B course:
Day 3: Fukuoka - Aso , Day 4: Aso day trip and Takachiho in one day, Day 5: Kurokawa, Day 6: Beppu, Day 7: Beppu, Day 8,9,10: Beppu back to Hakata and/or Nagasaki (some day in Saga is likely considered)
Day 11: Sasebo Kujukushima island cruise + Oyster festival, then depart for Unzen and overnight there
Day 12: Unzen back to Nagasaki, try the ropeway (according to the website, the ropeway should start working again the day before after a long suspension perid, let's hope they work ontime)
Day 13: Lantern festival in Nagasaki
Day 14 -21: southern course
C Course: Hisatsu line over mountainous area down to Kagoshima and back up along the coast line with Izumi and Minamata
Day 14: Nagasaki -Kirishima (the scenic Hisatsu line) - Day 15: Kirishima (hopefully to see frost flower over Onami lake early Feb), Day 16: Kagoshima (rape flower around lake Ikeda), Day 17: Ibusuki, Day 18: Ibusuki, Day 19: Izumi, Day 20: Minamata(2 day trip with farmer family and crane observation), Day 21: Yatsushiro
D Course: along the coast first then back up with Hisatsu line
Day 14: Yatsushiro, Day 15: Izumi, Day 16: Minamata, Day 17: Kagoshima, Day 18: Ibusuki, Day 19: Ibusuki, Day 20: Kirishima, Day 21: Kirishima
Day 22-Day 25: Fukuoka (kita kyushu/ kurume area)
Does it look very tiredsome and complicated to you? It took me a long time to come up with these 4 options and I am still not very happy with it! Let me know if it is too ambitious and if I should any part out. I have been very unlucky finding during February 2016, Nagashi soumen, SL Hitoyoshi, Orange Hisatsu railway, and most likely acess to Aso crater aren't available. Many areas in winter will alos look majorly different than the advertising pictures we often found tourist site (like the green field of Kusasenri...). That is to say, that please let me know, if you think any area isn't recommended in winter. I prefer as little snow and coldness as possible (except for Unzen, Aso and Kirishima, I come there for the frost afterall).
Regarding transportation, do you think I should get the 21 day all Japan JR pass? or several northern Kyushu/ All kyushu pass would do? I am expecting lots of little charge here and there for taxi rides/bus rides/local train between places (I will try to book hotel as close to main station as possible though).
SunQ bus pass is also an option though it seems that the bus ride is much longer and not as comfortable and scenic as the rail? and I am assuming that most bus stations aren't in very convenient location to touristic areas unless I accept transfer (but with luggage I would like as little transfer as possible)
And since Orange line is suspended for renovation, any information regarding transporation for the coastline in Kagoshima (Izumi/Minamata that's not shinkansen would be greatly appreciated!)
Several big trip I mentioned above in the itinerary are something I have great concern for: Fukuoka- Aso, Nagasaki - Kirishima, Fukuoka-Kirishima, Yatsushima- Nagasaki, Nagasaki-Aso, Nagasaki -Beppu. Geographically, Nagasaki is just so out of the way but I have to come back there twice for 1/ the Nomozaki daffodil flower festival which ends by the end of January, 2/ the chinese new year lantern festival 7-9 days later! That really gives a huge increase of travel to the trip while most members in my groups won't be abe to endure such a long trip with more than 2 transfer. Any thought to reduce amount of time on transportation?
Also, this is a reunion family trip for members from all across the oceans, (and I am not kidding! we came from 4 different areas and 2 nations) rather than just a touring trip, we would be happy to stay at a scenic place (again, preferably warm) somewhere to cook and chill rather than just rushing for train and hopping from one spot to another. Any thought of a good town/apartment for rent/ hostel at a fairly low cost that's not too out of the way without the need of a car?
Thank you for your patience!