Kyūshū is Japan’s southernmost main island, known for its volcanoes, lush landscapes and slower pace of life. During one week, we explored Fukuoka the main city, mountains and traditional villages.
Fukuoka: the biggest city in Kyūshū Island
Arrival and first impression
After our 10 hours ferry travel from Busan we arrived in the early morning Hakata habour. Our accomadation check-in was at 3pm so we put our luggage in a storage at the Fukuoka station.
We recommend 3 days in this city. Beside there not a lot to visit, this city is very attractive and welcoming. People are very nice, food is incredible and you have a lot of options for shopping.
For our first day we decided to discover our first japonese temple : Kushida-jinja. I was already charm by those temples and the process related to temples. In all the shops, the staff welcome you as if it were a ceremony, which is quite funny to see this.
Our accomodation was located here a bit far from the city center but in a relaxing area will connected by bus.
For our first japonese night we tried sashimi in this restaurant. We found it by chance while walking down the street. The fish was amazing but of course very expensive. The service was amazing, the chief and his waiters tried to explain us the menu while all was written in japonese.
Discovering Fukuoka
To enjoy Fukuoka, you can take a bike with the APP ChariChari you can find thess red bikes almost everywhere in the city.
We started with Ōhori-kōen Park, you can walk around, it’s a very peaceful park with a lake. Ōhori-kōen is a peaceful and pleasant place. The paths are wide, well maintained and lined with trees, with several stone bridges connecting small islands in the centre of the pond — it’s really charming. There is also a traditional pavilion in the middle of the bridge.
You can discover Nishijin neighbourhood, an historic and vibrant shopping district, known for its bustling shopping street (Nishijin Shotengai) with traditional shops and stalls selling fresh produce (vegetables, seafood, flowers) from carts. An authentic local atmosphere guaranteed!
We tried our first soba in this restaurant. The owners are very welcoming and the food is excellent for a very affordable price.
We went to Fukuoka Tower, but to be honest, the neighbourhood doesn’t have much to offer, and the beach isn’t very pretty.
So we went back to the city center to visit the beautiful Buddhist temple: Tochoji.
You can find in there an impressive wooden statue of Buddha and an 26-meter-tall pagoda.
To finish in the main attraction in Fukuoka, I higly recommanded to tried a traditional “Yatai” in Nakasu Food Stalls Street. This famous stands offers traditional japonese street food such as ramen, meat skewer, soup etc. We went for the opening at 6pm, it can be really crowded at night. At that moment, we were blessed with a magnificent sunset, lighting up the entire city in red and orange.
How to rent a car in Japan ?
To continue our trip in Japan, we decided to rent a car.
Japanese driving licence legislation
If you are French, unfortunately your international driving licence will not be sufficient to hire a car in Japan. You will need to obtain a local driving licence in order to drive.
There are two main options available to you:
- The simplest but also the most expensive: use an online agency that will translate it for you in about three to four days. The translation will cost around €50.
- The second option (and the one we used): translate your licence yourself on the official Japanese website. However, there are several factors to consider.
- If you are in Japan at least one week in advance: you can freely access the website and print the licence at a convenience store (you have seven days to print the licence).
- If you are not yet in Japan and need the licence shortly after your arrival: you will need a VPN to access the Japanese website. The translation cost us €15.
We booked our car with booking but it was nissan rent a car agency. You can also go directly in their website. We took the smallest car, but it’s was enough for our 4 days trip in Kyūshū countryside.
Our experience on the japonese roads
We started our road trip in Fukuoka city center and headed to the Aso region.
It’s about 3 hours of driving, but we stopped a few times on the way. The roads are generally easy and comfortable to drive on.
Japanese drivers are very careful and there is no pressure on the road.
However, be mindful at crossings and intersections. And don’t forget: in Japan, you drive on the left side!
Most car rental companies offer the ETC system (Electronic Toll Collection).
With this device installed, you can take the highways freely and pay all tolls at the end of your trip.
Since it was our first time, we chose not to take highways.
Be careful: If you don’t have the ETC system, you won’t be able to enter many highway access points — they are ETC-only!
The Mount Aso region
Located in the center of Kyūshū Island, Mount Aso is one of Japan’s most impressive active volcanoes. Its huge caldera — one of the largest in the world — stretches over 25 km in diameter and shelters several towns, fields, mountains and even other volcanoes inside it. The landscape is unique: green plains, volcanic peaks, hot springs and smoke constantly rising from the main crater. It’s a perfect region for hiking lovers, nature photographers and anyone curious about volcanoes.
Different options around Mount Aso
The Aso area can be divided into several unmissable zones:
• Aso Volcano + Nakadake Crater
The highlight of the region. You can reach the viewpoint by car or cable car (when access is open depending on volcanic activity). The sight of the steaming crater is unforgettable.
• Kusasenri Highlands
A wide green plateau at the foot of the volcano, with grazing horses and stunning views of the volcanic range. A great place for a short walk or to admire the scenery at sunset.
• Aso Shrine & Aso Town
A traditional town located inside the caldera. The shrine is an important historical landmark and the perfect stop to enjoy local foods like Akaushi beef.
• Daikanbo Viewpoint
One of the best viewpoints over the entire caldera. From here you get a breathtaking panorama of the Aso Five Peaks lined up like a sleeping Buddha.
• Hot springs (Onsen) villages
Several small towns around Aso offer natural hot springs — a must-do after a day of adventure.
The beauty of Takachiho
From Aso, you can go by car to Takachiho for a day trip. It takes about 1 hour of driving through mountain roads with many curves, but the landscapes are really beautiful.
At first, we wanted to stay near Takachiho, but be careful: there are not many accommodation options in this area.
The sublime Takachiho Gorge
Takachiho can be quite crowded, especially during the day, try to come early.
We found a good parking to place to reach the gorge easily.
The walking trail is very easy and, honestly, a bit too short for me.
Many people stop all the time to take pictures, so you sometimes lose the feeling of being in nature.
You can also book a boat ride on the river. The gorge is really beautiful, and depending on the time of day, the light reflects on the water in a magical way.
Temples and café in the surrounding area
There are not many things to see around Takachiho, but there is a really beautiful temple not far from the gorge. You can also find small shrines along the way.
We also found a nice café with pastries: Cafe Huumori. It is very quiet and feels really immersive in Japanese tradition.
Takachiho-jinja is the most famous one. The atmosphere under the big trees is amazing and very peaceful.e big trees is amazing.
We also found a nice café with pastries: Cafe Huumori. It is very quiet and feels really immersive in Japanese tradition.
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