Fukuoka Travel Answers

Hi there, I'm not coming from these areas but I found web site it might useful for you for beppu: http://www.city.beppu.oita.jp I'm not sure when you will go there but if you are planing on around end or new years you better checked out. train might be pack, shop might be closing. And also if you are traveling by special express train(inside of japan) they have package for foreigner but you have to purchase in advance. hopefully it will help!! yuri

Hi Yuri, Have you been there? How do the hot springs stack up against other local attractions?

I never been there but my sister used to live in o-ita......I will ask if she knows about something but It's takes time cause I'm not living in Jappan. So, when are you going there? yuri

Just before New Year's is when we will be there. I think we are leaning towards Nagasaki. It seems to have more to do, but we have time to change our minds. I know it might be a little cold, but we can go to a volcano and warm up. Dave

Well, you have still time then.......I don't know if you are awear of Japan but around this time of the year people move around quite bit,as you know we have a lot of population in a small island, you can imaging how bad it is for taking trip on a air or on the grand. so if you are planing to use public transportation (express train called shinkansen) make sure that you purchace in advance. since I know you have time I will ask my sister when I get there in mid November if you still need informations. yuri

Right now we're leaning towards Nagasaki. My wife is Japanese so she gets to deal with the travel headaches there. I consider it a bit of payback for a dozen trips to Europe and Russia where I had to translate everything, explain everything, deal with things etc. :) What do you know about Mount Aso? I've never seen a volcano before.

Hi Dave I will you to my place Kyushu. When will you visit Kyushu? In any case, I would like to recommend Nagasaki first and Beppu second. If you will visit the following my web-site, you may have some information for your plan. Further information; please do not hesitate to contact me. Masa

Hi Dave Sorry, I forgot to show my web-sit that http://www.kyushu-tourist.com Masa

Hi Masa, What do you mean by this? "I will you to my place Kyushu." We'll be travelling just after New Year's, probably the 2nd -6th or somethign similar. Generally speaking it sounds like Nagasaki is the way to go. I've never been there, just in Sasebo. or 3 days in Kumamoto do we think Kumamoto Castle and Mt. Aso, but maybe something else if you know it. VERY nice website! Did you make it yourself? Dave

Hi Dave Sorry, the word “welcome” was missing between will and you in the first sentence. Kumamoto castle and Mt. Aso are another must visit sites I would like to recommend. Why will you visit Japan during a New Year period? You may have problems during that period, for example accommodations may be full, traffic jam, crowded tourist attractions such as shrines, temples and castles … Website has been made myself, it still have to be updated. Masa

Ha ha ha, I think you did good investment cause I would be horrified even just thinking about image of crowd people. Enjoy visiting Japan. yuri P.s I never thought about watching volcano.......uh~n interesting :)

Yuri --- You know Mt. Aso looks great. Beautiful onsenns and ryokans in the area. My wife has been doing the research and we opted for more time in Kumamoto and less in Nagasaki. (I've already seen more Dutch churches than a Dutchman and the shippo meal looks more Japanese) It's good for balance this way and she came to the US right after college so there is a lot of Japan she hasn't seen yet. If you hate crowds DON'T go to Asakusa in Tokyo... what a nightmare that was. I feel the same way. Masa --- We're visiting our family of course, for New Year's. We will arrive a few days before and spend the holiday with them in Tokushima and then go to Kumamoto via Okata, travel back to the airport by way of Osaka. We like to travel because having me there is hard for them since I don't speak Japanese. I can't take part in conversations, order off menus etc. Pretty much they keep passing me beef and beer, so it gives them a break when we travel. Thank you both! Dave

May I know what's the travelling time between the major cities such as : Fukuoka-Kumamoto Kumamoto-Mt Aso Mt Aso - Beppu Beppu - Fukuoka? Should I be based somewhere and make day-trips to these places? I have a week in Fukuoka..

It took us a little more than two hours to DRIVE to Mt. Aso. My time may be off because we stopped to see a monkey show, but I think it is pretty close. If my memory serves, we were about 40% of the way to Beppu, so add another three hours. We went to Kumamoto via another route than Fukuoka. Try the basashi while you are there. There is also one of Japan's big three castles in Kumamoto.