Kyushu Awaits! Discover What Japan Has to Offer with This Fukuoka, Oita, and Kumamoto Travel Course

Second Day: From Fukuoka to the Hot Spring Paradise of Oita

Enjoy Yufuin, One of the Most Bountiful Hot Spring Areas in Japan!  (10:00 am)

 

After checking out of the inn, head to Oita by train.

Oita Prefecture is located in the northeast of Kyushu. It’s a veritable hot spring paradise famous for such things as Beppu Onsen, which boasts the largest accessible hot spring water output in the entire world. However, you won’t be going there. Instead, you'll be going to visit the secluded Yufuin hot spring area, where you can stroll leisurely through beautiful natural scenery.

It takes about 2 hours to reach Yufuin Station from Hakata, either by the limited express train (2,860 yen one way) or the Yufuin-go express bus (2,930 yen one way), which runs from platform 34 of the Hakata Bus Terminal. After getting off at Yufuin Station, you’ll come face to face with the majestic and imposing Mt. Yufu as well as the beautiful townscape below it. There are many roadside shops here, and you can enjoy the area on foot or on a bike. Classic horse buggies are also available.

The Shirataki Bridge and its surrounding river scenery are the perfect place to take some pictures at this time. Once that’s done, you can visit the first shop of the day.

The Swiss Rolls at B-speak Are More Than Worth the Long Lines! (10:30 am)

Besides calming nature scenery, Yufuin also has many shops selling delicious desserts! Today, we would like to introduce you to possibly the best one of them: B-speak, operated by the high-class inn Sanso Murata. The shop is famous for their Swiss rolls. On national holidays, they can sell up to 700 of them, so many people order them in advance! The store also sells Sanso Murata chocolate, ice cream, cheese cakes, etc. However, the soft Swiss rolls, which you can see advertised in front of the store, remain their bestseller.

The cakes are known as “P-rolls” and they come in two flavors: original and chocolate. You can also choose their size, from the small 5cm roll (540 yen) to the 15cm large one (1,520 yen). Looking at just the pictures, they might not seem that big, but trust us, you won’t be able to go through one on your own!

The Swiss rolls are only available as takeout and should be consumed the same day that they are bought. All those customers who aren’t going straight back to their hotel after purchasing a P-roll can buy cooler bags at the store, which should make the rolls last for 8-10 hours!

We tried the original and chocolate roll and they were both delicious! They are incredibly light and soft, with the cream being pure perfection, from the generous helping to its restrained sweetness. The cream really works well with the chocolate, so if we had to choose a personal favorite, we would probably go with the chocolate roll.

They sell out quickly, though, so you should get to B-speak early, otherwise they might be out of the size that you wanted. Travelers who speak Japanese should probably call ahead and reserve a roll for themselves! Once you’ve satisfied your sweet tooth, it’s time to start the exploration of Yufuin, so head towards the shopping street in front of you!

Shop for Souvenirs and Enjoy All the Great Food That Yunotsubo Street Has to Offer (11:00 am - 2:30 pm)

Yunotsubo Street is a 1km stretch of road with plenty of souvenir stores and many different restaurants to choose from. It’s also full of picturesque buildings, so you can take plenty of photos while you walk around, letting yourself get lost in the beauty of this part of Yufuin. But we understand that doing nothing but shopping can get a little boring, so we’ll also be introducing beautiful photo spots and some fun activities in the area!

Walk Around the Cute Yufuin Floral Village and Imagine You’re in England! (12:00 pm)

Yufuin Floral Village is an amusement facility that has it all: shopping, candy shops, cafes, hotels, you name it! The whole thing has been modeled after the Cotswolds region in England, known for having the most beautiful villages in the world.

There are plenty of great photo spots to choose from here, so make sure you have your camera ready while you shop! The most popular spot around is the beautifully decorated promenade right next to the entrance. Lined with cute shops on both sides, it’s truly something straight out of a Peter Rabbit book. 

The Floral Village has more than just cute shops. It also offers all sorts of fun and excitement, like goats, rabbits, squirrels, and ducks that you’ll find all over the place, which you can pet for free. Feed for the animals costs 100 yen. You won’t be able to stop yourself from smiling while playing with these cute creatures.

Another highlight of the Floral Village is the Owl’s Forest where you can get really close to many different species of these delightful birds. You can just feel that these owls are very well taken care of.

Fans of Harry Potter can also get their picture taken with the owls perched on their arms.

Nearby, you’ll also find the Cheshire Cat’s Forest, a popular cat cafe named after the cat from Alice in Wonderland and styled after the forest that the character lived in. Once you enter it, you will truly feel like you’ve traveled through the looking glass.

The feline staff here are Bengal cats, who walk around the cafe, sleep, and get close to customers. They’ve really gotten used to humans. Cat lovers will love it here, and you can save money by buying a combined Cat’s Forest and Owl’s Forest ticket!

*Note: Please turn your flash OFF when taking pictures and do not pick up the cats.

As we’ve mentioned before, you’ll find many things for sale here, from cute little items to cool antiques at The Hideout! There’s something here for everyone: model cars, antique watches, bags, glasses, hats, and more.

*Note: There is no photography allowed inside The Hideout. We’ve received special permission to take the above pictures.

After a whole day of fun activities, it should be getting close to dinner time, so let’s go find our restaurant.

Discover a Whole New World of Meat at Yufu Mabushi Shin (4:00 pm)

After a short walk, you'll arrive at a place that you simply cannot miss while visiting Yufuin: Mabushi Shin. The restaurant actually has two locations in the city: one in front of the station, and another one at Kinrin Lake. For the purposes of this guide, we decided to check out the main Kinrin Lake location. The restaurant gets really crowded around noon, so you should probably avoid it during that time. Once you’re inside, though, there’s no need to worry about what to order, because you are going to taste the local specialty that you can’t get anywhere else! Let’s go!

The above set is the restaurant’s bestselling Bungo Beef Mabushi (2,700 yen). It’s inspired by Nagoya’s famous hitsumabushi (eel fillets on rice), only with Oita’s Bungo beef instead of eel. The beef is grilled over charcoal and served with an appetizer, pickled vegetables, and red miso soup. It might seem like a lot, but once you finally try it, you’ll be glad that you came here.

With so much food in front of you, you may be worrying about how to go about eating it. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Those who’ve tried hitsumabushi before will know what to do, but for everyone else, there are thankfully signs in English explaining the proper way of enjoying mabushi. We will, of course, explain it in this article as well.

While you wait for the main dish to be ready, enjoy the appetizer. Then, scoop the mabushi out of the pot into your bowl using the shamoji (scoop). After that, there are three ways to eat your meal.

First: Just eat it as it is. Use as much sauce as you want. One bite is enough to get a thorough sense of the flavor from the high-quality Japanese Brown beef, which works so well together with the rice and the red miso soup.

Second: Top your beef and rice with pickles, wasabi, or yuzu pepper. Please note, though, that the vegetables in the pickles may differ depending on the season. When we visited the restaurant, we were served carrots pickled in plum vinegar, cucumbers pickled in salt, and kelp and radish pickled in tamari (sauce made with fermented soy beans). All of the pickles are made in-house from local vegetables.

Third: Pour your soup into the pot and make your own ochazuke (green tea or broth poured on top of rice). This will allow you to scoop out the scorched rice from the bottom, which you can then season however you like with sauce or spices. Those who do not like beef can go with a rabbit or chicken dish instead, which go great with some sake.

A visit to Mabushi Shin allows you to taste the best that Yufuin has to offer, and it will make you want to come back here again and again.

Feel the Calm Wind on Your Face at the Relaxing Kinrin Lake (5:00 pm)

Finally, you'll arrive at the end of Yunotsubo Street and the symbol of Yufuin: Kinrin Lake, a popular foliage-viewing spot. When it gets cold, mist rises from the surface of the lake, creating a fantastical scenery straight out of a dream.

The lake is surrounded by green trees which create amazing views that can be seen from all the restaurants, hotels, and cafes in the area. The lake waters are crystal clear and you can see fish swimming in them. A road goes around the entire lake, so you can admire it from every possible angle. After a long, tiring day, there’s nothing better than strolling around Kinrin, enjoying the cool breeze on your face.

On the opposite side of the lake, you’ll find Tenso Shrine, said to be where the dragon deity of Kinrin lives. Besides a 600-year-old sacred tree, Tenso Shrine is also known for its little torii gate standing above the waters of the lake.

There are still many charming tourist spots and shops that we haven’t seen, so let’s walk down Yunotsubo Street just a little more. The atmosphere around here during the evening hours is really quiet and calming. However, you’ll soon be departing for Kumamoto, so please be mindful of the time. To get to Kumamoto, first ride the Yufuin-no-Mori train, then change to the shinkansen, which should take about 2.5 hours.

So, say goodbye to the charming prefecture of Oita and then get going!

Welcome to Kumamoto, a Land of Nature and History

And finally, you will arrive at the last prefecture in your tour of the island. Kumamoto is located in central Kyushu and boasts such sites as the lively Kumamoto City, the beautiful Aso Kuju National Park, and other tourist spots that you simply must visit. It is also the home of the popular mascot Kumamon.

In 2016, the prefecture was devastated by a massive earthquake, but thanks to the tenacity and the spirit of the locals, plus help from volunteers, the area continues to recover from the calamity. It truly is amazing what humans can accomplish when we work together.

The best way of reaching Kumamoto is via shinkansen. It only takes about 40 minutes to reach JR Kumamoto Station from JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka by bullet train. Access from other stations is also very easy. In any case, it will be quite dark out once you reach Kumamoto, so you should quickly get settled in and get some sleep. Still, though, those who want to experience Kumamoto’s nightlife could check out the following spots.

Shop at Kumamoto’s Lively Shimotori Shintengai Shopping Arcade (8:30 pm)

At Kumamoto’s downtown area, you’ll find three arcades where you can enjoy some shopping. The longest one is the Shimotori Shintengai, conveniently located right across from the Torichosuji tram stop. It’s very easy to find thanks to the LED illumination at the entrance to the street. Once inside, you’ll be met by a lively atmosphere and many shops on both sides of the arcade selling everything from fashion to brand goods, medicine, and souvenirs. It also houses a big shopping mall, so you can find everything you need there!

But Shimotori Shintengai offers so much more than just shops. Travel down its alleys and you will find plenty of restaurants and bars brimming with energy. You can also check out the local karaoke places, game arcades, and a museum. There is something here for everyone. For more shopping destinations, continue walking until you reach the fun Sunroad or the Kamitori Shintengai arcades.

And with this venture into Kumamoto’s nightlife, we end the second day of our tour. It’s time to go to the hotel and get some sleep because tomorrow, you will be enjoying Kumamoto’s breathtaking nature. Look forward to it!

 

Third Day: Aso and Kumamoto’s Magnificent Nature (Course 1) or Out on the Town in Kumamoto (Course 2)