Does anyone have any advice about the best option to booking a one way flight from PUS to KIX?

Many websites don't allow bookings that orginiate out of the US and I'm not sure how to go about it.

TIA!

I don't know if it might be possible through http://www.jtbusa.com/
or also look at HIT travel, we didn't use them in the end, but their web site is clear and my emails answered promptly [email protected] - home site http://www.hittravel.co.jp/index.php?lang=ENG
Perhaps KimJapan will be able to comment on this.
However, in the end we used the JR Kyushu Beetle (a kind of hydrofoil) to go from Fukuoka to Busan, a 3hr journey & was very good & worked out cheaper then the flights.

The route seems to be flown by both Korean Airline and JAL. You might also want to check HIS travel agent. They're based in Japan but I believe have branches in N.America.

H.I.S. Travel does have locations in the USA. Asiana Airlines has a nonstop on that route. ANA has connections.

There are ferry boats from Pusan to Japan. Fukuoka for example.

I've sent an email to HIT. Just saw that there's a branch in LA.

Meanwhile, is it worth taking the hydrofoil in terms of cost vs total travel time?

Janev, can you tell me about your experience using the beetle?

The Beetle was fine.
Like you I had been looking at a cheap way to go from Japan to Korea and then I saw the Beetle. I booked the tickets online well beforehand. This may not be necessary, but I think lots of young people use the Beetle to make visa runs Korea to Japan (from what I had read) & thought it might be full.
We stayed overnight in Hakata-Fukuoka and then in the morning took the local bus to the port. We had had a hire car and so checked out the port location etc. the day before. We also left our big rucksack in one of the port lockers so that we didn't need to lug it to the port in the morning on the bus. We had no problems at all - just we did change all of our yen to won & then at the desk had to buy a tax (I guess similar to when you fly out of a country) & wished we had some yen - but no problem we just handed them our credit card & although it was quite a small amount they didn't mind. You get a seat allocation for the Beetle - the clerk asked where we wanted to sit & I just asked her to choose what she thought was good, as we had no idea. We did get on the boat quickly - a good idea as they have a limited sort of storage area & this filled quickly! Some people had lots of things & although we had a really big rucksack some women seemed that they imported things to Korea and had loads!!! So we got in place (seating layout similar to an aircraft) & set off. Its a hydrofoil type ship & although it was bad weather & we were delayed by about 30mins out stomachs were fine!
At the other end we just walked off & it wasn't that far to the underground.

Sorry - I didn't answer on the question of time & it being worthwhile. This was our 2nd holiday in Japan & we were happy to see something of Kyushu & really enjoyed Kurokawa & from there it was easy to Hakata/Fukuoka. If you are only visiting Tokyo/north Japan then it may not be so worthwhile.

From internet research, here are my guesstimates, broken down.

Flight:
PUS-KIX 9:30-10:50 am
then wait for luggage/clear customs
poss catch 11:46-1:01 train to Kyoto
(is that enough time, realistically?)
otherwise 12:16-1:31
-------------------
Arrive Kyoto between 1-2pm

vs

Hydrofoil:
Beetle PUS to Hakata 8:30-11:25 am
clear customs
11:54 or 12:28 Nozomi to Kyoto get in 2:45pm or 3:07pm
(again, is this enough time, realistically?)
-------------------------------
arrive Kyoto 3pm

Does that look right?

About how long does it take to get luggage and clear customs at KIX vs the port?

Our main goal- cut down travel time if there's enough difference and go with the option that involves less hassles.

By the way, as far as expenses- it looks like it's about $200 total diff of flying vs hydrofoiling for us. We're happy to spend it if one option is far better than the other.

That is not enough time to connect from the boat to the train. The boat arrives at Fukuoka port and you would have to take a bus to Hakata station.