OK I think I understand now- guide-lines for visitors and visiting residents are different.

I see the process on AAA which seems simple enough. We have traveled a good bit around the world and driven but have never had to get an international driving permit before.

Thanks for all the good advice.

okoshi2002 - Car ferry to Yakushima takes 4hours and cost about US$300 for a car each way. Makes no sense for a visitor.

kalihiwai2 - Renting a car and driving in Japan isn't much different from other countries. With two main things that's a bit unique. One, as already mentioned, is that find out the land line phone number of the business and attractions you're going to. That's they easiest way to enter destinations in the GPS of the car. Second, rental company will give you a map of the gas stations near your car return location - you need to go to one of those shown on the map, and have the gas station sign a form saying they fill up the gas tank.

kalihiwai2 Already has it, no test needed!

Thanks for all the input.

Now that I am looking more closely at the logistics I think it may be most reasonable for us to fly into Fukuoka, spend a night and catch the shinkansen to Kagoshima on our first leg, catch a hydrofoil to Yakushima, rent a car on Yakushima for 4-5 days, then return via Kagoshima again by hydrofoil, and on to Kumamoto to reach Kurokawa by bus, and spend 2 nights. Thereafter we can reach Yafuin hopefully by another bus and spend another 2 nights before returning to Fukuoka.

Is catching the Yafuin No Mori back to Fukuoka worthwhile ? Would it be anticlimatic on a return trip ?

Should we spend a day in Kagoshima or go directly to Yakushima ?

Thank you.

Sounds like a good working plan.
IMHO
To make suggestions....., plan on 2 nights per transit city, at least on arrival or departure leg.
Each transit city, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, have enough to enjoy for extra day
Extra night in Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Kagoshima would give time to see sights Fukuoka (Dazaifu/Kyushu National Museum,
Kumamoto Castle/Suizenji,
Kagoshima Senganin/Sakurajima.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4850.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4501.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4602.htm

3 nights on Yakushima should be enough.
Looks like a great trip
Have fun

okoshi2002, regarding your question about Kagoshima, I spent four nights there in 2014. Although I did not find it to be a particularly charming city, I would recommend you spend at least a day sightseeing there, as long you are there anyway. I like the fish market in Kagoshima--it is more intimate and more interesting than the one in Tokyo, and I ended up with a private tour. I would also recommend taking the ferry over to the volcano--you can buy a "Cute Pass" for the day for about $10 at the ferry station. The pass allows you to take a little bus tour of the island, and then afterwards, you can soak your feet in the foot baths there, or walk along the little foots paths. Next, you can use the fun pass to travel on the city buses to other sites around the city. I also did a day trip to a Satsuma sake factory, and I went to the city of Chiran to see the Kamakaze museum there.

You also asked about Fukuoka. I stayed there for three nights at the beginning of my trip. The city itself is a snooze, but I took two day trips from there. One day, I went south to Daizufu Temple, and the national museum, and another day, I went north to Mojiko and Shimonoseki. I highly recommend both day trips.

Wow so many good suggestions ! I wish I had 3 weeks to spend rather than just 2 ! It sounds like I should add a day in Kagoshima and Kumamoto. I agree that two days in cities of transit is a good idea. I appreciate all these ideas.

I found Kumamoto to be a quite beautiful city. I spent a day there visiting the castle and its surroundings, and another day, I went on an excursion to Amakusa Island via bus. On the island, I went on a dolphin cruise, and I visited a pottery artisan. I like Kumamoto and its surrounding sites.

Where do you recommend to lodge in Kumamoto and Kagoshima ? We are OK with small simple hotels that are conveniently located since we are splurging in other locales.

In Kagoshima, I stayed at the Sun Days Inn, and it was top notch for a budget hotel. It is quite new, the location is good, and the service is superb. I wrote to the concierge well in advance of my trip, and he gave me prompt and wonderful advice. I told him of my arrival time, and he waited at the hotel to greet me. All in all, a great hotel for the price.

In Kumamoto, I stayed at the Kumamoto Green Hotel/Comfort Inn:
http://www.green-comfort.jp/
It's also a budget hotel, but at the time, there was only wifi in the lobby, and not in the rooms. It was clean, and the location was good. For the price, it was nice, but not spectacular. It was the best I found in the price range.

In Kumamoto we stayed at the Comfort Inn Shinshigai.
For Kumamoto remember that the downtown is a ways from the JR Station.
We took a cab downtown, you can walk to the castle and shopping is close, also we left from the bus station here to Kurokawa.
It looks like Kyushu is popular this fall as a lot of the hotels seem to be filling up in October.
In Kagoshima we stayed at the Dormy Inn. We like this chain and I'd consider it for Kumamoto and Fukuoka if available.
In Fukuoka the Dormy Inn Premium is right next to Canal City, and walking distance to downtown sights.

In Kumamoto we were at the Dormy Inn, very happy with our choice. Easy to get to via a bus from the train station, and well located too.

Here's another vote for the Dormy Inns. It's a rock solid chain of budget hotels that give lots of bang for your buck.

I stayed at the Dormy Inn Hakata Gion, in the city of Fukuoka. Although the hotel was a bit "tired" looking, I like the location within a 10 minute walk to the bus/train station complex.

The Dormy Inns have free onsen, complimentary ramen at 9 PM, and a gigantic breakfast buffet that looks light it's straight out of Las Vegas, Japanese style. They serve many regional dishes at the buffet. Our Japanese exchange student was born in Fukuoka, so he told me what to eat in Fukuoka--yum!

I too like Dormy Inns, especially for the onsens which most seem to have. I stayed at a super one in Matsumoto.

I am planning a trip to Kyushu in Nov. and Dormy Inns do not appear in Kyushu on booking.com for Nov. I don't know if it is because it is too early or if they are in fact booked.

shelleyk - I'm in the minority of posters here in that I always book directly with the hotels. I typically get a better rate, and I like the idea of the hotel not having to pay commission.

Here is the email address for the Dormy Inn Hakata Gion:

[email protected]

The other Dormy Inns use the same format. For example, here is the email address I used for the Dormy Inn Matsue:

[email protected]

You get the idea. And they always do write back. I usually book months in advance, and then I pester them endlessly with sightseeing questions.

Sorry to the op for changing the direction of the thread here...

Thank you so much for the links. I had no idea you could book directly with Dormy Inn. I Googled them and did not come up with an email address. So thanks again for this helpful information.

I appreciate everybody's help.

Can somebody comment on getting from Kurokawa to Yufuin ? One ryokan is accessed via Yunohira Station and the other via Yufuin Station. Is one more convenient than the other ?

Thanks.