Hmmm, not sure. Other than the Hells, I remember it as quite an unattractive city, though of course you have good access to restaurants. I'd probably choose elsewhere, but not sure where...

Wondering where you ended up going and how your experience was? I will be going to Fukuoka in early August for a little over a week (I have to be in Fukuoka on the 2nd, 6th and 8th and leave from Tokyo on the 10th) and really would like to do a few trips around Kyushu. Thanks in advance!

our trip is in the fall. Tentative plans are fly to Nagasaki from Tokyo. Train to Fukuoka. Pick up a car and drive around. We�ll stop in Kumamoto area. Also stay in the Yufin area. From there its to the coast maybe Ninchin. Down to krishima Park. Finally we�ll ferry to Yakoshima. Enjoy your time.

My apologies! I have been reading too many threads. I thought you had planned on a trip last October. I will at least be able to give you some tips then when I return!

My Kyushu bucket list which I will hopefully get to soon includes Nagasaki and Kumamoto. Nagasaki for it’s historic importance as one of the few authorized foreign trade ports with the West. Kumamoto to visit the grave of Miyamoto Musashi, perhaps the most famous samurai in Japanese history.

It is often the case, a place draws different travelers for different reasons. I went to Nagasaki to visit Glover Garden and eat Nagasaki Castella cake (長崎蛋糕). Golver Garden, because it was the setting for the story of Puccini’s opera Madam Butterfly, where Cho-Cho san could see ships coming into the harbor from a hilltop. Nagasaki Castella cake, because it was a special treat when I grew up as a kid. (Of course, the Nagasaki Castella cake I ate back then were not made in Nagasaki, but were made from the same recipe.)

Kumamoto-jo, not only because it is one of the top 3 castles in Japan, but it was also the place where the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi ( 宮本武藏 ) spent the last 5 years of his life. Miyamoto Musashi came to Kumamoto in 1640 when he was 57 years old. He stayed for 5 years until he died in 1645. curiousgeo, I do not know Musashi's grave can be visited.

Aug 6 will be the a-bomb anniversary in Hiroshima which is about an hour by shinkansen from Fukuoka (Hakata).

Aug 9, one of your free days, is the Nagasaki anniversary. Only two hours on Kamome Limited Express - this train is a treat.

I would hope to go to Unzen Onsen. I couldn't get a ryokan there last time, so I went to Beppu. Also on my bucket list are Shimabara and Saga (one of the three famous pottery towns). Saga has flights to Tokyo.

Thank you for the suggestions! I am looking for a peaceful and restful spot after Aug 2 ( I am doing an open water swim in Fukuoka) and Unzen Onsen looks lovely. It looks like I can head over to see Nagasaki after that and be back to Fukuoka on the 5th (I realize I will miss the anniversary on the 9th).

So you will be there after the aquatics champships. Hopefully you will be able to leave Fukuoka by early afternoon on Aug 2nd and get to Unzen Onsen that afternoon. There is a ropeway and some geothermal stuff to see as well as onsen visits. Leave late afternoon or evening the next day for Nagasaki maybe in time for dinner at Dejima Wharf. You want to visit Glover Garden and take the Nagasaki Ropeway as well as the A-bomb site, Dejima. So, two nights there and leave for Fukuoka later afternoon on the 5th.

Or, two nights Unzen but leave early for Nagasaki and spend one night there. But if you only have two nights visiting both would be pushing it.

Thank you!

We ended up going to Nagasaki by train from Fukuoka and stayed two nights there. Really enjoyed Nagasaki a lot. All to our other plans ended up not working out because the heat was so intense while we were in Kyushu, and also the typhoon. Headed back to Fukuoka for several more days. We left Fukuoka by train instead of plane to Tokyo (again typhoon) and spent three nights there and two in Kyoto before the typhoon came that way. Out just in time.

Thanks for reporting back. Did you do the swim? How was it?

I saw on the other thread that the heat/humidity messed up your plans. Am hoping there was a sea breeze that made Nagasaki easier to take. Were you there on the 9th?

Glad you got to Tokyo before they shut down the shinansen and out of Japan before the typhoon.

A few days after your last post, I booked a flight to Fukuoka and have a night booked at Unzen Onsen. Also have reservations in Ureshino Onsen, Yufuin Onsen, and Kurokawa Onsen. Yes, I like visiting onsen. Then fly from Kumamoto to Akita for Bunka no Hi, then somewhere, then Nyuto Onsen (to stay this time), then Tokyo.

yestravel, it is time to book your HND-NGS flight if you haven't already. Maybe we can have a gtg in Fukuoka if you are there Oct 26-28.

Using miles on JAL or ANA for HND->NGS would work. I would prefer flights operated by those carriers (rather than J-Air or ANA Wings or Ibex), but I am picky (flew Nagoya to Nagasaki on one of those affiliates and there was so little room in my bulkead seat that I had to put my knees up the wall, knees higher than the level of my seat).
Japan domestic flights - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (fodors.com)

mrwunrfl- sounds like a nice trip.
I redid our trip. We’ll only be in Tokyo for five days ant the start of the trip. We’ll end in Kyoto and fly home from Osaka. sorry I will miss a gtg with you. We’re going to spend the rest of it in Taiwan. Been there?

not yet
sounds fun, have a great trip
Taiwan is popular among Japanese, apparently. Culturally sympatico, i think

any recommendation Osaka? We�ve not been there.

We are heading to Taiwan this year, for 3 weeks. We did 5 nights there several years ago!

Yes I did do the swim! Thank you for asking. It was quite the experience of swimming an ocean 3K, it was a very hot day and the sea was warm and choppy.
We were not down in Nagasaki on the 9th. We went down before and there was a lot of preparation happening. I'm glad we didn't go the 9th because they moved the ceremonies indoors because of the typhoon. We stayed in Chinatown at a hotel that had a lovely Onsen on the highest floor with a beautiful view of the city. I bet you would have liked it! Your trip plans sound wonderful.
I really regret not being able to explore Japan as much as we had wanted to do to the Heat. But we ate well and did as much as we could. We will get back another day. Thanks for all of your advice.

Yes, we have msg'd on Nick's blog. I dont belive we will be in the same place on the same days. We arrive in Taipei on 11 Oct.

Kavey!
Hi Kavey

Visit Osaka-jo Koen (Osaka Castle Park). Enter from, IIRC, the southwest corner of the park at the main entrance so that you will approach the castle from the front. I suggest going on a weekend day. Visit the castle - it is like a nice local museum inside - Osaka has some history. The castle has elevators.

Read about the history of the castle. You can find some arwork that depicts the siege and dramatic destruction of the castle. I forget if it was the first or second destruction that was a pivotal event in Japanese history. I think it was destroyed a third time in WW2.

Leave the park by going around the left of the castle to get to JR Osakajokoen station. Just before the station, on your left, is a small arena. See if there is an event going on (maybe plan for it in advance). I entered the park from that JR station (which you should not do) and it was pouring rain. There was something going on at that arena, and I couldn't figure out what it was, but I bought a ticket to get out of the rain. I thought: 'ok, surprise me'. It was a high school cheerleading competition! The teams were in the concourse waiting for their turns, very colorful and kawaii. The team performances were fun to watch while I dried out.

Definitely try Osaka-style okonomiyaki (in fact, I suggest you send an e-mail to concierge at osakawestin dot com or maybe osakawestinghotel and simply as for a recco, they gave me a good one). I have mentioned before, and maybe you know, the saying that Kyoto-jin love fashion and Osaka-jin love food (or put another way it is how they spend their money - on fashion or food). Osaka-jin are said to be friendly and they have their own dialect so it would be good to learn some words/phrases to use.

If you choose to go to the bunraku theater then definitely just go for the short show. They had headsets with English translation that I did not find useful, but maybe that was a one-off. I was jet-lagged so didn't get as much out the experience as I might have.

See if Spa World interests you. I just went for a soak but saw that there was more going on in the building that looked like fun.

At the bus center, you could take an onsen bus. One goes to Arima Onsen which is not far. Another goes to Kinosaki Onsen which is farther and absolutely worth an overnight. I think either one can be used for a day trip.