4 Days in Kyushu: Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Mount Aso & Takachiho

Four days in Kyushu makes for a busy road trip, with one day in Fukuoka, one in Kumamoto, one around Mount Aso and Kurokawa Onsen, and one in Takachiho. This route starts in Fukuoka, Kyushu’s main city hub, where you can eat your way through Hakata and the Nakasu yatai, then moves to Kumamoto for the castle, Kumamon Square, basashi, and akagyu beef. 🏯🍜 From there, you’ll trade city time for Mount Aso, Kurokawa Onsen, and the remote mountain scenery around Takachiho. 🌋♨️

We rented a car for our Kyushu trip 🚗, and I recommend doing the same for a four-day route because it makes moving between these areas much easier. Public transportation is possible, especially around Fukuoka and Kumamoto, but the rural sections take longer and need more careful planning. If you want to spend longer in the city before starting the road trip, use my 2-day Fukuoka itinerary or 3-day Fukuoka itinerary. If you have more time, do not try to squeeze every city into these four days! My 5-day Kyushu itinerary adds Yufuin and Beppu, while the 6-day itinerary continues to Kagoshima. Those longer options let you see more of Kyushu without forcing another city into this already fast-paced route.