Kyushu 3 Nights 4 Days: Nagasaki - Yufuin - Beppu - Fukuoka
A travelogue of four men visiting Fukuoka, covering Nagasaki, Yufuin, Beppu, and Fukuoka over 3 nights and 4 days.
Nagasaki
One unexpectedly delightful spot in Nagasaki was Huis Ten Bosch. The admission fee for adults is quite steep at 7,300 yen per day, but the interior is designed in a Dutch style, meticulously replicating the atmosphere of Europe rather than being hastily put together. It genuinely felt like being in Europe. When we visited, there were quite a few Japanese middle and high school students on what seemed to be school trips, indicating that this place is popular not only among Koreans but also locals. Besides, there are numerous attractions inside, and the beautifully blooming flowers made every step enjoyable. However, the price is a bit high; I’d consider revisiting if it were around 50,000 won. For dining in Nagasaki, I strongly recommend Katsushika. It’s a must-try. The gyukatsu, minced katsu, and hire katsu are delicious in that order.
Hita
The small town of Hita offers a subtle glimpse into the streets of old Japan. The rain added to the charm, making it a surprisingly memorable city. I highly recommend the cheese roll cake at Mameda Roll Sui Café.
Yufuin
Yufuin is so famous that it hardly needs an introduction. I recommend visiting the Ghibli Street there.
Beppu
Beppu is renowned for its hot springs. We only visited Umi Jigoku, but it was worth the admission fee. The weather also played a part in enhancing the experience. We went to Hyotan Onsen, and since it was the off-season, there weren’t many people. It features open-air baths, and the waterfall-like streams in one of the baths provided a full-body massage, which was fantastic. However, I was disappointed that the milk vending machine was out of stock, and there weren’t many milk vending machines installed in the first place.
Fukuoka
No matter where you go, Fukuoka is full of romance and great food. For yakitori, I recommend Torikawa Yaki Ku in Fukuoka. They have Korean menus, the staff are very friendly, and some of them speak a bit of Korean, making it a good place for beginners to try yakitori. Overall, the yakitori dishes were all delicious.