I will be spending 3 weeks in southern Japan this may (arriving just after Golden week has ended). I have been to Japan several times and have criss-crossed Honshu extensively yet have never set foot on the southern islands (aside from Miyajima).
I am looking for suggestions as to my itinerary. I am a solo traveller and like to walk the less travelled paths although I also enjoy sight-seeing.
Any ideas?
TIA.

Not the favourite author of this forum (even I have to admit that the guy is perhaps a little too familiar with his own anal passage ) but he does have a real love of Shikoku - and puts across a great case for visiting this island.

I'd suggest you read 'Lost Japan' by Alex Kerr

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Japan-Ale.../dp/0864423705

Read it for what it is - a set of deeply personal opinions on the country. And take some of the rantings with a pinch of sacred salt. Mind you, I've found that there is the odd rant in there that I actually agree with!

I'm not sure if I'd enjoy spending too much time with the man, but he is extremely knowledgeable (albeit on occasion there's a strong whiff of arrogance and the strains of repeated trumpet solos) and I've got a lot out of this book. So I can wholeheartedly recommend it - ESPECIALLY for someone keen to visit Shikoku (not that I've been myself... yet)

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Alan Booth is a much more companiable author (although sadly no longer with us) and a part of his Lost Journeys Through a Vanishing Japan describes a trek through Kyushu in the footsteps of General Saigo. (The book covers several of these journeys which are themed on historical characters - so be warned that the section on Kyushu is only about a quarter of the book).
Alan Booth is probably one of my favourite contemporary writers on Japan, and all his books are both enlightening and a joy to read.

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And to quickly get a feel of the 'folk religions', i.e. the sort of beliefs held by many who constructed most of the older temples and shrines you'll come across in rural areas, why not read 'Kwaidan' by Lafcadio Hearn?
The tales are neither Shinto nor Buddhist, but showcase some of the stories and superstitions that sprang from people who held these beliefs. Many of them are still told today. I re-read them from time to time, and the more I get to know Japan, the more creepy and sinister some of those old tales become.

You can download the book for free here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1210
You may need to scroll down a fair way to get to Lafcadio's introduction and the stories themselves.

Nearly forgot - when you see badgers mentioned, scrub it out. There aren't any badgers in Japan. The word should be 'tanuki' also translated as 'racoon-dog'.

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I'll let other forum members get on with giving you some useful and relevant information for your trip rather than just this theoretical background nonsense

In Kyushu, Nagasaki city is gorgeous, but not a lot of night life. Kumamoto is fun, as well as Kagoshima.

Are you renting a car? JapanRail Pass?

Definitelt try to get to Mt Aso at some point. There are some lovely spots in Kyushu. I think there's some old bloke lurking in this forum who might know more than me though.
On Shikoku try and get to Kochi on a Sunday for the market. Never failed to enjoy myself there. The coast from Matsuyama all the way around to Kochi city is quite nice. Cape Sada has some choice views. Think about renting a car.

really cheap fares for May to FUK right now on star alliance. I think we're about to commit to a week or so in Kyushu.

BTW: be sure to take the high speed boat to Busan for a day.

My favorite parts of Kyushu were the city of Nagasaki, which has a fascinating history that goes way back beyond the atomic bombing, and Mount Aso, which is a train + bus journey out of Kumamoto.

First, if by "walking the less traveled paths," you mean "hiking around", I'd recommend picking up (if you can find a copy, it seems to be out of print) Lonely Planet's Hiking in Japan. Lonely Planet's guides range from good to awful, but this one was a good pick.


I went to Kyushu last August (and the weather was quite nice and not hot, thank you). Here's my thoughts:

• Nagasaki was very nice, and great for walking around. However, I think we literally went just overnight - it's not a big city, and you can really see all the big sights all in one day/night. It's beautiful, though, and the atomic bomb "areas" are haunting - and I think it's a better memorial area than was Hiroshima, but that's because it seems to be less "tourist-y", almost. But once you've gone to the museum, to the "eyeglass bridge," had your bowl of Nagasaki champon, and ridden the gondola to the top of the mountain...it's pretty much over - I'd say it's the equivalent of a cruise-stop in the Caribbean for most people (and it is a cruise-stop for several lines, actually).
• Fukuoka (Hakata) is pretty great. It's not "pretty" like Nagasaki, but if you like eating, the nighttime food stalls (yattai) may make it the greatest place in Japan. It's a bigger city - with a greater "international" flair than Nagasaki, so it's got a better population for going out and just meeting people, if that's your thing. It's also famous for Hakata Ramen, which is delicious. There's a number of interesting temples, and it's fairly close to the old shrine/temple city of Dazaifu. It's also the closest place to Korea, and I am fairly sure it's from where the high-speed ferry to Busan leaves.
• Beppu, on the other side of Kyushu, is famous for hot springs. I didn't go there (but mainly because it was August, and I went to the beach instead, heh). If you're looking to relax in Kyushu, it's probably the place to go. You can also visit the "hell springs" there, which are not for bathing - they're for looking at.

I don't know enough about Shikoku, but I've heard that Kochi is supposed to be beautiful. And if you really want to go off the beaten path - and you're REALLY HARDCORE - you can hike or bike (or yes, take a bus) the 993 mile Shikoku Pilgrimage.

Is the "walk" part above figurative or literal? If literal then look no further than the 100 temple walk/hike around Shikoku. Figurative then look no further than Kyushu. I recently spotted a bus pass for "Q Shoe" called the Sun Q pass:

http://www.rakubus.jp/service/images...i/sunq_eng.pdf

Seem very popular with Chinese and Korean tourists.....

You could also get a JR Q Shoe pass:
http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/kyushu_railpass.html

Places to see:Fukuoka:
Fukuoka City/ Dazaifu Tenmangu& Kyushu National Museum/Yanagawa/Mojiko Retro town and the Fish Market in Shimonseki across the straight/Hawks Baseball game (if that's your thing).

Kumamoto: Yamaga for local onsen experience/ Kikuchi gorge/ Mt. Aso/ Kumamoto Castle/ Kurokawa Spa/ Minami Oguni.

Saga: Yoshinogari/ Ureshino/Karatsu/ Imari-Arita for porceline and beef/ Yobuko for squid.

Nagasaki: Mt. Unzen& Shimabara peninsula/Unzen park/ Nagasaki City/Bomb museum and peace park/China town/Grover Garden/Huis Ten Bosch theme park/Sasebo for it's American influence.

Kagoshima: Kagoshima city/Sakurajima(Japan's most volatile volcanoe)/Imo Shochu/Kirishima area lots of spas and natural food.

Miyazaki: Nice beaches/Takachiho.

Oita: Yufuin/Kuju area for spas and beautiful countryside.......Just on the other side of Mt.Aso. Great drive from Beppu via Yufuin to Aso on the Yamanami Highway. Best train trips from Beppu to Kumamoto(across the top of Kyushu), Beppu to Hakata(via Kurume/Hita).
Kuju area for natural food. Beppu one of the oldest resorts on the island(seen better days IMO) but the tourists seem to enjoy it.

Seriously though, it may not be your kind of thing, but the Shu Uemura Spa at the Southern tip of Shikoku is fantastic. Great whale restaurants nearby too.

I've not been to Shikoku, but have been to Kyushu several times.

In Fukuoka, the dozens of nighttime food carts (yatai) that set up along the river near Nakasu are nice for enjoying a meal a dish or two at each stop. I enjoyed visiting Kumamoto Castle (it was at the height of cherry-blossom season though), and Kagoshima was interesting incl the volcano (sort of like Naples I guess)

See?!? I did warn that Kerr Sama wasn't too popular around here

But I've never seen anyone else (in English) describe the 88 temple Shikoku pilgrimage so thoroughly or with so much passion. He certainly made me want to do embark on this journey (something I hope to do once I'm a real obachan with more time on her hands - you can be sure I'll be wearing the traditional travelling gear)

So as to avoid being banned for profanity, let me say the following: ****, ******, *******, *********.

Re-write in Japanese then only a few of us can read it!

OK, scrub the passion bit out. You've now reached the top of that list!

Have you met the guy? Is he as insufferable as his self grandesizing (sp?) prose suggests? I want to hear the gossip!!!

It's aggrandising.

Yes I've met him. And stayed at his house. But as they say, what happens under the thatch stays under the thatch.