Tips for our Nagasaki trip (22-29 Dec)?

Hi everyone!

Currently I'm living in Kobe as an exchange student until late January together with my girlfriend. We've been here since late August and started our study programme, after a two week holiday in Northern Japan, late September. Now we're getting to the best part of our stay here, with a two weeks Christmas break and a lot of free time in January once our regular classes are over.

A couple of months ago, we already decided to visit Nagasaki during the holidays, mainly because we want to see the Nagasaki Peace Park (Hiroshima was very impressive) and Huis Ten Bosch (we're Dutch after all). However, we have a bit of a problem. At first, Gunkanjima and Mt. Unzen were also part of our travel schedule, but apparently Gunkanjima has been closed due to typhoon damage. And Mt. Unzen, sadly, seems unreachable with public transportation (the study abroad agreement forbids us to rent a car whilst in Japan).

We decided to reduce our nights in Nagasaki from 6 to 5 and add 2 nights in Kitakyushu, mainly to visit Beppu (instead of Unzen) from there, since we're very interested in the vulcanic 'hells':

22-12: Travel from Kobe (Hankyu Rokko station) to Nagasaki, + Glover Garden
23-12: Peace Park, A-bomb Museum and Mt. Inasa in Nagasaki
24-12: Dejima, Dutch Slope and Chinatown in Nagasaki
25-12: Huis ten Bosch
26-12: ???
27-12: Travel to Kitakyushu, ???
28-12: Beppu
29-12: Return to Kobe

At this point, we still have free time remaining in our schedule. I was wondering if any of you have experience travelling around these parts of Japan and would be able to give us some advice on where to go? I've marked them with '???' in the schedule above.

We're thinking of visiting Omura of Iojima on the 26st, but aren't quite convinced if this is a good idea yet. Another day in Nagasaki would also be okay. As for Kitakyushu on the 27st, the city seems a bit boring to be honest and we'd like to know if it's worthwhile to spend the day there.

Looking forward to your recommendations!

26/12 Nagasaki Bio Park scratching Capybaras and associated animals. Awesome!

Yufuin? Fukyoka?

Thanks for the tips!

The Bio Park looks very nice, but also kind of difficult to reach without a car.

Fukuoka is actually is pretty good idea to explore on the travel day to Kitakyushu. Might be a lot more interesting to visit.

Cheers, you get to the BioPark by shuttle from the dutch park thing at Huis Ten Bosch and another hotel https://capybaraworld.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/how-to-get-to-nagasaki-...

I'd suggest taking the 45-minute shuttle bus to Nakasaki Bio Park from the entrance to Huis Ten Bosch. (The shuttle bus also runs from a nearby hotel, but it's much easier to access the bus stop at the Huis Ten Bosch entrance than the hotel one.)

You have to book the bus in advance. I'd recommend taking the first bus out and the second bus back, or the second bus out and the third bus back. (I.e. don't spend the whole six hours there.) The bus ride is quite scenic, and is part of the fun of a visit there.

Sasabo, an old port city just up the coast from Huis Ten Bosch, might be worth a daytime visit as well. The town itself isn't much but you can take boat cruises leaving from the port area.

...and a fun fact, on the way (from Huis Ten Bosch to the Bio Park) you go past 3 enormous spires that look to be about 15 stories tall. I was intrigued by them and it seemed from my googling that they are the transmission towers that sent the "Tora! Tora! Tora!" orders to attack Pearl Harbour. I think that is at Sasebo, they are quite fascinating to see from a distance because they are so tall and thin.

Sounds like you have your trip planned out pretty good.

I would just stay at a ryokan (with a hot springs) and relax for the day.

For more information visit https://www.go-a2b.com/

Thanks for the tips! We might do the Bio Park

The bio park is too far away from Kokura to do as a day trip.

If you visit there. I'd suggest staying overnight in Nagasaki. Since you are visiting Nagasaki also.

^ if you had actually read TO's post, you would know that they're staying in Nagasaki for 5 nights.

Yeah you can go from Huis Ten Bosch and visit then get to Nagasaki by bus from the park, fom memory. When you go, make sure to go into the big building outside of the front gate. That is absolutely jammed packed full of animals, I had a marmoset on my shoulder that i could barely stand walking away from, there are owls and all sorts of exotics, it was like being Snow White except as a 50 year old guy it is more Snow Silver than white...

Yes, PAW (Pet Animal World) at the front entrance to Nagasaki Bio Park is a lot of fun. It's a separate admission fee, but pretty reasonably priced.

I was just there recently and I didn't see any available buses to Nagasaki from the park. The only park-run shuttle bus I'm aware of travels back and forth from Huis Ten Bosch.

(I did see privately tour buses in the parking lot, so maybe there are other ways to get there from Nagasaki City via third-party services, but they're not obvious.)

Cheers, look at us working out the OP's travel! Just googling it, from the visit-nagasaki website it was "From Nagasaki Bus Terminal, take the bus headed for Ogushi (大串）
*Depending on the time, you may have to change buses at Togitsu Bus Terminal, or alight at Futamata (二股) bus stop in Kamedake (亀岳) and walk (approx. 10 minute walk - follow the animal signs)

To return to Nagasaki City, it's better to catch a bus from Futamata bus stop as more buses stop here than the ones that go all the way into the Bio Park. Look for the buses with 長崎バスターミナル (Nagasaki Bus Terminal) to get back to Nagasaki City.

Free shuttle bus from Huis Ten Bosch also available *reservation required

Please see the access page on the Nagasaki Bio Park Official Website for more details"

it all looked complicated to me at the time so I went back to Huis Ten Bosch and caught the train around to Nagasaki which I thought was going to be a really pretty trip along the coastline but it was a bit average.

Cheers, you get to the BioPark by shuttle from the dutch park thing at Huis Ten Bosch and another hotel https://allicdata.com

I'd also say skip Kitakyushu. Together with seeing Shimonoseki for a day, it is not bad, but there are better places to see.
One place not mentioned is the Yutoku Inari Shrine. It is simply wonderful to walk through - similar to a point to Fushimi Inari but without the huge crowds.
https://youtu.be/2UU_1Aip_l4

Another possibility is Sasebo - the island cruise can be very relaxing.
http://travel.sasebo99.com/en/99islands.php

Fukuoka City also has a number of good places, and you can board the bullet train from there.
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html
http://bit.ly/1KAm8cU