Updated on April 16, 2019

ESPAÑOL

Takachiho Town, famous because of its beautiful gorge, is in the north of Miyazaki prefecture, in center-east Kyushu. However, it is easier to get there from the neighboring prefecture of Kumamoto.

Getting there is less complicated than it seems, but the truth is that, in a country where one immediately becomes accustomed to have a shinkansen to go and buy bread, vicissitudes such as having to change trains and then change to a bus, coordinating that there is only one in the morning to go and another in the afternoon to return, they seem as a little odyssey.

There are more than 30 hotels and restaurants for those interested in overnight stays, usually to watch the Yokagura.

BUS

FROM FUKUOKA

Direct bus:

• It leaves Hakata Station and passes by Tenjin bus terminal, both in Fukuoka.
• Operated in combination by Miyazaki Kotsu and Nishitetsu Bus Co. Coaches with toilet.
• Price (adult):
  • One way: 4020 ¥.
  • Round trip: 7200 ¥.
• Tickets can be purchased in advance on their official website, just USE THIS LINK.
• Continues to Nobeoka, but you can not buy the Takachiho – Nobeoka route in Takachiho.

Hakata	>	Takachiho		Takachiho	>	Hakata
8:25	>	11:44		9:00	>	12:17
10:25	>	13:44		11:10	>	14:27
15:50	>	19:09		16:40	>	19:57
17:50	>	21:09		18:40	>	21:57

It is the main transport. They are slow, since they circulate in mountain roads, and infrequent, reason why they are usually quite full, not by tourists, but by locals.

FROM KUMAMOTO

Express bus Kumamoto – Nobeoka:

• The majority of tourists will use this option, since it is the most convenient if you intend to go from the usual tourist spots in Kyushu, usually Beppu, Mount Aso, Kumamoto or Fukuoka.
• There are two companies that operate in combination: Kyushu Sanko (if the ticket is bought in Kumamoto prefecture) and Miyazaki Kotsu (if it is bought in Miyazaki).
• Tickets can be purchased in advance on their official website, just USE THIS LINK.

  

  They are also purchased at bus stations or on the bus itself, first come first served. The exact amount must be given; if you do not have it, the buses are equipped with machines that give change (bank notes over 5000 ¥ are not accepted). You can not buy return ticket, yo must buy two one-way tickets, one to go, and one to go back, so if you didn’t book on advance, as you jump off the bus in Takachiho, you should go buy your ticket back to Kumamoto, because people who stayed overnight in Takachiho would have bought their tickets early in the morning and the bus may be full.

• Price per trip:
  • Kumamoto-Takachiho: ¥ 2370 (round trip 4110 ¥).
  • Nobeoka-Takachiho: 1790 ¥.
• If this express bus is full, there are 4 slow buses a day to Takamori, closest to Takachiho; being the bus full, from there you’ll have to carry on by taxi.
• There are more intermediate stops than the ones that appear in the following table, but only those of main interest are mentioned. For full schedule, click here:

Kumamoto-Nobeoka Line (from 04/01/2019)	First bus	Second (last) bus
Kumamoto JR Station (bus stop #3)	9:11	15:31
Kumamoto Kotsu Center (near the Castle) (bus stop #6)	9:22	15:42
Kumamoto-Aso Airport	10:08	16:28
Takamori Chuo	11:02	17:22
TAKACHIHO	12:23	18:43
Nobeoka	13:33	19:53

Nobeoka-Kumamoto Line (from 04/01/2019)	First bus	Second (last) bus
Nobeoka	7:30	15:45
TAKACHIHO	8:27	16:42
Takamori Chuo	9:48	18:03
Kumamoto-Aso Airport	10:56	19:11
Kumamoto Kotsu Center (near the Castle) (bus stop #6)	11:41	19:56
Kumamoto JR Station (bus stop #3)	11:49	20:04

FROM NOBEOKA

Thre’s a second option from Nobeoka: Local bus Nobeoka-Takachiho:

• The most convenient option for those who want to recreate themselves on the quiet and beautiful east coast of Kyushu.
• It is not an express service, so it has many intermediate stops (which are not reflected in the table) and takes a lot of time.
• It costs the same as the express, 1790 ¥. There is a one-day pass for 1800 ¥ which allows unlimited travel throughout Miyazaki prefecture; for 10 ¥ more we will have round trip and we can continue using the pass until midnight on other buses. Can be bought at bus stations.
• * Indicates the old, slowest route. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays there is neither the first nor the last bus.

 

Nobeoka	>	Takachiho		Takachiho	>	Nobeoka
6:20*	>	7:50		5:24	>	6:35
6:40	>	7:59		6:00*	>	7:30
7:30	> Express	8:31		7:35	>	8:54
8:45*	>	10:15		8:15*	>	9:45
10:00*	>	11:30		9:00	>	10:19
11:00	>	12:19		10:30	>	11:49
11:45	>	13:04		12:09	> Express	13:07
12:40*	>	14:10		12:25*	>	13:55
13:45	>	15:04		13:30	>	14:49
15:05*	>	16:35		14:15*	>	14:45
15:30	> Express	16:31		15:40	>	16:59
16:55	>	18:14		16:30*	>	18:00
17:20*	>	18:50		17:30	>	18:49
18:15	>	19:34		18:29	> Express	19:27
20:00	>	21:11		19:30*	>	21:00

FROM MOUNT ASO

I did not go from either Nobeoka or Kumamoto, I went from Mount Aso, which is the main tourist attraction nearby, just 55 km northwest; so I will also indicate this route:

• There are five villages from where Mount Aso can be visited: Aso Nishimachi (usually abbreviated as Aso) and Miyaji in the north, Akamizu and Tateno in the west, and Takamori in the south. The first four are on the JR Hohi Line, so you can get there without problems using the Japan Rail Pass.

  

• From any of the 4 villages, you should go to Tateno with the JRP and there you change to the Minamiaso Railway (not valid JRP) to Takamori station. It is a spectacular scenic train, but currently the service is partially interrupted by railway damage from the earthquake in Kyushu in November 2016. Now there’s a shuttle bus that makes the trip in 30 minutes, cost the same as the train (460 ¥) but without the views. If you are interested, a small section of the scenic train can be done from Nakamatsu; there are 3 per day (4 on weekends) and costs 110 ¥ (210 ¥ round trip).
• From Takamori railway station, walk 300 meters east to the bus stop (Takamori Chuo), which is right in front of the Takamori Town Tourist Information Center.
• And there connect with one of the two express buses of the Kumamoto-Nobeoka line. It costs ¥ 1320 per way.

OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORT

TRAIN

Although it seems incredible in Japan, this is one of the few places that can not be reached by train. The Takachiho-Nobeoka railway line was severely damaged by a typhoon in 2005, destroying two bridges, and since then it has not been restored, which is said to be a real pity, as the journey was reputed to be one of the most spectacular in the country.

RENTAL CAR

In theory it is the simplest option, since public transport is scarce and slow, but being an area outside the radar of foreigners, unless it is hired in Fukuoka or Beppu, it can be difficult to find a car rental office where a language other than Japanese is spoken. Please remember that the international driving license is mandatory for foreigners in Japan.

MORE ON TAKACHIHO:

 <VISITING TAKACHIHO GORGE

∇ Destinations / ∇ Asia / ∇ Japan / ∇ Kyushu / ∇ Miyazaki Prefecture / ∇ Takachiho