Travel Research Weekly | Guide to Japan’s Kyushu Special Trains

I traveled to the Kyushu region of Japan for two weeks at the end of last year. I was very lucky. There were two special trains on the routes covered in the itinerary, and I successfully exchanged tickets for them.

Special train travel is a major feature of Kyushu, and the routes covered by these trains are distinctive travel destinations in the Kyushu region. If you can follow these routes to complete your Kyushu trip, it will actually be more interesting than just taking the Sanyo Shinkansen all the way south to the big cities.

Travel Research Weekly | Guide to Japan’s Kyushu Special Trains

These are general tips for traveling on specialty trains. When I introduce each train separately later, I won’t talk about it separately.

● Exchange tickets

The operating lines of the special trains are all based on the JR operating network, so as long as you hold a JR PASS covering the line area, you can exchange for a ticket with a designated seat in advance according to the rules.

Similarly, with JR PASS, you can ride the following special trains for free and unlimited times, but you can only ride on unreserved seats without exchanging tickets in advance. Some trains have all reserved seats, and you cannot sit on them without exchanging tickets.

For ticket exchange, you can directly ask the window for help when you get the JR PASS, and just list the train you want to take, the train number, date and station.

If you don’t have a JR PASS, you can buy tickets the same way.

● Reserved seats VS unreserved seats

As the name suggests, reserved seats mean that you have reserved seats, while non-reserved seats mean that you can sit wherever there are available seats. If you don’t have a PASS, looking at the ticket price alone, reserved seats are more expensive. However, on other places, such as Shinkansen, reserved seats are more spacious than non-reserved seats.

Among the following special trains, Yufuin no Mori, SL Hitoyoshi, and Ibusuki Tamatehako are all reserved seats. Those who hold JR PASS need to use the PASS and the seat ticket they changed to board the train. Those who bought the ticket directly can just use the ticket to board the train. . Although other trains have unreserved seats, the number of seats is relatively small. If you have a PASS, I suggest you change your ticket to avoid the unreserved seats.

● Ride time

To plan a trip in advance, you need to arrange the specific time for each place. You can check the operation schedule of all trains through the JR Kyushu official website, and adjust your itinerary according to the operation time to avoid the embarrassment of coming for a special train but there is no train departing that day. situation.

● Car service

All trains provide services such as stamping, taking photos, and selling special souvenirs. The viewing carriages vary depending on the train model. Please see the detailed introduction below. Eating and drinking are allowed in the carriages, and there are restrooms inside the carriages. Answering phone calls is not allowed on trains in Japan, so please abide by this.

● Itinerary

For research on special train series lines, please refer to the last chapter of this article.

Yufuin Forest is the entry-level version of Kyushu’s special trains. Departing from the big city of Kyushu, Fukuoka (from the station, this station is called Hakata, a place) , the destinations Yufuin and Beppu are the top hot spring resorts in Japan, and they will also be included in the destination when visiting Kyushu for the first time. An important town in the list of places. The trains depart multiple times every day. Although you need to reserve seats in advance, there are enough seats. It is not difficult to take the Yufuin-no-Mori train.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	5 round trips daily
drive	To Yufuin: 2 hours and 12 minutes
Unreserved seats	none
Reserved seats	whole car

● All Yufuin Forest buses have reserved seats, which means that even if you have a JR PASS, you cannot board the bus directly and must exchange your ticket in advance.

● Trains depart daily. There are three flights per day in one direction. There are two round trips daily from Hakata to Yufuin and one round trip from Hakata to Beppu daily.

● Timetable

Departure from Hakata	Departure time	Yufuin	Beppu
number 1	9:24	11:36	–
number 3	10:24	12:38	13:37
Number 5	14:35	16:45	–

Departing from Yufuin	Departure time	arrival time
number 2	12:07	14:20
number 6	17:07	19:20

Depart from Beppu	Departure time	Yufuin	arrival time
No 4	14:41	15:50	18:06

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Yufuin

Yufuin has been voted as the most popular hot spring resort among Japanese locals for many years. The town is not large, with only one main street running through it starting from the station, but it has nearly 70 hot spring hotels. Hot spring hotels are expensive, especially on holidays and weekends, and rooms are hard to come by, so it’s best to come on weekdays. Enjoy the hot springs.

Local attractions include Kinrin Lake and Yufudake (Look, it’s called Yufu instead of Yufudake) . Kinrin Lake is located in the center of the town. It is small in area and adjacent to Yunotsubo Shopping Street. It is a great place to spend half a day. A great place to spend time. Yufudake can be climbed on foot, and you can take a bus from the station to the trailhead.

● Destination: Beppu

Beppu hot springs in the Showa era (Early 20th century - late 1980s) It has become the largest hot spring resort in Japan. The local "Hell Hot Spring" landscape is unique. "Beppu Hell" is not a tragic scene like boiling people alive in water. The origin of this name can be traced back to the Kawahara and Kamegawa areas in Japan. Due to geothermal activities and volcanic eruptions, the surrounding area is filled with sulfur, smoke, and high temperatures. As a result, the surrounding area has been barren for years. People describe this very desolate scene as "hell", which is also related to the description of Buddhism. (When I looked up the information, I saw that it was directly written as "derived from Kawahara (a special geographical phenomenon of Kamegawa)..." In addition, "Kawahara" is the name of a place in Beppu) .

You can purchase a combined ticket to visit the eight sights of Beppu Hell, namely Umi Hell, Onisekibozu Hell, White Pond Hell, Furnace Hell, Oniyama Hell and Mountain Hell in Kannawa, as well as the Blood Pond Hell and Tatsumaki Hell, which are relatively independent. If time is limited, it is recommended to go to the Kannawa area, which can be reached by taking a bus from Beppu Station. Several scenic spots are located on the same street, so it will not be particularly difficult to visit.

Aso Boy is really the special train with the most installations in the car. Not only does it have several different styles of seats, it also has facilities such as rooms for children to play and ocean balls. Ah, the old aunt wants to play too, ahem.

Aso Boy's destination is the very famous Aso volcano area in Kyushu, Japan. It is also the most unique means of transportation to the Aso area. However, due to the impact of the Kumamoto earthquake, Aso Boy's route has been temporarily suspended. The route between Kumamoto and Higo-Otsu. It’s a pity that Aso Boy can’t connect to Kumamoto, otherwise the Kyushu special train would be able to go around a very classic travel route. But it seems that if it can be operated, the operation of the Beppu section will be interrupted. Ah, it is so difficult to understand.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	One flight per day on non-daily , operating days
drive	2 hours and 12 minutes
Unreserved seats	Yes, the quantity is very small
Reserved seats	More than 90

● Departure times are not daily. The official website will announce the timetable within a period of time. In the currently published timetable, trains will depart every weekend until June. From March 13 to June 26, trains will depart every Friday (except June 5). There will be sporadic and irregular departures during the rest of the time.

● The number of non-reserved seats is very small. There are only some non-reserved seats in Car No. 1. Be sure to purchase reserved seats in advance. Considering the chaos that unreserved seats may cause, try to avoid the reserved seats in Car No. 1 when exchanging or purchasing tickets.

● Car No. 3 has a children’s play area. You can choose a car based on your tolerance for children’s play. If you are traveling with children, this carriage is pretty good.

● Timetable

Depart from Beppu	Departure time	arrival time
No. 92	10:05	12:17

Departure from Aso	Departure time	arrival time
No. 91	16:12	18:14

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Mount Aso

Aso Mountain is the greatest value of the Aso Boy train line. This place is the number one destination that I must check in next time I travel to Kyushu. The scope of Aso Crater is the largest in the world, which explains why Mount Aso is still so famous in Japan, which is rich in volcanic resources.

Today, Mount Aso still erupts from time to time. Visitors can see billowing smoke erupting from the mountain pass during intense volcanic activity, and the local tourism office has also issued warnings and precautions about possible dangers.

When the volcano is calm, you can take the cable car to Nakadake Crater and enjoy the scenery inside the crater. This is a very dangerous but rare sight, the feeling of witnessing the pulse of the earth with your own eyes. There is also a lake in the crater. The color of the lake is green. I believe it should be a pool of boiling water.

Depart from Kumamoto and head to the adjacent coastline. The A train journey only takes 37 minutes, making it an excellent choice for a day trip from Kumamoto. The interior decoration of the A train is very luxurious, without losing the details that combine Japanese style. Although the drive is short, the scenery outside the window and the decoration inside the carriage are not to be missed.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Non-daily, 2-3 round trips per day on operating days
drive	37 minutes
Unreserved seats	none
Reserved seats	whole car

● Almost all trains depart on weekends. Trains 3 and 4 are out of service during part of weekdays. Please refer to the official website for specific operating hours.

● Timetable

Depart from Kumamoto	Departure time	arrival time
number 1	10:35	11:12
number 3	12:23	13:03
Number 5	14:37	15:15

Starting from the triangle	Departure time	arrival time
number 2	11:20	11:57
No 4	13:50	14:31
number 6	16:19	17:01

● Detailed stops

I don’t know much about trains, and I know that “SL” is the code name for a steam engine train. Likewise: Hokkaido’s SL Wetland Train.

Because I have ridden a steam engine train in Hokkaido, I still have some say. It was a real train that was emitting black smoke. As soon as the train departed, all you could see outside the downwind window was black smoke, full of black smoke. While I like the scenery outside the window, I am worried about air pollution.

The train between Kumamoto and Hitoyoshi is basically the section with the highest utilization rate of sightseeing trains. There are three sightseeing trains passing through this route. The most popular one is SL Hitoyoshi. It only runs one round-trip train on operating days, all passengers have reserved seats, and it does not run every day. It is a gimmick for hunger marketing. Even so, it's still fascinating.

(Who translated the sentence "accompanied by the sound of rail friction" on the official website made me laugh to death)

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Non-daily, one round trip per day on operating days
drive	2 hours and 24 minutes
Unreserved seats	none
Reserved seats	whole car

● The operating days are basically concentrated on weekends, with occasional operations on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Please refer to the official website timetable.

● The two panoramic windows in the first picture are located in carriages No. 1 (above) and No. 3 (below) respectively. When the train departs from Kumamoto, Car No. 3 has a panoramic view, and when the train departs from Hitoyoshi, Car No. 1 has a wide view. When buying tickets, you can pay attention to the location of the carriage.

● Timetable

Depart from Kumamoto	Departure time	arrival time
	9:45	12:09

Renji departs	Departure time	arrival time
	14:38	17:14

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Yisheng Station

The Japanese are no less superstitious than our people. The Ichisho Station, built in 1914, is regarded as a blessed place because of its auspicious name. You can use the short stop time to purchase the "Guardian Victory Commemorative Ticket", just like the guardian of the station shrine. The station also retains the wooden appearance of 100 years ago, which is very simple and beautiful.

● Destination: Kuma River

One of the three major rapids in Japan ( I saw that Japanese people really like to talk about the three major, five major and one hundred major ) , the Kuma River is the green ribbon on the Kumamoto-Hitoyoshi railway line . Here you can participate in rafting activities (ferry station) and feel the excitement of the Kuma River.

Kumagawa homepage: https://www.kumagawa.co.jp/

● Destination: Hitoyoshi

As the terminus of several sightseeing trains, Hitoyoshi is not a particularly eye-catching metropolis. In addition to old antiques from the early industrial era such as the locomotive garage, it also has Japan's national historical sites and national treasures such as Aoi Aso Shrine and Hitoyoshi Castle Ruins.

Aoi Aso Shrine is located near the station and was built in 806. It is the first building in Kumamoto Prefecture to be designated as a Japanese national treasure. It does look old, and the thatched roof also has a Japanese rural architectural feel. Hitoyoshi Castle is a little further away and can be reached by bus. It is famous for its steep stone walls and is also a very unique and famous spot.

The route is exactly the same as SL Hitoyoshi, with one less stop. The name of the train comes from the two carriages, one is called "Emerald" (Car No. 1) and the other is called "Mountain Jade" (Car No. 2), which is very unique, ha.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Departs daily on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th
drive	94 minutes
Unreserved seats	No unreserved seats on trains 3-6 All unreserved seats on train 1 1/2 unreserved seats on train 2
Reserved seats	Reserved seats for all trains 3-6 1/2 reserved seats for train 2

● The operating hours of this bus and the unreserved and reserved seats are enough to make you write a guide.

① Trains 3-6 depart every day, which is equivalent to 2 round-trip trains per day. All four buses have reserved seats;

② Trains 1-2 do not depart every day and stop during non-peak hours. For example, many Tuesdays and Thursdays in April, May and June do not operate. Please refer to the official timetable for details. Train No. 1 has all unreserved seats, while Train No. 2 has half unreserved seats and half reserved seats.

● If you take a round-trip train from Kumamoto to Hitoyoshi, it is recommended to separate the outbound and return journeys with SL Hitoyoshi and experience one train each. If you choose a one-way trip, I personally recommend choosing SL Hitoyoshi, because SL Hitoyoshi is a very rare steam train among Kyushu's special trains.

● Timetable

Depart from Kumamoto	Departure time	arrival time
number 1	7:38	9:12
number 3	11:24	13:05
Number 5	15:20	17:00

Renji departs	Departure time	arrival time
number 2	9:30	11:04
No 4	13:25	15:08
number 6	17:24	18:56

● Detailed stops

● Please refer to the SL Hitoyoshi train for the scenic spots along the way, they are exactly the same.

The train departing from Kumamoto is called "Isaburo" and the train departing from Yoshimatsu is called "Shinpei". Both of them are seniors who have made great contributions to the development of Japanese railways.

There are two major attractions in this train. The first highlight is the scenery outside the window, which is known as one of "Japan's three major car window scenery". When the weather is good, you can overlook the scenery of the Kirishima Mountains. The other two car window views are of Nagano's Shinonomii Line and the old Nemuro Main Line.

Another highlight is the "spiral and zigzag climbing railway". Everyone must be familiar with the zigzag railway, Zhan Tianyou's zigzag railway. Ohata Station passing through here is the only station in Japan that has these two railway views. That's why the line has a circle. Both viewing and riding are great experiences.

At the same time, this train is one of the three sightseeing trains from Kumamoto covering the Kumamoto-Hitoyoshi line. It is the only sightseeing train that continues to extend the line southward and reaches Yoshimatsu. In Yoshimatsu, passengers can continue taking the Hayato no Kaze Scenic Train south to Kagoshima. For specific transfer and contact lines, please refer to the last chapter of this article .

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Operates daily, 2 round trips per day
drive	Hitoyoshi-Yoshimatsu: 78 minutes Kumamoto-Yoshimatsu: 176 minutes
Unreserved seats	have
Reserved seats	have

● The arrangement of unreserved seats and reserved seats on the Isaburo/Shinpei train is very confusing. Simply put, due to different train numbers, the number of unreserved seats and reserved seats will be different, and depending on the operating date, the composition of the carriages on which the train is issued It will be different again. The carriages are divided into two types: 2-section and 3-section. Generally speaking, the highest proportion of free seats is 1/2 and the lowest is 1/4.

● Timetable

Depart from Kumamoto	Departure time	Hitoyoshi	Yoshimatsu
number 1	8:31	10:09	11:30
number 3	–	13:14	14:33

Depart from Jisong	Departure time	Hitoyoshi	Kumamoto
number 2	11:41	12:58	–
No 4	15:15	16:22	18:18

● The departure time and section of Isaburo/Shinpei are very awkward. Trains 2 and 3 only run between Hitoyoshi and Yoshimatsu. Look at the picture below to understand. Anyway, I understand it myself:

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Ohata Station

It is the only station in Japan that has spiral and zigzag tracks passing through it. It is said that if you stick your business card in the station, you will rise to great heights, so the station is basically a small business card expo from all walks of life.

The Hayato no Kaze train has a strong atmosphere of old Japan. The all-black carriages easily remind people of Japanese male students in the Meiji era. The arrangement and decoration of the seats are also very similar to the Japanese era when trains first arrived, and the carriages were arranged according to the aesthetics of that era. The station passing by Kareukawa Station has a history of more than 100 years and is one of the oldest stations on the entire Hisa Line. This nostalgic atmosphere better creates the atmosphere of this retro trip.

You can overlook the sea and Sakurajima from the train, which is the most boastful scenery outside the window in the whole journey. In addition, the layout of the observation car is like a trip to the Shengboden Restaurant flying on the track, pfft.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Non-daily, 2 round trips per day on operating days
drive	105 minutes
Unreserved seats	1/2
Reserved seats	1/2

● Basically locked to operate every weekend, and will operate throughout the entire month of August 2020. There are scattered car sales days at other times, please pay attention to the official website.

● Car No. 1 has reserved seats and Car No. 2 has unreserved seats.

● Timetable

Depart from Kagoshima Chuo	Departure time	jialichuan	Kirishima Onsen	Arrival in Jisong
number 2	9:26	10:30	10:41	11:11
No 4	13:22	14:18	14:25	14:54

Depart from Jisong	Departure time	Kirishima Onsen	jialichuan	Kagoshima Chuo
number 1	11:37	12:04	12:15	13:05
number 3	15:01	15:32	15:43	16:44

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Kali River

One of the oldest stations on the Hisatsu Line, the other one is Ohsumi-Yokokawa Station. Both were built in 1903 and have a history of more than 100 years. The train will stop briefly at the station and passengers can get off and take photos.

● Destination: Kirishima Onsen

Close to Kirishima Yaku National Park, the hot springs generated by geothermal heat make it a secret hot spring town in northern Kagoshima Prefecture. Most hot spring trips are accompanied by mountain climbing, and Kirishima Onsen is no exception. You can visit the entire mountain park and try many mature hiking routes. The local Senri Falls and Kirishima Shrine are very popular.

The Tamatehako train is probably the most suitable small train for short-distance travel. The journey takes only 51 minutes and only stops at one station. It departs every day, and there are 3 round trips every day. Although the train only has 2 cars, it is not difficult to buy tickets.

The design used on the train is "Urashima Taro's Tamate Box". You can learn this story by yourself. Anyone who has watched "Doraemon" should know it. The origin is that there is a Ryugu Shrine in Nagasaki, the destination of Ibusuki, which was built to commemorate the story of Taro Urashima. In addition, Ibusuki is an authentic place to experience sand bathing. In addition, JR Love’s southernmost station in Japan is also located at Mount Onishi in Ibusuki.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	3 round trips daily
drive	51 minutes
Unreserved seats	none
Reserved seats	whole car

● The entire train has designated seats, and Carriage 1 has more seaside views. Shortly after exiting Kagoshima Chuo Station, you can see Sakurajima Volcano on the left side of the direction of the train. Even if you are not facing the window, you can still enjoy the scenery from the car door.

● For some reason there is a library corner in the carriage.

● Timetable

Depart from Kagoshima Chuo	Departure time	arrival time
number 1	9:56	10:47
number 3	11:56	12:48
Number 5	13:56	14:49

Depart from Ibusuki	Departure time	arrival time
number 2	10:56	11:48
No 4	12:57	13:48
number 6	15:05	16:00

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Ibusuki

You can book a one-day short ride tour through the visitor center at Ibusuki Station. The half-day trip mainly includes Nagasaki and Nishidaiyama. Nagasakibana is home to the Ryugu Shrine in the story of Taro Urashima, and you can also reach the lighthouse at the southernmost tip of the Satsuma Peninsula (but it is not the southernmost land point in Kyushu), and enjoy the panoramic view of Kaimondake, one of Japan's top 100 famous mountains.

Nishidaiyama is the southernmost station of the JR train in Japan. It has the scenery of Kaimondake and the sign of "Japan's southernmost station".

This is the terminal station of a special train with a very rich travel program. If you still feel that it is not enough, book a hot spring hotel in an old-style hotel to soak in the hot springs. This is a famous hot spring resort in Japan. The sand bath experience of being buried like a sugar-fried chestnut in black sand is also a specialty of Ibusuki.

Most of Kyushu's special trains can connect to big cities or each other in a unique circulation system, but the "Umiko Yamako" train runs alone in Miyazaki Prefecture, where "the mountains are over and the sea is over". Miyazaki Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of Kyushu, and there is no direct Shinkansen train. Although the introduction says that the place is based on tourism, there are really no major attractions that domestic travelers can mention. Therefore, the time of boarding the Umikoyama Express depends entirely on fate. If you want to take the Higashi Kyushu route, this train is very suitable.

● Basic train information

Departure frequency	Non-daily operation, 1 flight per day on operation days
drive	1 hour 42 minutes
Unreserved seats	1/4
Reserved seats	3/4

● The operating hours of Umikoyamako trains are concentrated on weekends, and they depart almost every weekend. Please note that it is "almost". For example, there are no operation days in the entire month of October, while August is almost the entire month of operation. Please refer to the official website for specific operating hours.

● Only some seats in Car No. 2 are used for unreserved seats. In view of the short operating hours and limited daily flights, it is recommended to exchange tickets in advance.

● Timetable

Depart from Miyazaki	Departure time	fattening	Nanxiang
	10:07	11:25	11:49

Depart from Nanxiang	Departure time	fattening	Miyazaki
	15:32	16:10	17:15

● Detailed stops

● Destination: Miyazaki

Miyazaki is the capital of Miyazaki Prefecture. Miyazaki Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of Kyushu on the coast. It is unknown on the maps of foreign travelers. However, it is known as the major tourist base of Southern Kyushu and has a developed tourism industry. Who knows? ah. As far as I know, there is no Shinkansen in the local area.

The most famous attraction in the city is Miyazaki Shrine, which is dedicated to Emperor Jimmu of Japan. According to legend, this emperor was the emperor who established the Yamato Dynasty. However, tourists cannot tell this from the architecture. However, Miyazaki Jingu does not use bright red scenery and inner courtyards, which is very unique.

● Destination: Obi

"饫" sounds the same as jade. It is a scenic spot that is fortunate to be called "Little Kyoto". In Japan, "Little Kyoto " is a golden sign that symbolizes the existing ancient style and rich history of a destination.

The history of Ofei dates back to the late 16th century, and the only attraction in the city worth visiting is Ofei Castle, a 10-minute walk from the station. The size of this castle is not comparable to that of super large castles such as Kumamoto Castle and Osaka Castle. It is at best a "landlord's castle". Only the city wall can be considered a real monument, and the buildings in the castle are basically from reconstruction. The surrounding gardens are of stunning beauty.

● Destination: Aoshima, Qingdao

This Qingdao is not that Qingdao. Qingdao on the Shanxinghaixing route is a real small island (but it seems that the route is not close to the sea? Confused) , with a circumference of only 1.5 kilometers, and you can’t count the number of steps in the circle of friends even if you walk around it. Takeover.

The more famous local attraction is Qingdao Shrine, which is said to be a good place to seek marriage. If you are troubled in this regard, you can give it a try. Japanese shrines are a bit like European churches. If you pass through a destination with no scenery, at least there will be a church in the center of the village. The same is true for shrines.

I have almost figured it out for myself, and I can summarize how these lines should be played together. First picture:

Kumamoto is a big station. Unfortunately, due to the earthquake, the Aso Boy train is temporarily unable to connect to Kumamoto. If this line resumes operation, it is easy to see the ambition of the special train: Bao Yuaner, your entire Kyushu travel transportation (Umi Xing Shan Xing train is crying silently in the corner) .

The picture above is relatively clear, but Aso-Kumamoto is still disconnected here. I checked the current transportation lines and found that all the rail transit lines in the Aso-Hyoho-Otsu area are affected. A safer way would be to go back from Aso, but considering that we won’t be able to go to Japan for a while, Traveling, so maybe it will be repaired when I can travel freely (Self-imposed fault: the earthquake was in 2016, and it is still affected in 2020, so I’m afraid it won’t be repaired so soon) !

■ Translation: Affected by the Kumamoto earthquake, the operation between Higo-Otsu-Aso Station has also been affected and postponed today.

Kumamoto is truly a city with unique train terminals! But if we don’t go back, we have to make a decision about the route. For example, SL Renji and Jade Mountain Jade completely overlap. Running three special trains on one line, don't be too good at making money, JR Company.