Getting Here

Getting Here · アクセス

Getting to Yufuin

From Parts of America

1. Fukuoka is the most direct entry point for this trip. From the Bay Area there are direct flights on United; east coast guests can connect through Hong Kong (cheapest we've seen at this time), Tokyo, Seoul, or Taipei. If anyone is planning to see Tokyo as well, it's worth thinking about which end of the trip to put it — routing through Tokyo both ways adds a travel day.

2. From Fukuoka, there are two main options: bus or train. The bus is comfortable, cheap, and straightforward; you can book a reservation here: https://www.highwaybus.com/gp/index

...or attempt to buy on the day of or a day in advance through a window at the Hakata Station Bus Terminal.

The train is a scenic option, but reservations are less available and trains run less frequently. The most popular option, Yufuin no Mori, often fills up weeks in advance but is incredibly aesthetic and comfortable. They can be booked here: https://train.yoyaku.jrkyushu.co.jp/inbound/pc/Top. If you're feeling especially fancy, there's the Aru Ressha, a recently revived top-of-the-line train experience which offers a luxury fine dining experience

For either option, tickets should be made from Fukuoka (Hakata Station Bus Terminal or Fukuoka Train Station) to Yufuin Ekimae (Train Station). If you have any trouble at all booking a ticket, please contact us directly and we will help you book anything you need to fit your schedule!

TLDR: You'll need to reserve your bus or train ticket. Your safest bet is online in advance, but there's a bus option if you need to purchase at the ticket window on the day. Worst case, you can maybe take a taxi.

3. From the train station, there will be a car service to take you to the inn, Sanso Warabino, where you can drop off your luggage before leaving for the ceremony - a 10 minute drive.

From Tokyo

Domestic flight to Fukuoka (about 1.5 hrs), or the Shinkansen to Hakata (about 5 hrs). From Hakata, the afore-mentioned bus or train options. Train options include 特急ゆふいんの森("Yufuin no Mori") scenic train or 或る列車("Aru Ressha"), which take you straight to Yufuin.

From Taiwan

Direct flights from Taipei (TPE) to Fukuoka run frequently and take about 2.5 hours. One of the most accessible Japanese cities from Taiwan. From Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the bus options or the 特急ゆふいんの森("Yufuin no Mori") scenic train, 或る列車("Aru Ressha") luxury excursion train go straight to Yufuin.

Other Modes of Transportation

October is peak autumn season in Kyushu. The inn 山荘わらび野 (Sanso Warabino) will have a car going to and from the Yufuin Station for your convenience, so you will be able to arrive and drop off your luggage on 10/13 morning. For any additional nights or travel, book as early as you can. And consider JRPass if you are doing other prefectures. Don't hestitate to reach out if you need help planning!

Rent a car if you're doing the outer areas.

The one-day itinerary is walkable from the station. The three and five-day plans are not — Tsukahara, Yuhira, Hasama, and Shonai all need a car or taxi. A rental from Fukuoka Airport gives full independence and the drive in on the Yamanami Highway is beautiful in daylight.

You can get an International Driving Permit, available from AAA for about $20 (takes 20 minutes, cannot be obtained in Japan). And just a heads up that driving is on the left, mountain roads can be narrow, and signage outside cities is mostly in Japanese.

Your ryokan can also arrange taxis for individual day trips if you'd rather not drive.

The Trains · 列車で行く

特急ゆふいんの森

Yufuin no Mori Limited Express

The train from Hakata Station to Yufuin is one of the more beautiful rail journeys in Japan. The deep green carriages cross forested mountain valleys and old red-iron bridges, with panoramic windows designed to put the landscape front and center. There is an observation seat directly behind the driver's cab — the tracks disappear into the forest ahead of you, and the whole landscape opens up on both sides.

The service on board is really fun. There is a buffet car and wagon service with local Ōita specialties — including 生ビール (draft beer poured fresh on the train) and boxed お弁当(bento) designed around the region you're passing through. Children can borrow a conductor's uniform for a photo.

Hakata → Yufuin · approx. 2h20m · Reservation required · Book early, especially in October

或る列車

The Aru Ressha · A Certain Train

或る列車 is a full-course dining experience on rails — a recreation of a legendary Kyushu train from the Meiji era, reimagined by the same design team behind the Seven Stars luxury sleeper. The chocolate-brown carriages are fitted out with Art Nouveau woodwork, stained glass, and upholstered armchairs.

The meal is a multicourse kaiseki-inflected menu built around Ōita and Kyushu ingredients, paired with local sake and wine. There is no buffet car — the kitchen is on the train, and courses arrive at the table. It runs as an excursion, not a scheduled service, so the route and departure city vary by season.

Designer Eiji Mitooka oversaw every detail, from the exterior to the interior. The arabesque pattern on the front of the train is particularly painstaking — the design was hand-drafted, the steel cut by hand, and then dusted with gold powder using an old-fashioned technique that required far more labour than modern methods.

Times Morning: Hakata 10:58 → Yufuin 14:07
Afternoon: Yufuin 15:00 → Hakata 18:03

Price ¥35,000–¥47,000 per person (varies by seat & party size)
Includes full course menu and drinks · No children under 10

Booking Reserve by 5 days before departure · Tel 092-474-2217 (9:30–17:00, closed Tue & year-end)

Online JR Kyushu official site →

Note Routes and operating days change seasonally. Check JR Kyushu for the current schedule.