A Quick Takachiho Gorge and Takachiho, Japan Travel Guide
During our first Japan road trip, one of the stops we made was Takachiho, located in the Miyazaki Prefecture of Kyushu in southern Japan. We were instantly amazed by the remarkable nature in this town with beautiful waterfalls, rock formations, and of course, the infamous Takachiho Gorge where you can take a rowing boat by the waterfalls in the gorge.
Takachiho is also a very spiritual place with numerous shrines and temples, the main shrine hosting nightly dancing for visitors to enjoy. Takachiho is an excellent place to add to a Kyushu road trip for its natural beauty and tranquility! In fact, we recently revisited Takachiho on our second Kyushu road trip because we loved it so much!
How to Get to Takachiho
How to Get to Takachiho by Train and Bus
If traveling from Fukuoka the fastest way to Takachiho by train and bus is by taking the Kyushu Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Kumamoto Station. From there you’ll transfer to either the Kyushu Sanko Bus or Miyazaki Kotsu (Miyakoh) Bus to Takachiho Bus Center. The journey takes about 4 hours and costs ¥8,130 one-way.
Another option is to take one of the direct highway buses from Fukuoka (Hakata Station) to Takachiho Bus Center which takes around 3 hours 30 minutes and costs around ¥4,100 one-way. The Nishitetsu Bus and Miyakoh Bus both operate this route. You can make advanced reservations for these bus routes to Takachiho on Willer.
How to Get to Takachiho by Car
During both of our visits to Takachiho, we were on a Kyushu road trip so we ended up driving to Takachiho which is a terrific way to explore the town. Depending on where you are driving from, you’ll take the expressways or a few smaller highways. If you are planning a Kyushu road trip then it is worth getting a Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) which allows unlimited driving on the Kyushu Expressway, combined with the ETC card you don’t have to stop at the toll booths and simply pay additional tolls when returning your rental car.
- From Fukuoka: Around 2 hours 40 minutes
- From Kumamoto: Around 1 hour 30 minutes
Transportation in Takachiho
Many of Takachiho’s main attractions are scattered around the town center and are easily walkable, the furthest being Takachiho Gorge which is about a 30-minute walk from Takachiho Bus Center. However, some things to do in Takachiho are located outside the town center and can only be accessed by rental car, taxi, or public bus.
Because of this, the best way to get around Takachiho is by local bus or by rental car. Takachiho is very car-friendly with ample parking at most locations, restaurants, and hotels except Takachiho Gorge which has more limited parking. If you aren’t driving the best way to get around Takachiho is on foot to some of the closer locations, by taxi, or public bus. The only disadvantage of the public bus is that it can be infrequent so be sure to check the Takachiho Bus Timetable while planning your trip.
Places to Stay in Takachiho
Hotel Grateful Takachiho
On our first visit to Takachiho, we stayed at Hotel Grateful Takachiho which is in a great location near the town center, has affordable rooms, and offers plenty of parking. There is also a 24-hour Family Mart located onsite making it convenient for travelers!
Location: 1352-1 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
Solest Takachiho Hotel
On our second trip to Takachiho, we stayed at the Solest Takachiho Hotel which is in a fantastic location just minutes away from Takachiho Shrine and many restaurants and other activities in town. If you happen to be driving they also have plenty of parking for your car so you can park and walk around town as desired! The rooms are smaller but are elegantly updated with a thoughtful floor plan.
Location: 1261-1 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
Places to Eat in Takachiho
Tomoemaru
Tomoemaru is a small family-owned restaurant that is perfect for lunch. They offer many traditional comfort foods like chicken nanban, fried chicken with homemade tartar sauce, udon noodle sets, and Takachiho beef bowls.
Location: 1265-13 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
Takachiho Gamadase Market
Takachiho Gamadase Market is a great little roadside stand that is the perfect stop for souvenirs and local products. It also has a restaurant that sells high-quality Takachiho beef that you can select from the market and grill yourself.
Location: 1099-1 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
The Best Things to Do in Takachiho
Take A Boat Ride and Explore Takachiho Gorge
Takachiho Gorge is Takachiho’s most famous attraction for numerous reasons. This narrow chasm originally formed due to the cooling of volcanic matter creating the rugged landscape and cascading waterfalls throughout the gorge. The most famous of these waterfalls is the Manai Waterfall which has been regarded as one of the top 100 waterfalls in Japan annually.
Of course, viewing Takachiho Gorge from above at one of the viewpoints is a terrific way to observe the gorge but another way to experience it is by boat! Takachiho Gorge has a boat service where you can rent a row boat to take on the calm waters to view the waterfalls and cliffs up close.
The only catch is that you must book your boat rental 2 weeks (or up to 2 days) in advance. Time slots tend to sell out quickly, especially during peak times of year so make sure you are prepared to book! Reservations can be made in advance on the Takachiho Kanko website. I’ve heard some people have had success with purchasing reservations on Klook as well but it isn’t guaranteed so my recommendation is to book directly!
Takachiho Gorge Rental Boat:
- Closed when the water levels are too high or during inclement weather.
- Prices: ¥4,100-5,100, 30 minutes
- Make Takachiho Boat Reservation
Location: Mukoyama, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1103, Japan // MAP
Check out the View from Kunimigaoka Viewing Platform
If you are driving in Takachiho, make sure to visit the Kunimigaoka Viewing Platform which is located just outside of the town center. From here you can drive to the top of the platform and enjoy breathtaking views of the town from the top. For the best views try to visit around sunrise or sunset so you can see the clouds over the mountains and the city.
Location: Oshikata, 大字 Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1102, Japan // MAP
Enjoy Evening Kagura Dancing at Takachiho Shrine
Takachiho Shrine is one of the most important sites in Takachiho known for Japanese mythology. I recommend visiting Takachiho Shrine at two different times for important reasons. First, visit Takachiho Shrine during the day so you can explore all of the shrine’s sites. Then return in the evening for the nightly Yokagura performance.
This performance is based on the story of Amaterasu, the Shinto sun goddess. After continuous torment from her brother, Amaterasu became outraged and decided to hide herself in a nearby cave refusing to come out and deprive the world of light.
The other gods and goddesses came to the cave pleading for her to come out trying everything they could to no avail. Then one goddess performed a “ridiculous, suggestive dance” that caused the gods and goddesses to laugh uncontrollably enticing a curious Amaterasu to come out of the cave thus restoring light to the world.
Now this legend is reenacted nightly in the Yokagura Performance Hall at Takachiho Shrine depicting a few scenes from the story in a one-hour performance with masked dancers and traditional instruments. Make sure to show up early so you can get a good seat!
Although the regular nightly performance is one hour, if you are visiting sometime in November through February you can see all 33 dances performed by villagers starting in the afternoon that go through the evening on select dates.
Location: 1037 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
Cost: ¥1,000
Yokagura Performance Time: 8pm
Learn the History Behind Amano Iwato Shrine
Amano Iwato Shrine is located near a cave where Amaterasu, the sun goddess, was said to have hidden. You can walk down the path to the cave surrounded by beautiful trees and tons of little rock towers that visitors have made as offerings to the gods for good luck.
Location: 1073-1 Iwato, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1621, Japan // MAP
Cost: Free to visit
View the Tochimata Rice Terraces
If you’re interested in seeing terraced rice fields in Japan then drive over to Tochimata Rice Terraces on your way to Amano Iwato Shrine. Here you can make a quick stop to see the terraced rice fields with beautiful mountains in the background.
Location: Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
Take A Ride on the Historic Amaterasu Railway
Enjoy a piece of Takachiho’s history by riding the Amaterasu Railway system. The 30-minute journey takes you across the Takachiho Iron Bridge inside an open-air train car so you can fully experience the amazing views of Takachiho.
Location: 1425-1 Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1101, Japan // MAP
You might also like: A Complete Guide to Driving in Japan
Comments & Reviews
Dory says
Very helpfull, thanks!
We want to go from Osaka to Takachiho by public transport. I have a few additional questions:
1. We have bigger suitcases, is this a problem on the bus?
2. Do we need to make a reservation far ahead of time?
3. We have JR passes, what is the best route?
Thanks is advance!
Kallsy says
Hi Dory!
I’m glad you enjoyed this post. For highway buses larger luggage isn’t an issue because they usually have storage underneath the bus. However, if taking any local buses to arrive in Takachiho, large luggage will be an issue because there isn’t a lot of space for luggage on the local buses. However, most routes to get to Takachiho include highway buses with storage.
My recommended route would be the following if using public transportation.
1. Take the early Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Kumamoto Station (3 hours). This is covered by the JR Pass or costs around ¥19,620 without the JR Pass.
2. From JR Kumamoto Station you will then take a highway bus to Takachiho Bus Center. This takes 3 hours and costs around ¥2,700 one-way depending on the bus you take (not covered by JR Pass).
The buses from Kumamoto to Takachiho are operated by Kyushu Sanko Bus and Miyazaki Kotsu (Miyakoh). Buses can be reserved on Willer or on Highway Bus (Japanese language only but you can use Google Translate on the page) Most of these buses allow for large luggage but you can confirm these details when booking your bus reservation.
I would make your shinkansen and bus reservations ahead of time and make sure to let the JR ticket office know that you have large luggage when booking your shinkansen ticket so they can reserve a proper space.
Enjoy! 🙂
-Kallsy