♨ Kagoshima / Miyazaki · 1–2 days
Kirishima & Ebino Highlands: Kagoshima’s Volcano-Onsen Drive
Drive inland from Kagoshima into the Kirishima-Kinkowan volcanoes: Kirishima Shrine, the Ebino Kogen plateau and its crater lakes, and the onsen towns of Kobayashi and Miyakonojo — 4 michi-no-eki in southern Kyushu’s highland heart.
Most visitors to southern Kyushu stay on the coast — Kagoshima’s bay, Sakurajima, the sand baths of Ibusuki. Turn inland instead and the road climbs into Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, a cluster of more than twenty volcanoes strung with crater lakes, cedar-shaded shrines and some of the oldest hot springs in Japan. It’s cool highland country in summer and mild in winter, and a rental car turns a scatter of hard-to-reach peaks and spa towns into one easy loop.
This drive starts from Kagoshima and heads up to Michi-no-Eki Kirishima, below the mountain where Kirishima-jingu and Maruo Falls sit among the cedars, then over the highlands to the Ebino Kogen plateau — the trailhead for Mt Karakuni and the cobalt crater lakes of the Ebino caldera — before dropping east through the onsen town of Kobayashi and the Shimazu-clan castle town of Miyakonojo. Every stop is a farm market as well as a rest stop: this is the home of Kurobuta pork, shochu distilling and highland green tea.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Kiri Shima 道の駅 霧島 · Kagoshima
Michi-no-Eki Kiri Shima (道の駅 霧島) is a government-designated roadside station in 霧島市, Kagoshima, Japan, registered in 1994 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk, an observation deck and a park. There is free parking for about 66 cars. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:15. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Takarabe, Ebino and Sueyoshi.
Nearby: 📸Maruo Falls (3.8 km) · 📸Footbath (4 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Ebino 道の駅 えびの · Miyazaki
Michi-no-Eki Ebino (道の駅 えびの) is a government-designated roadside station in えびの市, Miyazaki, Japan, registered in 2012 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 84 cars and 6 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Nishiki, Kiri Shima and Yu ~ Parunojiri.
Nearby: 🌄コカ・コーラウエスト グリーンパークえびの コーク館 (0.8 km) · 🏛えびの市歴史民俗資料館 (2 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Yu ~ Parunojiri 道の駅 ゆ〜ぱるのじり · Miyazaki
Michi-no-Eki Yu ~ Parunojiri (道の駅 ゆ〜ぱるのじり) is a government-designated roadside station in 小林市, Miyazaki, Japan, registered in 2001 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop and lodging. There is free parking for about 79 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 【産直・物販店】8:00–18:00 【こばやし 味彩】11:00〜15:00（LO14:30） 【こばやしのじりの湯】12:00〜20:30（最終受付20:00）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Tomishiro, Yamanokuchi and Takaoka.
Nearby: 🏛野尻町歴史民俗資料館 (4 km) · 📸竹野のホルトノキ (14.2 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Tomishiro 道の駅 都城 · Miyazaki
Michi-no-Eki Tomishiro (道の駅 都城) is a government-designated roadside station in 都城市, Miyazaki, Japan, registered in 2001 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 197 cars and 18 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–19:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kyushu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Takarabe, Yamanokuchi and Sueyoshi.
Nearby: 📸都城島津邸 (6.2 km) · 🏛財部郷土館 (10.9 km)
Make this route yours — load all 4 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- Check the Shinmoedake and Ebino-kogen volcanic-alert level before you go — the higher trails and crater-lake walks close when activity rises.
- Michi-no-Eki Kirishima has a free footbath and a sweeping view down to Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima — an easy first stop out of the city.
- Ebino Kogen is a genuine highland: fresh and green in summer, russet with autumn colour, and often under snow in midwinter — pack a layer whatever the coast is doing.
- Kobayashi and Miyakonojo are shochu country — the roadside stations sell the local sweet-potato and barley distillations you won’t find outside the region.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?
FAQ — Kirishima & Ebino highlands
How many days do you need for the Kirishima & Ebino highlands route?
1–2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 90 km of driving with 4 michi-no-eki stops along the way. You can compress it, but the stops are the point.
Where does the route start and end?
It starts at Kagoshima and ends at Miyakonojo / Kobayashi. Load all 4 stops into the free MichiStops route planner to reorder, add or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
When is the best season to drive this route?
Year-round; azaleas on Ebino Kogen late May, crater lakes clearest autumn–winter.
Do I need to rent a car?
Yes — michi-no-eki are roadside stations, realistically reachable only by rental car or campervan. Most visitors can drive in Japan with a 1949-convention International Driving Permit; check the license rules for your country before booking. License rules by country →
Can I sleep overnight at the michi-no-eki on this route?
Resting overnight in your vehicle is tolerated at most michi-no-eki, but tents, awnings and open-air cooking are not allowed. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →