⛩ Oita · 2 days
Kunisaki Peninsula & Yabakei Drive: Rokugo Manzan Temples, Usa Jingu and a Hand-Carved Tunnel
A 2-day drive around Oita's Kunisaki Peninsula and up the Yamakuni River: the Rokugo Manzan temple country, Usa Jingu, Usa's stone arch bridges and the hand-dug Ao-no-Domon tunnel, linked by six michi-no-eki from Oita Airport to Yabakei.
Kunisaki is the roundest peninsula in Japan, and the only sizeable one with no railway on it at all — the main line runs across its base, and everything inside is reached by road. That is part of why it kept what it has: Rokugo Manzan, a mountain Buddhism that grew out of the Usa Hachiman shrines from the 8th century onward and left temples, stone pagodas and cliff-carved Buddhas scattered across a fan of ridges radiating from Mt Futago. Oita Airport sits on the peninsula's east coast, so a rental car picked up on arrival puts you straight into it.
Day one works around the peninsula from the airport: the east-coast station at Kunisaki, the climb inland to Futago-ji among the cedars, the cliff-carved Kumano Magaibutsu and the national-treasure hall of Fuki-ji on the north-west slope, then the fishing port of Imi, where the ferry leaves for Himeshima. Day two leaves the coast for the interior — Usa Jingu, head shrine of the roughly 44,000 Hachiman shrines in Japan; the Innai valley, which has 75 stone arch bridges, more than any other town in the country; Nakatsu with its castle, Fukuzawa Yukichi's old house and the fried chicken it is known for; and finally the Yamakuni River gorge at Yabakei, the one stretch here that draws crowds, and only in November.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki 道の駅 くにさき · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki (道の駅 くにさき) is a government-designated roadside station in 国東市, Oita, Japan, registered in 2004 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, a tourist-information desk and an observation deck. There is free parking for about 156 cars and 2 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. 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 Kunimi, Saganoseki and Innai.
Nearby: 🏛国東市歴史体験学習館 (3.2 km) · ⛰Mount Futago (13.5 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Kunimi 道の駅 くにみ · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Kunimi (道の駅 くにみ) is a government-designated roadside station in 国東市, Oita, Japan, registered in 2006 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 campground, a park and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 34 cars and 2 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. 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 Kunisaki, Nakatsu and Innai.
Nearby: 📸ミニ鳥居 (0.6 km) · 🏛国見ふるさと展示館 (2.5 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Innai 道の駅 いんない · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Innai (道の駅 いんない) is a government-designated roadside station in 宇佐市, Oita, Japan, registered in 1999 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 34 cars and 4 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:00–17:00. 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 Yaba Topia, Yufuin and Nakatsu.
Nearby: 🌄曲がり角 (2.8 km) · ⛰Kanarase Yama (6.4 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Nakatsu 道の駅 なかつ · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Nakatsu (道の駅 なかつ) is a government-designated roadside station in 中津市, Oita, Japan, registered in 2014 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, EV charging, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 233 cars and 17 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:30–18:15. 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 Shinyoshitomi, Yaba Topia and Buzen Okoshikake.
Nearby: 🏛大江医家史料館 (6.2 km) · 🏛中津市歴史民俗資料館分館・村上医家史料館 (6.2 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Yaba Topia 道の駅 耶馬トピア · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Yaba Topia (道の駅 耶馬トピア) is a government-designated roadside station in 中津市, Oita, Japan, registered in 1997 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, a tourist-information desk and hands-on experiences. There is free parking for about 61 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 10:00–16:30. 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 Nakatsu, Shinyoshitomi and Yamakuni.
Nearby: 📸青の洞門 (1.1 km) · ⛰Kanarase Yama (9.5 km)
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Yamakuni 道の駅 やまくに · Oita
Michi-no-Eki Yamakuni (道の駅 やまくに) is a government-designated roadside station in 中津市, Oita, Japan, registered in 1997 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 and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 48 cars and 10 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. 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 Yaba Topia, Douwa No Sato Kusu and Jion No Taki Kusu.
Nearby: ⛰Miō-yama (5.5 km) · ⛰Kantō-dake (10.2 km)
Make this route yours — load all 6 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Onsen baths and beds along this route (Oita · 2 with onsen / 1 with rooms)
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Tai Shoukin Yama 道の駅 鯛生金山 · Hita, Oita · ~35 km off the route -
Nagayu Onsen 道の駅 ながゆ温泉 · Taketa, Oita · ~40 km off the route -
Yayoi 道の駅 やよい · Saiki, Oita · ~65 km off the route
♨ All 143 michi-no-eki with an onsen bath🛏 All 81 michi-no-eki with rooms on site♨🛏 All 46 michi-no-eki with both onsen and rooms📍 Every michi-no-eki in Oita
Route tips
- The route runs east to west, so take the car at Oita Airport and drop it in Nakatsu or Kokura rather than doubling back — Kokura puts you on the Shinkansen.
- Yabakei's maples are the one timed event on this drive: Hitome-Hakkei in Shin-Yabakei peaks early-to-mid November, and the valley road backs up on those weekends. Arrive before 9:00.
- No stop on this route has a bath or rooms, so book the night in Nakatsu, Usa or a Kunisaki ryokan. Kunimi has a campground for campervans, and every station has free parking and 24-hour restrooms.
- Opening hours are short inland: Yaba Topia closes at 16:30 and Yamakuni at 17:00, while Nakatsu runs to 18:15 — drive the two Yabakei stations in the afternoon, not the evening.
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 — Kunisaki Peninsula & Yabakei
How many days do you need for the Kunisaki Peninsula & Yabakei route?
2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 120 km of driving with 6 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 Oita Airport, Kunisaki (the peninsula has no railway) and ends at Yamakuni, Nakatsu (1h to Hita, 1h30 to Kokura). Load all 6 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; the Seto-side winters stay mild and Yabakei's maples peak early-to-mid November.
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 (camping outside the vehicle is not), and 1 stop on this route has a proper campground next door. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →