Running down
the east coast of Kyushu the journey
on the Limited express Nichirin or Nichirin Seagaia is a contrast of mountain and sea as you pass the lush interior of the island on one side and the sea on the other, sometimes just meters away. One train a day comes all the way from Hakata (Fukuoka) down to Miyazaki, taking over five and a half hours to make the journey of just over 400 km.
0 km - OITA station36 km - 0H28 - USUKI stationA very pleasant coastal town with free bike rentals in the station to explore the local coast. 5 km south of Usuki are the Usuki Stone Buddhas, which were carved in the 12th century. Infrequent buses take about 20 minutes to get here.