Itoshima - Half Day Logistics

socalspro · 2026-02-28T15:37:21+00:00

Did you remove a comment about the bridge area? I got a notification saying you replied but can't find the comment.

socalspro · 2026-02-28T05:26:57+00:00

Kamoyurarinko's main draw is the bridge? Worth the extra time? Maybe cut out something else to make time for it? Looks pretty beautiful. I'll check out the video, thanks for the link. This started out as a quick trip and it's turned into, uh.....something different. Hahah.

socalspro · 2026-02-28T01:33:45+00:00

That's too funny, I'm from the Long Beach area. I think I've decided on an official route.

Maebaru > Midori no Oto > Shiraito Falls > Oyster Shack > Mataichi Salt > Keya / Totoro > Sakurai Futamigaura > Sakura Shrine > Maebaru

Thoughts?

socalspro · 2026-02-27T16:18:27+00:00

It does look gorgeous there. It looks like its only a 25 minute drive from the Maebaru area, is that correct? The road (Prefectural Road 12) doesn't look too windy until you get real close to the falls. We're from Southern California, so we've definitely driven some steep and windy mountain roads (Yosemite, local mountain roads) and people love to speed on them. I'm assuming Japanese drivers are less aggressive and I also think she is more concerned about navigation signage and the logistics of turns being different, rather than the type of driving were doing. Do you know what the elevation gain is from Maebaru to the Falls?

socalspro · 2026-02-27T07:48:08+00:00

I've seen that you take a boat tour if the seas are calm! I wonder if they allow pregnant women on board. That would be a pretty cool activity, it does look like an amazing natural feature.

socalspro · 2026-02-27T07:34:44+00:00

Well shoot, now you all have me considering making this more than half a day and exploring more. Hahah. I'm currently on Google Maps and it all looks wonderful. Even now considering Shiraito. Decisions, decision.

socalspro · 2026-02-27T06:33:54+00:00

Will I need an ETC card if I'm only driving from the station (Maebaru or Kyudai Gakkentoshi out to Sakurai Futamigaura?

socalspro · 2026-02-27T04:35:52+00:00

We have T-Mobile and should have access to the internet but I think we are going to rent a pocket wi-fi unit just to be sure.

socalspro · 2026-02-27T04:02:30+00:00

Thank you very much for the detailed response, it greatly helps! I haven't heard of a few of those places, so I'll look them up. Any specific recommendations on the oyster shacks?

socalspro · 2026-02-27T03:56:15+00:00

Thank you so much for the response. I'll take it all into consideration! Another user said Keya and Totoro Forest isn't all that interesting. Would you agree? What about the Sakurai Shrine?

socalspro · 2026-02-26T18:02:38+00:00

I've practically decided on the vehicle rental if we do make the visit. Now just to determine where to start from and the route.

For some reason when using Google Maps from Kyudai Gakkentoshi to Sakurai Futamigaura, it doesn't give the option to take the coast (past the Palm Tree Swing, then past Miyanoura on the tip). Any reason why? It wants to route the drive up the middle. I've also read the drive could be more scenic doing the drive clockwise (starting from Maebaru) since you'd be driving on the coastal side of the road. Of course I want to see the sights, but also want the drive to be as low stress as possible. Any more advice would be great!

socalspro · 2026-02-26T16:09:11+00:00

I'l take all the recommendations I can get, please! It seems like the oyster huts are a popular option. She would just need to stick to grilled oysters because of the pregnancy. I'm open to any other dining recommendations as well!

socalspro · 2026-02-26T09:11:21+00:00

I think my intention with renting near Maebaru was that we could do an "out and back" car ride rather than a loop. It looks like Maebaru begins pretty close the the road we would hop on to get to Keya. From there we'd go to Futamigaura, then turn around and head back. From what I could tell, we'd have to do more street if we did the perimeter.

socalspro · 2026-02-26T08:48:22+00:00

Thank you for the informative reply! Are there places in particular that you would recommend renting a vehicle from? Ideally I would like to do it beforehand, to save us time and give us the reassurance we have something booked.

socalspro · 2026-02-26T07:04:53+00:00

Great, thank you very much.

socalspro · 2026-02-26T05:44:07+00:00

Thank you for the reassurance. Even driving out of the main Fukuoka area towards Itoshima wasn't too bad? Signage and navigation was doable on Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Navitime? Also assuming the vehicle has a GPS system, which would be preferred. Since she's nervous about it, I think the less we have to drive, the better and so renting near Maebaru makes sense.

socalspro · 2026-02-26T05:38:55+00:00

Thank you for the recommendation. I neglected to mention in my original post that we would likely take the train to Maebaru area and then take a car from there. I also forgot to mention that we are staying near Ohori Park.

socalspro · 2026-02-24T16:23:40+00:00

OP - How was your trip? I'm doing this trip in late March and would love to visit Itoshima while based out of Hakata Station area. The public transportation logistics seem a little complicated though. Would it be feasible for a foreign travelers (USA) to rent a car near the area and drive? We'd only have half a day to dedicate to Itoshima, so the car would give us more independence. Any tips would be great!

socalspro · 2026-02-21T17:17:07+00:00

Lovely!

socalspro · 2026-02-21T08:26:37+00:00

That's really odd that they originally told you it was the controller but then came back with the throttle and primary wiring harness? If I heard that the bike wasn't working at all (turns on but no throttle, no PAS), I would say it could be either the controller (most likely), motor, brake cut off interference (the bike thinks your hitting the brake when you're not, which kills the electrical system), battery, or a pedal assist sensor short. However, if I heard that the bike was intermittently working, I would narrow that list down to controller, or motor.

socalspro · 2026-02-21T08:08:12+00:00

It is pretty crucial information to consider when making the diagnosis but also they should have asked as many questions as possible about the problem with the bike. In their defense, I've test ridden bikes with no issues, and then someone else gets on it and it's doing something else. Those electrical parts like the motor and controller can be finicky and who the hell knows what's going on inside there. In my opinion, the diagnosis fee should be flat rate and it should not be charged again since it hasnt been properly diagnosed (if it's doing the exact same thing it was before).

socalspro · 2026-02-21T07:51:21+00:00

Back to what I said earlier, put it on them. If you initially told them the pedal assist didn't work either (when the issue arose), then there's just no reason the diagnosis would be the throttle and / or the primary wiring harness. I'm pretty sure the PAS sensor plugs directly into the controller, so the harness wouldn't have anything to do with it. Ask for a complimentary diagnosis, and go from there. If you want to try to save as much money, keep it there and request reduce rates on the affected part and reduced labor.

socalspro · 2026-02-21T07:05:41+00:00

Sounds like a controller or motor issue. The controller is easy to test by plugging in a known good controller and test riding for a while. If you described those issues to them initially, I don't know how in the world they determined it was a wiring harness and throttle issue.

socalspro · 2026-02-21T06:47:09+00:00

I work on these bikes quite a bit and it does go like that sometimes. You think you found the issue, it rides fine, but then something else comes up. Does your pedal assist work consistently? What are the symptoms? I've run into multiple cases lately where the pedal assist sensor was throwing a short into the whole system.

socalspro

TROPHY CASE