Taking the 911 on a Ferry from Shikoku to Kyushu

I had set my alarm for 5 a.m., but woke up even earlier. It seemed to have rained quite a bit last night, but this morning the rain had stopped and the air was refreshingly crisp.

I quickly got ready and left with plenty of time to catch the 6:20 a.m. ferry.

The hotel was right in the middle of a residential area, so starting the 911’s engine early in the morning felt a bit awkward. I got in the car, set the navigation, buckled up, and was ready to start immediately. I fired up the engine.

As soon as the roaring sound of “Gwon!! Boboboo” echoed, the 911 quickly left the city of Seiyo behind.

Driving the 911 before dawn is truly exhilarating. With little traffic, every road becomes a joy to drive. I arrived at the Yawatahama ferry terminal with the roof down, savoring the fresh morning air.

I promptly purchased tickets at the counter. The fare for a second-class cabin on the Yawatahama to Beppu route is 13,960 yen for cars under 5 meters, like the 911. They said there was an internet discount, but it wasn’t available for credit card payments.

Boarding the ferry with the 911, I felt reassured as ferry staff always watch carefully to avoid scraping the Porsche’s front lip.

After leaving the car, I headed inside. The journey takes about 2 hours and 50 minutes. It’s quite long just to cross from Shikoku to Kyushu—longer than the Tokyo-Osaka Shinkansen trip. Unfortunately, the cabins were packed due to Golden Week, so I avoided them.

I settled into a sofa in the lobby, enjoying the views from the ship’s windows and the observation deck.

Landing in Kyushu

At 9 a.m., we arrived at Beppu Port. I returned to the 911, and the Kyushu adventure officially began.

First, I drove through Beppu’s hot spring district, heading toward Yufuin. Taking Prefectural Route 11, I enjoyed the magnificent view of Yufuin on my right while cruising along the Yamanami Highway. The scenery here is truly stunning and the roads are fantastic. The only downside is the usually heavy traffic.

I took a break at Sagiri-dai parking area and then headed south toward Aso. Unfortunately, traffic was heavy here as well, so I couldn’t drive at my own pace. Resigned, I stopped at various parking spots, letting slower cars pass before continuing south on Route 442.

I turned right onto Route 442 and headed north on Farm Road. Farm Road is a favorite of mine around here—a smooth, low-traffic route. I kept the 911 in Sport mode, revving it a bit higher as I drove. I stopped near a farm for a break, retracing a route I had taken before in a Boxster.

I wanted to stop for lunch somewhere, but there was nothing around. I found a place called Rose Hill Amagase and decided to check it out.

It’s a beautiful park with a rose garden. There was a pizza food truck with a long line, so I tried to buy a pizza, but the line barely moved.

Five, ten minutes passed. I gave up. I hate waiting more than anything, so I left.

“I wish they’d at least take orders to keep customers from leaving—that’s such a missed opportunity,” I thought as I walked away.

Ikitsuki Island Sunset Way

Today’s final destination was Ikitsuki Island. To get there, I had to cross Kyushu horizontally. I didn’t want to just take the highway, so I chose mostly local roads. I headed south along the west shore of Hachinosu Lake, then west again on Route 442. I thought I could finally have lunch at the Taiokinzan roadside station, but the restaurant there was also packed. Since I can’t stand waiting, I passed it by as well.

By then, I didn’t even care about being hungry and hurried on.

Entering Kurume City, traffic increased, so I took the highway to warp ahead. I passed through Sasebo and headed toward Hirado. Prefectural Route 227 had moderate traffic but flowed at a good pace.

Cars around here seem to keep a good pace. There are few slow drivers; everyone presses the accelerator with intent, making traffic flow smoothly.

Enjoying the pleasant winding roads of Prefectural Route 19, I approached Ikitsuki Island.

Crossing the Ikitsuki Bridge, I drove along the island’s south side and then the west coast’s Ikitsuki Island Sunset Way. This road is often featured in car commercials and was recently used in a Honda Fit commercial—a truly iconic route.

It’s indeed wonderful. Unlike most places in Japan where guardrails are everywhere, here there are none. Only simple wires are strung, and the grass acts as a natural guardrail.

I visited at dusk, when the sea and sky were breathtakingly beautiful. This isn’t a road to roar the 911’s engine on; it’s a place to quietly and leisurely enjoy the scenery. I highly recommend coming here in a convertible. Of course, a coupe is fine, but with the top down, the road’s charm doubles without a doubt.

The road was so beautiful and enjoyable that I lost track of time and drove it twice back and forth.

Reluctantly, I left Ikitsuki Island and headed for my hotel.

But when I checked the navigation, I was shocked—it said it would take about two more hours. I had booked a hotel in Omura City but hadn’t expected it to take that long.

On the other hand, I savored the joy of still being able to drive the 911 for another two hours as I headed south on the dark highway. I arrived at the hotel at 9 p.m. Thinking back, I had been driving since 5:30 a.m., so this was about 15 and a half hours of touring. Crazy, even for me! (laughs)

Route Map for This Trip

(Added to the previous route map)