Northern Kyushu Rail Pass (about ¥15,000), the Hita bus both ways (about ¥920) and the Hita museum (about ¥500). Add the Fukuoka subway and Kumamoto tram, or about ¥3,000–4,500 each way if you take a taxi to the dam.
Best time to go
Spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November). Summer is hot and humid, and early summer is the rainy season.
Closing days
The Attack on Titan museum keeps the rest stop's hours and has irregular closing days. Buses to the dam run only a few times a day.
Walking (our estimate)
Moderate: roughly 4–8 km a day, most on day 1 at the dam.
Hajime Isayama is from Oyama in Hita, Oita, where bronze statues of young Eren, Mikasa and Armin look up at a dam wall. Eiichiro Oda is from Kumamoto, where statues of the Straw Hat crew were placed in towns hit by the 2016 earthquakes. This route links them by train in three days, starting and ending at Fukuoka Airport.
Times, fares and opening hours are approximate. Check the official pages under Sources before you go (last checked September 18, 2026).
1
Day 1
Fukuoka Airport → Hita: Attack on Titan
Train into the mountains of Oita, see the dam statues and the museum, sleep in Hita.
Early morning
Fukuoka Airport → Hakata Station
Take the Fukuoka City Subway Airport Line from the domestic terminal, which connects directly to the station, to Hakata (2 stops; check the subway timetable). From the international terminal, first ride the free shuttle bus to the domestic terminal.
Morning
Hakata → Hita by limited express
The JR Kyudai Line limited express (Yufuin no Mori or Yufu) runs Hakata → Hita in about 1 hr 20 min. Yufuin no Mori is all reserved seats, so book a seat when you activate your rail pass. At the time of writing the first Yufuin no Mori left Hakata around 9:17 and reached Hita around 10:37.
Late morning
Hita Station → Oyama Dam
Hita Bus (Tsuetate line) to the Nakagawara stop takes about 30 min (about ¥460), then about 20 min on foot to the statues. Buses are few: when we checked, weekday departures from Hita Station were around 9:40, 10:45 and 14:05. A taxi takes about 20–30 min (about ¥3,000–4,500) and is the easy option if you miss the bus.
1
Midday
The dam statues
Eren, Mikasa and Armin stand in the plaza below the dam, looking up at the wall. The dam itself is the photo: shoot from low down to get the scale.
The museum is inside Mizube no Sato Oyama, a roadside rest stop (michi-no-eki). It shows original manga art and the creator's childhood drawings. About ¥500 for adults, free under 18. It keeps the rest stop's hours: roughly 9:30–16:00 on weekdays, 9:00–17:00 on weekends and holidays, irregular closing days.
Train and bullet train to Kumamoto, meet Luffy at the Prefectural Office, sleep in Kumamoto.
Morning
Hita → Kurume → Kumamoto
Take the JR Kyudai Line back west to Kurume (limited express about 45 min; JR Kyushu's own example is Kurume 9:51 → Hita 10:37 in the other direction), then change to the Kyushu Shinkansen for Kumamoto.
Late morning
Kumamoto Station → Prefectural Office
The Luffy statue is on the Prefectural Office promenade in Kumamoto City. Check a route planner for the way from Kumamoto Station.
3
Midday
Luffy statue
The Luffy statue on the Prefectural Office promenade is the crew's reunion point in the One Piece Kumamoto Reconstruction Project. It is a working government office: keep the path clear and visit during the day.
Continue on the Hohi Line up into the Aso caldera. Kumamoto → Aso is about 100 min by local train with one change at Higo-Ozu, or about 70 min by limited express. Local trains run almost every hour, so note the return times first.
5
Midday
Usopp statue
Usopp waits on the plaza in front of JR Aso Station. Have lunch near the station before heading back.
Back to Kumamoto on the Hohi Line (about 1–1.5 hr), the Kyushu Shinkansen to Hakata, then the subway to the airport. Book an evening flight so you are not rushed.
Terminus
Where to stay
Hotel links go straight to the booking site. We get nothing from them.
Terminus · stay in
Hita
Night 1, in Hita, where the Kyudai Line and the Hita Bus for the Oyama Dam start.
About ¥15,000 (adult, 3 days), about ¥14,000 via JR Kyushu's online booking (prices from April 2026)
Covers the JR trains on this route: JR Kyushu's area map puts Hita (Kyudai Line) and Aso (Hohi Line, via Higo-Ozu) inside the Northern Kyushu area, and the Kyushu Shinkansen is covered between Hakata and Kumamoto only. Up to 6 free seat reservations. Only for visitors to Japan on temporary visitor status. It does not cover the subway, city trams, local buses or taxis.
Public transport in Aso is thin. If you drive, pick up a car in Kumamoto, see Zoro in Ozu and Usopp in Aso, and add more crew statues around the caldera.
The Oyama Dam statues are outside central Hita. Buses run only a few times a day, and a taxi costs about ¥3,000–4,500 each way. Hita's tourist information also rents bicycles (about 60–70 min to the dam).
Some links here are partner links: we get a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Please note
Visiting with respect
The statues stand in parks, a dam plaza, a station plaza and a government office. Keep paths and roads clear, and don't climb on the statues.
Oyama and Ozu are small residential towns. Keep your voice down, don't photograph residents or private homes, and take your trash with you.
Don't block the bus and taxi area in front of Aso Station.
Buy something at the Mizube no Sato Oyama rest stop or eat locally.
Good to know
FAQ
Can I do this route without a car?
Yes. Every stop in this plan is reachable by JR trains plus a bus or taxi in Hita. A car only helps if you want to add more Straw Hat statues around Aso, where trains and buses are infrequent.
Is the Northern Kyushu Rail Pass worth it for this trip?
It covers every JR ride on the route, including the bullet train between Kurume and Kumamoto and the limited express to Hita. Add up the single fares for your exact trains before you buy, because fares and pass prices change.
How long do I need at the Attack on Titan spots?
Allow about half a day in Oyama: about 30 min at the dam statues, the walk to the rest stop, and about an hour in the museum. Bus timing is what really sets the schedule.
Where are the other Straw Hat statues?
The crew statues are spread across several towns in Kumamoto hit by the 2016 earthquakes. This route covers Luffy (Prefectural Office promenade, unveiled November 2018), Zoro (Ozu Central Park) and Usopp (in front of JR Aso Station). The rest of the crew are in other towns around Kumamoto City and the Aso area; the official ONE PIECE Kumamoto Reconstruction Project site and each town's website have the current list and a map.
Transfer
Combine with nearby routes
Have more days? These routes start or end close to this one.
