From Outside of Japan
Minamata is located in southern Kumamoto Prefecture, but can be quickly accessed from several airports in the Kyushu area. Sample routes from three local airports are shown below. For information about other rail and road routes to Minamata, as well as train times, please refer to the sections "By Rail" and "By Car" .
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Information in English about the three airports, including flight times, may be found at the following websites:
Fukuoka Airport
Aso-Kumamoto Airport
Kagoshima Airport
Airport buses between Minamata and Kagoshima Airport leave the airport at 9:45, 12:25, 14:00, 14:55, and 18:45.
Buses leaving for the airport depart from Minamata Station at 9:50, 12:20 and 15:40.
For information on bullet train times, see below.
By Rail
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Thanks to the opening of the JR Kyushu Shinkansen line, Minamata can be accessed quickly and easily from most of the major cities in Western Japan.
There are two train stations in central Minamata: Shin-Minamata Station and Minamata Station. The local train, the Hisatsu Orange Line, stops at both stations, while the JR Kyushu Shinkansen only stops at Shin-Minamata. Please note that Shin-Minamata station is not within comfortable walking distance of the downtown area, but that taxi and bus services are available at both stations. Information about the local Hisatsu Orange Rail Line, including special tourist passes and train times, may be found on their website.
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JR Shin-Minamata Station
JR Kyushu Shinkansen, South Bound Trains (Shin-Osaka --> Kagoshima Chuou)
| Shin-Osaka |
Hakata |
Kumamoto |
Shin- Minamata |
Kagoshima Chuou |
| |
|
6:11 |
6:37 |
7:08 |
| |
|
6:39 |
7:04 |
7:36 |
| |
6:10 |
7:00 |
7:25 |
7:56 |
| |
6:45 |
7:23 |
7:49 |
8:19 |
| |
7:21 |
8:04 |
8:29 |
9:00 |
| |
7:49 |
8:29 |
8:54 |
9:25 |
| |
8:10 |
9:09 |
9:34 |
10:05 |
| 6:25 |
9:09 |
9:47 |
10:13 |
10:43 |
| 7:15 |
9:58 |
10:37 |
11:02 |
11:33 |
| |
11:03 |
11:42 |
12:07 |
12:38 |
| 9:18 |
12:06 |
12:45 |
13:10 |
13:40 |
| |
13:20 |
13:59 |
14:24 |
14:54 |
| |
14:20 |
14:59 |
15:24 |
15:54 |
| |
15:20 |
15:59 |
16:24 |
16:54 |
| |
16:21 |
16:59 |
17:24 |
17:55 |
| |
17:07 |
17:47 |
18:12 |
18:43 |
| 15:20 |
18:02 |
18:47 |
19:12 |
19:43 |
| |
18:18 |
19:18 |
19:43 |
20:14 |
| 16:20 |
19:02 |
19:44 |
20:09 |
20:41 |
| 17:20 |
20:02 |
20:44 |
21:09 |
21:41 |
| 18:20 |
21:02 |
21:43 |
22:08 |
22:39 |
| |
21:51 |
22:39 |
23:05 |
23:35 |
Service to Minamata only on weekends
JR Kyushu Shinkansen, North Bound Trains (Kagoshima Chuou --> Shin-Osaka)
| Kagoshima Chuou |
Shin-Minamata |
Kumamoto |
Hakata |
Shin-Osaka |
| 6:09 |
6:41 |
7:05 |
7:45 |
|
| 6:32 |
7:04 |
7:28 |
8:20 |
|
| 7:03 |
7:34 |
7:59 |
8:41 |
11:24 |
| 7:30 |
8:02 |
8:26 |
9:21 |
|
| 8:03 |
8:35 |
8:59 |
9:41 |
12:24 |
| 8:24 |
8:55 |
9:20 |
10:00 |
|
| 9:03 |
9:35 |
9:59 |
10:41 |
13:24 |
| 9:50 |
10:21 |
10:46 |
11:25 |
|
| 11:10 |
11:41 |
12:06 |
12:46 |
15:24 |
| 11:50 |
12:21 |
12:46 |
13:25 |
|
| 13:03 |
13:27 |
13:52 |
14:32 |
|
| 13:56 |
14:27 |
14:52 |
15:32 |
19:24 |
| |
15:33 |
15:58 |
16:37 |
|
| |
16:12 |
16:38 |
17:25 |
|
| 16:07 |
16:39 |
17:03 |
17:42 |
20:26 |
| 17:03 |
17:34 |
17:59 |
18:37 |
21:21 |
| 17:27 |
17:59 |
18:23 |
19:12 |
|
| 18:03 |
18:34 |
18:59 |
19:37 |
22:21 |
| 18:29 |
19:00 |
19:24 |
20:04 |
22:49 |
| 19:04 |
19:36 |
20:00 |
20:39 |
|
| 19:32 |
20:04 |
20:28 |
21:28 |
|
| 20:08 |
20:40 |
21:04 |
21:43 |
Hiroshima 22：５６ |
| 20:54 |
21:26 |
21:50 |
22:39 |
|
| 21:39 |
22:11 |
22:35 |
23:24 |
|
| 22:20 |
22:50 |
23:16 |
23:55 |
|
| 23:00 |
23:31 |
23:56 |
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Service only on weekends and holidays.
By Car
The recent construction of the Minamikyushu Expressway has made access to Minamata by car easier, and construction of an extension of the expressway directly to Minamata is underway. Please be aware that the Kyushu Expressway is a toll road.