As well as the hot springs and the opportunity to bath in nutrient-rich water, mud and sand, Beppu is well worth a visit when visiting Japan. Beppu’s museums, art galleries, quaint boutiques and charming cafes offer delights at every turn.
Hot springs (onsens)
Onsens are natural hot springs that have been built and designed for bathing. In the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) wounded samurai would bathe at onsens to enhance recovery. Now the hot springs, ranging from high chloride to sodium bicarbonate, are visited by locals and internationals for their various health benefits.
From steam bathing to immersion, mud or milky water, the range of different onsens benefits skin, relaxation and general health.
At the Beppu Sand Baths, you can have the singular experience of being covered gently in sand from Beppu Beach. The sand warms the body, improving circulation, and easing tension in body and mind.
Etiquette for visiting an onsen for the first time
Hakone Onsen, Japan by Dennis Bunnik
Onsens in Beppu are generally clothing-free, taking a dip means leaving your bathers behind. There are dedicated onsens for overseas visitors (very traditional venues don’t allow tattoos but these modern-minded facilities do). Once in the water, you’ll forget as everyone is accustomed to this openness, and you can relax in the warm water.
Temperatures of the onsens vary and some can be very hot! If braving a hotter pool, spend a few minutes in the water, and rinse with cool water before returning, or simply bathe in a cooler pool.
A water bottle is a must, bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated along the way. There are onsens dedicated to serving newcomers, visiting the Hyotan Onsen will provide a relaxed experience with a mixture of sand bathing, steam rooms, foot baths and even a taste of Jigoku Mushi (food cooked in the steam from the hot springs).
Steam cooking (“Jigokumushi”)
Eating “hell steam cuisine” is a unique experience you can only have in Beppu — food is cooked in mineral steam from the hot springs, infusing the meal with a unique and authentic flavour.
Mount Tsurimi
Mount Tsurimi is a 1375m high mountain, the quietly active volcano (its last eruption was in 867) that provides the geothermal energy creating the hot springs phenomenon around Beppu. The adventurous might climb the mountain, following one of the trails to the top, while most visitors take the gondola ropeway, and then hike the final 15 minutes to the summit for the panoramic views.
The Kintetsu Beppu Ropeway is a gondola system transporting passengers to the peak of Mount Tsurimi in Aso-Kuju National Park. The journey takes 10 minutes, passing through cherry blossom trees and providing views over Beppu.
Mount Tsurumi, Japan by Adobe Stock
Depending on the season, cherry trees bloom at the lower section of the mountain, rhododendrons appear from May to early June and autumn colours grace the mountainside from early October to early December. Even wintertime is beautiful here, with hoarfrost covering the trees and bushes with delicate, crystalline ice.
Hells of Beppu
Beppu, Japan by Flickr
The “Hells of Beppu” are seven spectacular hot springs with different temperatures and colours, ranging from bubbling mud pools to red and green pools, geysers and other hydrothermal features.
Once the steam, hot springs and thermal mud were viewed as an obstacle to agriculture, earning the name “hells” for this impact. Now these “hells” are a tourist attraction, with visitors from all over Japan and the world visiting to see the unusual hot springs.
Five of these seven “hells” are located within the Kannawa district and you can view each on a walking tour.
Umi Jigoku
Umi Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
This “sea hell” is a pond of boiling blue water, nestled within a spacious garden which contains additional small, orange hells. In the garden, you will also find a clear water pond with lotus flowers whose large leaves are strong enough to support small children.
Oniishibozu Jigoku
Oniishibozu Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
Boiling mud pools at this hell are thought to look like monk’s shaven heads. Nearby are public baths with multiple pools for bathing, and there’s a footbath with clear water.Shiraike Jigoku
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Oniishibozu Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
This “white pond hell” is a pond of hot, milky water surrounded by a garden.
Kamado Jigoku
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Kamado Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
An ostentatious demon statue oversees the “cooking pot hell” of several boiling ponds. Here visitors may taste the hot spring water, indulge in hand and foot baths, inhale hot spring steam and try steamed foods cooked using steam from the hot springs.Oniyama Jigoku
Oniyama Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
Oniyama Jigoku, Japan by Adobe StockMeaning “monster mountain hell”, this hell is home to crocodiles. The heat from the geothermal pools provides ideal breeding conditions for crocodiles which, although not native to Japan, are thriving in this warm environment.
Chinoike Jigoku
Oniyama Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
Cameras at the ready for the “blood pond hell”! Located in the Shibaseki District this hot, red water is picturesque against the surrounding green of the garden.
Tatsumaki Jigoku
Also in the Shibaseki District, this boiling geyser erupts every 30-40 minutes, spouting for 6-10 minutes each time against a stone plate that limits the height of the hot water. You can follow a walking trail up a forested slope to explore the area around the geyser spring.
Tatsumaki Jigoku, Japan by Adobe Stock
Takasaki Monkey Park
At the base of Mount Takasaki, between Beppu and Oita City is a reserve where over 1500 wild Japanese macaques roam freely. Visitors can approach the monkeys or observe them as they are fed, run, play or sit and groom each other. In the park are two monkey troops, each with around 700-800 members.
While the monkeys appear tame, visitors should not touch, feed or make eye contact with these wild creatures.
Oita Art Museum
Hosted within an eye-catching architectural building that opened in nearby Oita City in 2015, this museum of modern art holds space for large installations, temporary exhibitions and genres including poetry and performance art alongside paintings and sculptures.
The third floor is home to the permanent collection, including pieces by local artists including Edo Period painter Tanomura Chikuden and modern painters Fukuda Keihachiro and Takayama Tasuo.
Oita Art Museum, Japan by Adobe Stock
The museum building itself is encased in a wooden facade resembling woven bamboo craft, with large glass walls that fold to blend indoor and outdoor spaces.
Visit Beppu in Southern Japan to experience the unique geothermal springs
Away from the busiest cities of Japan, Beppu and the island of Kyusho provide natural beauty and unusual experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Kyuosho has much to offer, from modern art and architecture to active volcanos. Explore the best of Southern Japan with a small group for a unique and memorable experience.
Frequently asked questions
Would you recommend visiting Kyusho, Japan?
The third-largest island of Japan, Kyusho is definitely worth visiting. With mountains, hot springs and varied natural landscapes, it’s home to Japan’s most active volcano, Mount Aso. Relax on peaceful beaches and taste local tonkatsu ramen.
What is Beppu, Japan known for?
With eight major geothermal hotspots, the ‘Beppu Hatto’ is home to onsen, and hot springs, which attract locals and overseas visitors. The eight hot spring areas are Beppu Onsen, Kankaiji, Kamegawa, Shibaseki, Kannawa, Myoban, Horita and Hamawaki.
Are there any unique local foods I should try in Beppu?
Try the chicken tempura (toriten), seki-saba and seki-aji (mackerel and horse mackerel), Oita Bung wagyu beef, kabosu zu (vinegar made from citrus fruit of the region) and foods cooked in the hot mineral steam from the natural hot springs.