Obladi oblada! Mr. Wada back on duty. I would like to share one of the best places on earth for enjoying freezing winter. That shall be Beppu Onsen city in Kyushu! There are so many places you can’t visit in a single trip, so I picked 5 cool places this time.
About Beppu City
Beppu City is in Oita Prefecture where the annual yield of hot springs is the biggest in Japan. On top of that, compare to other onsen cities it is a lot more entertaining.
5 Places to Visit in Beppu Onsen City
Yukemuri Observation Platform
This is one great spot for taking very Beppu-ish pictures. See the entire city with steam? Here’s a live camera. Quite amazing even through camera. Perfect for starters.
Access
Catch a No. 20 bus (Kannawa Line via Beppu University) at JR Beppu Station (it takes 30 minutes) and get off at Yunokawa, OR catch a 16, 16A, 26, or 26A bus (loop route) and get off at Kifunejo.
8 kumi, East Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita
Admission
Free
Business Hours (parking)
April – October
8:00-22:00
November – March
8:00-21:00
Contact
Phone: 0977-21-1128
Chinoike Jigoku (Red)
There are two famous hot springs that are blue and red! This color of Chinoike Jigoku comes from magnesium oxide and some other stuff in the soil. Apparently it used to explode once in a while.
Access
Catch a No. 26 Kamenoi bus (to Kannawa) at JR Beppu Station and get off at Chinoike Jigoku Mae. It takes 40 minutes.
778 Noda, Bepu City, Oita
Admission
| Adult | High School | Junior High | Elementary |
| 400 yen | 300 yen | 250 yen | 200 yen |
Business Hours
8:00-17:00 (open everyday)
Contact
Phone: 0120-459-554
Email: info@chinoike.com
Umi Jigoku (Blue)
Here’s another ‘hell’ called Umi Jigoku but blue. This color is from iron sulfate. Doesn’t look hot? Watch out, it’s like 90 degrees (boiling). Freaking hot.
Access
Catch a No. 2, 5, 41, or 43 Kamenoi Bus (to Kannawa) at JR Beppu Station and get off at Umi Jigoku Mae. It takes 20 minutes.
559 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita
Admission
| Adult | High School | Junior High | Elementary |
| 400 yen | 300 yen | 250 yen | 200 yen |
Business Hours
8:00-17:00 (open everyday)
Contact
Phone: 0977-66-0121
Beppu Onsen Hoyo Land (Mud Bath)
This one’s quite unforgettable. It was very nice and I got too excited that I spread the mud over my body and face over and over. However, the mud and the very strong smell of sulfur remained into my nose for days really. Better wash out face and body well before leaving. FYI, men and women bath are very close in it (divided just by a thin rope). Stay alert.
Access
Catch a No. 41 or 5 Kamenoi Bus (to APU/Safari) at JR Beppu Station and get off at Konya Jigoku-Mae. It takes 25 minutes.
5 Myoban, Beppu City, Oita
Admission
| Adult | Elementary | Under 5 |
| 11,00 yen | 600 yen | 350 yen |
Business Hours
9:00-20:00
Contact
Phone: 0977-66-2221
Email: hoyo-land@feel.ocn.ne.jp
Beppu Tower
It’s a landmark of Beppu City. Though compact, you could see cool city lights.
Access
10 minutes by walk from JR Beppu Station.
3-10-2 Kita Hama, Beppu City, Oita
Admission
Admission fee for the observation area.
| Upper high schooler | Jr. High and Elementary | Under Elementary |
| 200 yen | 100 yen | Free |
Business Hours
9:00-22:00 (closed on Wednesdays (except holidays) and New Year’s Eve)
Contact
0977-21-3939
Extra: Local Onsen
This is just another local onsen place. There are like bunch of them out there run by local community with super cheap admission fee. This one costs only 100 yen! It isn’t as entertaining as some places but still nice to experience a regular onsen as well with locals, don’t you think?
Access
5 minutes by walk from JR Beppu Station.
2-3-2 Kita Hama, Beppu City, Oita
Admission
100 yen
Business Hours
6:30-22:30
Contact
Phone: 0977-22-3625
Email: hsp-te@city.beppu.oita.jp
Lastly
How do you find it? We hope to visit this beautiful city again some other time. I am wondering how it looks like in different seasons (we know only winter there).
See you around!
Reference
Paradice Hell Beppu
http://www.beppu-jigoku.com/
http://www.beppu-jigoku.com/chinoike/
http://bepputower.co.jp/en/
