Beppu is a place worth visiting to experience its many “hells.” The town has a total of eight springs, each with a different experience, and visitors come from far and wide to steam bathe, sunbathe, mud bathe, and sand bathe on these unique natural wonders. Though the hot springs may be the popular attraction in this town, there are lots of interesting things that make a visit worthwhile. Hotels and ryokans are also available if you’re wondering where to stay in Beppu. Be sure to check out some tourist-friendly onsen ryokans as well. If you have had the town on your travel bucket list, but are not certain of what exactly to do upon arrival, here is a look at the top things to do in Beppu, Japan.
1. Beppu Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Beppu Traditional Bamboo Crafts is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Beppu’s bamboo art is so renowned that it was designated a traditional craft by the Ministry of Economics, Trade, and Industry in 1979.
The center showcases a variety of bamboo products, including baskets, furniture, and home decor, all made by skilled artisans using traditional techniques that have been passed down for generations. Visitors can watch the artisans at work and even attend workshops and events to craft their own bamboo products to take home.
Beppu Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center
Address: 市東荘園8丁目3, Beppu, 〒874-0836 Oita, Japan
Website: Beppu Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center
Opening hours: 8.30am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
2. Beppu Ropeway
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
The Beppu Ropeway takes visitors on a scenic journey up Mount Tsurumi, one of the most famous peaks in the area. During the 10-minute ride, visitors can take in panoramic views of Beppu Bay and the surrounding mountains, and during the autumn months, the changing colors of the leaves provide a beautiful backdrop.
Once at the top, visitors can explore the observation deck, which offers breathtaking views of the city. There are also several hiking trails that visitors can take to explore the mountain further.
Beppu Ropeway
Address: 10-7 Aza-Kanbara, Oaza-Minami-Tateishi, Beppu-city, 〒874-0000 Oita, Japan
Website: Beppu Ropeway
Opening hours: 9am - 4.30pm (daily)
3. Bathe in the Hells of Beppu, the famous hot springs
As noted earlier, the hot springs are some of the major attractions in Beppu. Also known as onsen, the hot springs provides “natural swimming pools” where visitors can simply go and dip themselves and enjoy as they soak in the heat. Most of the hotels have their own hot springs which are open for their guests’ use but there are also a lot of bathhouses within the town and the surrounding regions which are always open to the public. Some people believe that the hot springs have medicinal and therapeutic benefits, but whether or not you believe such, this is an experience you must not miss when you are in Beppu.
Hells of Beppu
Address: 559-1 Kannawa, 大字 Beppu, Oita 874-0000, Japan
Website: Hells of Beppu
Opening hours: 8am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 11.1 USD
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4. Shop for bath salt souvenirs at Myoban Yunosato Hot Spring
If you happen to visit Beppu, it will be a tragedy if you will fail to make your way to Myoban Yunosato. This place is a little further up, and it is where you will find particularly milky baths. They are ideal if you are visiting with the family and you would love to take a bath together, or you can also enjoy the private baths with your partner. Hot springs, after all, are one of the things Beppu is famous for. In addition to the exquisite private baths, you can shop for bath salts from this place and carry them back home as souvenirs. Myoban Yunosato its own salt baths and you will find a variety of the salts being sold on-site.
Myoban Yunosato Hot Spring
Address:Japan, 〒874-0843 Oita, Beppu, 明礬6組
Website: Myoban Yunosato Hot Spring
Opening hours: 10am - 9pm (daily)
Price: 6 USD
5. Enjoy hell steamed pudding and hell steamed egg sandwich
For first time visitors, the best way to utilize the “hells” in Beppu is to take baths. However, it will not be long before you realize that this is not the only applications of the hot springs. You will be surprised to learn that the steam produced by the hot springs are hot enough that they could be actually used for steaming or cooking certain foods. And to this effect, you must not fail to sample a few of the hell steamed pudding and hell steamed egg sandwiches that are sold by the various vendors. In some places, you may have the chance to not just try the foods, but also get ingredients and cook your own meals with the heat from the hot steams.
Okamotoya Ryokan
Address: Japan, 〒874-0843 Oita, Beppu, 明礬4
Website: Okamotoya Ryokan
6. View the hot steam rising from Yukumeri Observatory
Posted by Go Unique Japan on Thursday, 7 September 2017
You may not be able to fully appreciate the volume as well as the power of the Beppu hot springs from the ground. The best way to get a glance and fully appreciate this great phenomenon is to get up in the sky and marvel at the steams as they majestically rise from the ground. If you are lucky to visit on a clear day, you will see very beautiful scenes you may have never imagined.
Yukemuri Observatory
Address: Japan, 〒874-0042 Oita, Beppu, Kannawahigashi, 8組
Website: Yukemuri Observatory
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
7. Soak in the waterfall springs of Hyotan Onsen
Posted by 葫蘆温泉 on Saturday, 13 January 2018
A visit to Beppu will never be complete without a visit to Hyotan Onsen, Japan’s only three-Michelin-starred springs. Whether you are a solo traveler, traveling with your partner, or with the entire family, this will be one of the most memorable hot spring baths you will ever encounter. You will find a variety of baths where you can soak your skin and make all the stress disappear, and with sections dedicated for both men and women, you will have all the time you want to spend bathing.
Hyotan Onsen
Address: 159-2 Kannawa, Beppu, Oita 874-0000, Japan
Website: Springs of Hyotan Onsen
Opening hours: 9am - 1am (daily)
Price: from 7 USD
8. Dine on onsen-steamed dishes at Hell Steaming Workshop Kannawa
Earlier on, we mentioned that you should sample a few of the hell-steamed pudding and egg sandwiches. However, if you want to sample a full range of hell-steamed delicacies, then you have every reason to check out Hell Steaming Workshops in Kannawa. The heat used to prepare every meal is the heat from the onsen, and you will be amazed at just how good the food is, despite there being no fire in the cooking process. You will be presented with a unique chance to sample various traditional dishes from the Edo period.
Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa
Address: 〒874-0044 Furomoto 5-kumi, Beppu-shi (along Ideyu-zaka slope)
Website: Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa
Opening hours: 10am - 7pm (daily)
9. Make your own unique scent at Oita Fragrance Museum
Oita Fragrance Museum 大分香りの博物館 (Beppu City) The theme of this museum is "scent". You can experience different aspects...
Posted by Onsen Oita on Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Japan is one of the few places where you will find unique museums such as the Oita Fragrance Museum, and this is another place you must not miss when you visit Beppu. If you have been putting on perfumes, then you may have been fascinated by how all the scents come together, and this is the kind of experience you will have when you visit this museum. It also has a rich history behind it which I know you will love to learn about.
Make your own unique scent at Oita Fragrance Museum
Address: 48-1 Kitaishigaki, Beppu, Oita 874-0915, Japan
Website: Oita Fragrance Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 2.79 USD
10. Visit the spectacular illuminated displays at Suginoi Hotel
During the day, you will mistake the Suginoi Hotel for any other hotel in Beppu, but come nighttime, it comes alive with wonderful displays of beautiful illuminations. Bright colors cover the entire arcade with nice displays of colors of the rainbow. There are also displays of illuminated Japanese lamps, and the scene will be nothing but great beauty for you to witness.
Suginoi Hotel
Address: Japan, 〒874-0822 Oita, Beppu, 観海寺1
Website: Suginoi Hotel
11. Enjoy a warm bath at Takegewara Onsen
When you are in Beppu, there will be no escaping the different kinds of baths you will be exposed to, and it won’t hurt to try another one at Takegewara Onsen. This particular onsen has a charm you will never understand unless you experience it.
Warm Bathe at Takegewara Onsen
Address: Japan, 〒874-0000 Oita, Beppu, Motomachi, 16番23号
Website: Takegewara Onsen
Opening hours: 6:30am - 10:30pm (daily)
12. See the dolphins at Umitamago Aquarium
Dolphins are some of the most gracious mammals in the world. They may be living in the water, but they are intelligent and extremely friendly to human beings. It is always a pleasure to watch the dolphins perform, and if you are in Beppu, then you need to make your way to Umitamago Aquarium for some thrilling dolphin performances. This is one of the most beautiful aquariums in Japan, not just because of its architecture, but also the species of sea life kept in it. In addition to watching the dolphins, you will also be treated to spectacular views of seals, penguins, otters, and a variety of fish species.
Umitamagno Aquarium
Address: 3078番地22 Kanzaki, 大字 Oita, 870-0100, Japan
Website: Umitamagno Aquarium
Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 20 USD
13. Hike down to the lush Yufugawa Valley
The best way to experience the beautiful outdoors of Beppu is to go for a hike down the lush Yufugawa Valley. If you are lucky enough to take the hike when the sun is out, you will know how it feels to take a walk in paradise. One of the best places to visit near Beppu, this valley exudes nothing but peaceful nature, with the sounds of the wild, including the soft sounds of the streams as they make their way down the slopes. The peace and tranquility you will experience during this hike will be more than therapeutic.
Yufugawa Valley
Address: Higashiyama2ku, Beppu, Oita 874-0804, Japan
Website: Yufugawa Valley
14. Go on thrilling rides at Kijima Kogen Park
If you are visiting with young ones or if you are feeling playful enough to get some thrill on rides, then Kijima Kogen Park would be the right place for you. What you find here is a series of slides and swings with varying heights that may or may not scare you depending on your tolerance for heights. It is a great place to visit on a sunny Saturday afternoon with the entire family.
Kijima Kogen Park
Address: Japan, 〒874-8666 Oita, Beppu, 城島高原123
Website: Kijima Kogen Park
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat - Sun: 9am - 5pm
Price: 39 USD USD
15. Ride the ropeway to the top of scenic Mount Tsurumi
Mount Tsurumi stands at 1,375 m (4,511 feet) above sea level, and as such, it is one of the highest points in the region. There are rope rides which you can use to take you straight to the top of the mountain. The ride will not just bring to life your spirit of adventure, but while you increase in the altitude, you will appreciate the beauty that the valley below has to offer. If it is during winter, the snow on the ground will form something like a blanket of white cotton, and during the other times, you will marvel at the greenery that resides in the valley. It is a ride worth experiencing irrespective of the time or season of your visit.
Ride to Mount Tsurumi
Address: Beppu, Ōita, Japan
16. Snack on delicious chicken tempura at Restaurant Toyoken
Oita Prefecture is where toriten originated–it is not often that you find yourself visiting a region known to have been the origin of a particularly popular and tasty delicacy like the toriten. This is simply a Japanese-style fried chicken, and a very popular snack among the Japanese, both back at home and in Japanese communities abroad. When you are in Beppu, the best place to check out this legendary snack is at Restaurant Toyoken. While you are at it, be sure to ask for the Kabosu-based sauce so that you appreciate the full flavors of the snack.
Snack at Restaurant Toyoken
Address: 7 Chome-8-22 Ishigakihigashi, Beppu, Oita 874-0919, Japan
Website: Restaurant Toyoken
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11am - 3:30pm, 5pm - 10pm; Sat - Sun: 11am - 9:30pm
17. Experience traditional, Japanese-style comfort at the Hotel Ryotei Matsubaya (from USD 261)
Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, you have every reason to experience the Japanese-style comfort as demonstrated at Ryotei Matsubaya Hotel. The location of the hotel is about 1 km (0.62miles) from the city center, and it is one of the best places in the region where you can still get the authentic traditional Japanese accommodation. The hotel has been described as a haven of relaxation because irrespective of the load you will walk in with, you will leave as a greatly relieved man with a rejuvenated spirit.
Beppu Kankaiji Onsen Ryotei Matsubaya
Address: Kankaiji 3
3.89 km (2.5 mi) from Kamado Jigoku
Make your trip to Beppu a memorable one
With this list of the top things to do in Beppu, Japan, you should have more than enough options for your visit. It is a new place, and this comes with a chance for you to experience a new culture as displayed in the attractions and the food. Sample as many of the experiences as you can, and may your trip to Beppu be a memorable one.
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