Beppu, Japan: travel guide
Steaming hot springs and the colourful Hells on Kyushu's east coast
Japan's hot-spring capital steams with more geothermal output than any city outside Yellowstone. Beppu's "Eight Hells" — boiling ponds in vivid red, blue, and green — are one of Japan's most surreal natural spectacles.
About Beppu
Beppu is a hot-spring town on the east coast of Kyushu, and steam rises from vents across the town and the hillside above it. Bathing is part of everyday life here, from grand public baths to sand baths on the shore.
The Beppu Hells, called Jigoku Meguri, are a group of geothermal ponds that boil in vivid colours, and they are the best-known sight. You can also ride the ropeway up Mount Tsurumi, visit the monkey park at Takasakiyama and soak in the onsen of Myoban, where villagers once harvested mineral deposits.
Beppu suits couples, families and travellers who love hot springs. Autumn and winter are comfortable for bathing, and the town is an easy stop in a Kyushu itinerary.
- Country
- Japan
- Currency
- JPY
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Nearest airport
- OIT
Last updated
Top places to visit in Beppu
Beppu Hells (Jigoku Meguri)
geothermal hot spring spectacle · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
Beppu's "Eight Hells" are geothermal hot spring pools so scalding (75–99°C) that they cannot be bathed in — they are viewed as spectacles. Each has a different character: Umi-Jigoku (Sea Hell) is an eerie cobalt blue, Chinoike-Jigoku…
Beppu Onsen Bathing Culture
onsen bathing & steam culture · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Beppu produces more hot spring water than any Japanese city — 130 million litres/day across 2,700 hot spring sources. The traditional "sand bath" (sunayu) at Shoningahama Beach buries visitors to their neck in geothermally heated black…
Takasakiyama Monkey Park
Wildlife · about 1.3 h · entry ¥520 (≈ ₹310)
Forested mountain reserve home to two large troops of wild Japanese macaques that roam a hillside feeding ground.
Umitamago Aquarium
Wildlife · about 2 h · entry ¥2,600 (≈ ₹1,570)
Seaside aquarium beside Takasakiyama with walrus and dolphin performances and touch pools.
Beppu Ropeway (Mount Tsurumi)
Viewpoint · about 2 h · entry ¥1,800 (≈ ₹1,080)
Cable car climbing 1,375 m Mount Tsurumi for sweeping views over Beppu Bay, the onsen town and Shikoku beyond.
Myoban Onsen Yunosato
Cultural · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
Hillside hot-spring hamlet of thatched huts where mineral-rich yunohana bath crystals are harvested.
Global Tower
Viewpoint · about 0.7 h · entry ¥300 (≈ ₹180)
Sleek 125 m observation tower at B-Con Plaza with an open-air deck overlooking Beppu and the sea.
Beppu Park
Nature · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
Broad city park of lawns, plum and cherry trees and a Japanese garden, a green break from the steam of the hells.
Yukemuri Observatory
Viewpoint · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
Lookout over the Kannawa district where columns of onsen steam rise across the rooftops, a designated scenic view.
Things to do
- Beppu Hells Onsen Circuit Tour Tour · 3 h · from JPY 3,800 per person
- Beppu Sand Bath Experience Wellness · 1 h · from JPY 1,500 per person
Where to stay in Beppu
Hotels
- Suginoi Hotel Beppu 4-star · JPY 18,000 to JPY 45,000 per night
- Kannawaen 4-star
- Beppu Guest House 2-star
Where to eat
- Jigoku-mushi Kobo Kannawa Japanese, BBQ · about JPY 1,200 per person
- Toyotsune Honten japanese, tempura · about JPY 1,200 per person
Getting to Beppu
Airport: Oita (OIT)
Getting around
- Bus
- Taxi
- Walking