HOT SPRING HEAVEN

Cruise to Beppu, Japan

From a distance, you can tell there's something special about Beppu. Pillars of steam rise from this sun-drenched city, attesting to its countless hot springs — Beppu generates more spring water than any other city in Japan. Cruise to Beppu to visit one of the many onsen (hot-spring spas) — there are over 2,000 here. You can also find mud baths at Beppu Onsen Hoyo Land Konya Jigoku and sand baths at Beppu-Kaihama Beach. Or head out of town for a wilder version of hot springs and see the Eight Hells of Beppu: They're too hot to bathe in but breathtaking to see. Once you're feeling unwound, channel your inner kid at Takasakiyama Monkey Park, where monkeys run wild at the base of Mount Takasaki.

National Language Japanese

Currency Accepted Japanese Yen (JPY)

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Things To Do in Beppu

Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) is one of the tourist attractions featuring a pond of boiling blue water

Get Soaked

Explore Beppu's eight bubbling hells before soaking yourself in a much cooler (but still hot!) public bath. The percolating mud at Oniishibozu Jigoku looks like a monk's shaved head. At Kamado Jigoku (literall "cooking pot hell"), steaming turquoise waters are surrounded by pine trees and overlooked by a colorful demon statue. To immerse yourself, the Suginoi Hotel's Tanayu spa has rooftop infinity pools with eye-popping city views.

Bamboo trees in Beppu, Japan

Bewitched by Bamboo

Bamboo grows everywhere in Beppu and you might be surprised at the amazing range of bamboo products offered at the Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Crafts Centre during your cruise. This excellent museum shows visitors the history of bamboo craft in Japan, including local weaving techniques. It offers hands-on bamboo craft workshops starting at 400 yen.

Autumn at Lake Kinriko in Yufuin Town Oita, Japan

Lakeside Retreat

For gorgeous mountain vistas, take a 50-minute bus from Beppu to Yufuin, a hot spring resort with a relaxing bohemian vibe. Visit the Kyushu Yufuin Mingei Mura, where you can try your hand at old-fashioned paper making, stroll around postcard-perfect, spring-fed Kinrinko Lake and admire the twin peaks of Mt. Yufu, which stands 1,584 meters tall. One of the best views is from the outdoor bath at Yufuin Onsen spa.

Local Cuisine

With all this hot water, it's no wonder that "Hell Steam Cuisine" is the local speciality. The hells sell boiled eggs, but for the real Hell's kitchen experience, try Jigokumushi Kobo Steam Cooking Centre in Kannawa. You can buy prepared dishes of pork buns, vegetables, seafood or chicken and cook them in a rental steam chamber.

Baskets made out of bamboo sold in markets in Beppu, Japan

Shopping

For high-quality craft products from Oita Prefecture, Oita Made has got you covered. In addition to finely made bamboo baskets, mats, spoons and chopsticks, this boutique has traditional Japanese geta clogs, pouches of Japanese green tea, sweetened sake and traditional pear jam.