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Beppu
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
city · JP

Beppu

Recommended stay: 2 days
Getting around: Beppu is reached by train from Fukuoka (about 2 hours by limited express) or Oita Airport (about 45 minutes by bus). Within Beppu, the famous 'hells' (jigoku) sightseeing circuit is spread across a few kilometers and best covered by the local sightseeing bus loop or taxi rather than walking the whole route; the town's actual bathing onsen are more centrally clustered and walkable from the main train station area.
Hours: The jigoku (hells) tourist circuit is open roughly 8am-5pm and best visited during the day when the mineral colors of the pools are most visible; many of Beppu's public bathhouses (some extremely cheap, historic, and no-frills) keep long hours, often 6am-10pm or later, reflecting their role as everyday local bathing spots rather than tourist attractions.

Beppu produces more hot spring water than anywhere else in Japan by volume, and the town is built entirely around that fact, with steam visibly rising from vents and pipes across the city and an enormous range of bathing options, from historic no-frills public bathhouses charging a few hundred yen to elaborate sand baths (suna-yu) where you're buried up to the neck in naturally heated black sand on the beach.

The jigoku ('hells') are a separate sightseeing circuit of dramatically colored hot spring pools too hot to bathe in — a startling cobalt-blue pond, a boiling red 'blood pond,' and others — that function purely as viewing attractions rather than baths, and are Beppu's most famous tourist activity alongside the actual soaking. Given the sheer number and variety of bathing options, Beppu rewards a slower, multi-day visit for those who want to sample several distinct experiences rather than a single quick stop, and it pairs well with Yufuin, a quieter, more upscale onsen town nearby.

Beppu FAQs

What are Beppu's 'hells' (jigoku) and can I bathe in them?

No — the jigoku are dramatically colored hot spring pools kept as viewing attractions because their water is too hot to bathe in safely; actual bathing happens at Beppu's separate ryokan and public bathhouses.

Is the sand bath experience worth trying?

Yes, it's a genuinely distinctive experience — being buried up to the neck in naturally heated black sand on the beach, usually for about 10-15 minutes, and different enough from a standard bath to be worth the visit.

How many days does Beppu need?

One day covers the main jigoku circuit; two days allows time to also sample multiple different bathhouses and try the sand bath, which is really the point of visiting a city with this much variety of onsen types.

Is Beppu easy to combine with Yufuin?

Yes, they're about 30-40 minutes apart by train or bus and commonly combined, with Beppu offering more variety and volume of baths and Yufuin a quieter, more scenic, ryokan-focused experience.

How do I get to Beppu from Fukuoka?

About 2 hours by direct limited express train, making it a comfortable day trip or, better, an overnight or two-night stay given how much there is to sample.

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