A practical English guide to Beppu in Oita: the hot spring towns, the bay views and access from Oita and Fukuoka.
Operational details such as opening hours, admission fees, and train times can change. Prefer official pages and reconfirm before you travel (sources checked on 08 November 2026).
Why visit
- Beppu is one of Japan’s best-known hot spring cities, on Beppu bay in Oita. Steam rises from vents across the hillside districts, and the town has been a bathing resort for more than a century, with public baths, hotel onsen and the coloured jigoku hot spring parks.
- The city spreads from the bay up into the hills, with old shopping streets, ropeways and viewpoints over the water. It is busy compared with quieter Kyushu towns, but the mix of steam, sea and everyday streets still feels distinct.
- Beppu is an easy base for central Oita, close to Oita city and reachable from Fukuoka by limited express, and it works well for a night or two of onsen stays.
Top places and highlights
Hot spring districts
Public baths and hotel onsen across several hillside areas.
Jigoku parks
Coloured geothermal pools open to visitors as walking parks.
Bay views
Viewpoints and ropeways looking over Beppu bay.
Old shopping streets
Arcades and side streets used by residents and bathers.
Food and drink
- O
- i
- t
- a
- f
- o
- o
- d
- i
- s
- h
- e
- a
- r
- t
- y
- :
- t
- o
- r
- i
- t
- e
- n
- f
- r
- i
- e
- d
- c
- h
- i
- c
- k
- e
- n
- ,
- f
- r
- e
- s
- h
- f
- i
- s
- h
- f
- r
- o
- m
- t
- h
- e
- b
- a
- y
- ,
- s
- e
- k
- i
- a
- j
- i
- a
- n
- d
- s
- e
- k
- i
- s
- a
- b
- a
- ,
- a
- n
- d
- l
- o
- c
- a
- l
- s
- a
- k
- e
- .
- B
- e
- p
- p
- u
- h
- a
- s
- r
- e
- s
- t
- a
- u
- r
- a
- n
- t
- s
- n
- e
- a
- r
- t
- h
- e
- s
- t
- a
- t
- i
- o
- n
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- m
- a
- i
- n
- o
- n
- s
- e
- n
- s
- t
- r
- e
- e
- t
- s
- .
Getting there and around
- B
- e
- p
- p
- u
- i
- s
- o
- n
- t
- h
- e
- J
- R
- N
- i
- p
- p
- o
- m
- a
- i
- n
- l
- i
- n
- e
- ,
- a
- r
- o
- u
- n
- d
- t
- w
- o
- h
- o
- u
- r
- s
- f
- r
- o
- m
- H
- a
- k
- a
- t
- a
- a
- n
- d
- f
- i
- f
- t
- e
- e
- n
- m
- i
- n
- u
- t
- e
- s
- f
- r
- o
- m
- O
- i
- t
- a
- ,
- a
- n
- d
- i
- s
- r
- e
- a
- c
- h
- e
- d
- b
- y
- r
- o
- a
- d
- o
- n
- t
- h
- e
- H
- i
- g
- a
- s
- h
- i
- –
- K
- y
- u
- s
- h
- u
- e
- x
- p
- r
- e
- s
- s
- w
- a
- y
- .
- B
- u
- s
- e
- s
- l
- i
- n
- k
- t
- h
- e
- h
- i
- l
- l
- s
- i
- d
- e
- o
- n
- s
- e
- n
- d
- i
- s
- t
- r
- i
- c
- t
- s
- .
Where to stay
- A
- c
- c
- o
- m
- m
- o
- d
- a
- t
- i
- o
- n
- i
- s
- a
- b
- u
- n
- d
- a
- n
- t
- :
- o
- n
- s
- e
- n
- h
- o
- t
- e
- l
- s
- ,
- r
- y
- o
- k
- a
- n
- a
- n
- d
- b
- u
- s
- i
- n
- e
- s
- s
- h
- o
- t
- e
- l
- s
- .
- B
- o
- o
- k
- a
- h
- e
- a
- d
- o
- n
- w
- e
- e
- k
- e
- n
- d
- s
- a
- n
- d
- h
- o
- l
- i
- d
- a
- y
- s
- .
Best time to visit
- S
- p
- r
- i
- n
- g
- a
- n
- d
- a
- u
- t
- u
- m
- n
- a
- r
- e
- t
- h
- e
- m
- o
- s
- t
- c
- o
- m
- f
- o
- r
- t
- a
- b
- l
- e
- .
- S
- u
- m
- m
- e
- r
- i
- s
- h
- o
- t
- a
- n
- d
- h
- u
- m
- i
- d
- .
- W
- i
- n
- t
- e
- r
- i
- s
- m
- i
- l
- d
- f
- o
- r
- b
- a
- t
- h
- i
- n
- g
- ,
- w
- i
- t
- h
- s
- t
- e
- a
- m
- v
- i
- s
- i
- b
- l
- e
- a
- g
- a
- i
- n
- s
- t
- c
- o
- o
- l
- a
- i
- r
- .
Practical tips
- Some jigoku parks charge admission; check opening hours.
- Bath etiquette matters; wash before entering.
- Hillside buses are infrequent late at night.
Suggested day-trip outline
- Morning: train to Beppu.
- Late morning: a jigoku park walk.
- Lunch: toriten or seafood near the station.
- Afternoon: an onsen district and a bay viewpoint.
- Late afternoon: a public bath or hotel soak.
- Evening: dinner in town and an overnight stay.
Before you go
Timetables, fares, admission fees, and seasonal access rules can change. Check the official tourism and transport sites linked below for the latest information before you travel.
Explore More of Japan
Published guides that pair with this one:
- Ibusuki Travel Guide: Sand Baths on the Satsuma Coast
- Hioki Travel Guide: Coast and Countryside west of Kagoshima
- Kushima Travel Guide: A Coastal Town in Southern Miyazaki
- Takamori Travel Guide: Springs and Cherry Blossoms in Kumamoto
- Minamata Travel Guide: Sea, Mountains and Memory in Kumamoto
Browse every Kyushu guide on this site for the rest of the region.
Sources
- city.beppu.oita.jp (checked 2026-11-08)
- visit-oita.jp (checked 2026-11-08)
Leave a Reply