Beppu & Yufuin
With more onsen hot springs than anywhere else in Japan, Beppu takes the crown as the nation’s top onsen hot spring destination. So much hot water wells up from beneath the ground…
At a glance
Legendary onsen hot spring town aside the Seto Inland Sea. Great views, thriving arts scene, great dining and nightlife.
Ranging from the thrilling to the benign, the entertainment at Kijima caters for all the family. The park’s 25-hectare site is dominated by Jupiter, a 1,600 metre long wooden…
At a glance
The Jupiter wooden roller coaster is just one of many thrilling attractions at Kijima Kogen, which also provides amusements suitable for all ages.
The Comico Art Museum Yufuin is a captivating manifestation in architecture of many Japanese qualities especially tranquility. Comico’s compact size and pitch-black exterior embody…
At a glance
A sublime private art gallery in the centre of Yufuin created by Kengo Kuma, one of Japan's leading architects.
Dignified statues celebrating heroines and heroes, stateswomen and men, and local personages are common in many countries around the world, and Japan is no different. Found in…
At a glance
Local hero and father of Japan's modern tourism industry.
The twin-peaked Mt. Yufu-dake soars to 1,583 metres dominating its surroundings. It is also a popular and relatively easy mountain to climb, taking about 2~2.5 hours from the main…
At a glance
Perhaps one of the nicest mountains to climb in the whole of Japan and suitable for almost all ages and abilities.
A visit to Yunohira Onsen is a step back into an older time. Hidden in the mountains outside Yufuin on an mountainside beside the tumbling Kagono-gawa river, this tiny, atmospheric…
At a glance
An olde-worlde feel permeates this quiet hillside onsen hot spring village.
In Beppu’s Kannawa district steam derived from volcanic activity deep below the earth seems to rise up from every crevice in the ground. Onsen baths are plentiful here but a lesser…
At a glance
A fun and ecological way of cooking using water vapour from the earth's unlimited geo-thermal resources.
For panoramic views over Beppu and Beppu Bay to the east and Mt. Yufu-dake to the west ride the Beppu Ropeway, which whisks passengers up almost 800 metres to the summit of Mt.…
At a glance
Great views over Beppu Bay while taking the easy way up to the top of Mt. Tsurumi-dake.
Jigoku Onsen, or Hot Spring Hells, are scaldingly hot and most definitely not for bathing in. However, they are a fascinating attraction.
At a glance
Jigoku Onsen are exotic natural phenomena and symbolic of Beppu's claim to be the hot spring capital of the world.
Kuma is the architect of the New National Stadium built for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. An ardent proponent of reinterpreting traditional Japanese construction methods, Kuma is…
At a glance
One of Japan's architectural elite.
Uchinari Tanada are a spectacular and extensive series of more than 1,000 terraced paddies that recall an older age when rice was planted and harvested by hand.
At a glance
Terraced rice paddies covering a steep hillside provide a classic view of Japan.
ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa is a glamorous cosmopolitan destination that any international traveller will feel very comfortable visiting. It provides a world of the…
At a glance
Cosmopolitan sophistication elides luxuriously with Oita's hospitality and onsen hot spring culture at the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa.
Being on the other side of the railway tracks is no indication of the quality of the cuisine served up at Minami-no-Kaze. Excellent family-run restaurants run by the Italia…
At a glance
A charming slow-food restaurant serving excellent Italian fare from breakfast through lunch to dinner.
Like golf in Japan, Keirin seems at once familiar but also contains a charming, inimitably Japanese essence. A track cycling sport that originated in 1948 in Fukuoka’s Kita-Kyushu…
At a glance
The thrill of Keirin cycling and, if you wish, the chance for a flutter in the heart of Beppu.
Although born in Manchuria, Akiyoshi (1929 - present) moved with her family back to Beppu after the cessation of hostilities in 1945. She was introduced to Jazz by a local music…
At a glance
One of Japan's post-war Jazz greats.
Although one of the most picturesque driving experiences in Japan, the Yamanami Highway remains a less-driven way. Running through the heart of Oita from Beppu via Yufuin to the…
Oita’s 775 kilometre (482 mile) long coastline is intricately varied and strung with myriad highlights including tremendous sea views, one remote beach after another, and unique…
Yufuin, is a refined, up-market, onsen hot spring town in wonderful rural setting towered over by Mt. Yufu-dake, an extinct volcano. The town boast a wealth of cafes, restaurants,…
At a glance
A chic onsen hot spring resort in a beautiful rural setting.
Artegio defies easy classification but this elegant intimate yet eclectic space is a unique expression of Yufuin’s discreet charms. On a rise in the low foothills of Mt. Yufu-dake,…
At a glance
A beautifully curated eclectic small gallery, tea room and chocolatier.
Simple gastronomy meets fast food service at Okamotoya, the home of jigokumushi steamed dishes cooked in the 'hells' of Beppu’s Myoban Onsen. Okamoto specialises in modest but…
At a glance
Steamed chicken and egg delicacies from Myoban Onsen's steaming hells.
Amanek Beppu Yula-Re’s appeal begins with its clean modern architectural lines, a cavernous reception and dining area, stylish guest rooms, and cohesive overall design; a chic…
At a glance
A conveniently located hip hotel in central Beppu with roof-top infinity pool and bar.
Oita has long been a popular destination for Japanese visitors and, as a consequence, the choice of accommodation found around the prefecture is plentiful and varied. These include…
Suncloud Outfitters, which is just off the beaten track in central Yufuin, is widely sort out for its range of lesser-known but quality Japanese and overseas outdoor wear brands…
At a glance
Yufuin's oudoor specialist with a great range of goods and friendly advice and information.
Michi-no-eki wayside stations are a popular institution in Japan and, with 24 of them, Oita Prefecture has more than its fair share. Locals proudly run these shops, akin to…
At a glance
Locals and visitors alike flock to these wayside stations for local good-value produce and meals.
Galleria Midobaru sets itself apart from Beppu's other hotels. A steeply climbing road from the city centre turns increasingly narrow as it reaches an outer suburb. Anyone could be…
At a glance
A hotel where architecture, modern Japanese art, expansive views and onsen hot springs coalesce into a sumptuous experience.
Onsen are a feature found throughout the length and breadth of Japan. Oita, however, boasts the largest concentration of hot springs and they in turn are fed by the greatest volume…
At a glance
The onsen hot spring capital of the world.
The journey along the Yamanami Highway from Beppu via Yufuin to Aso, in neighbouring Kumamoto Prefecture is one of Japan’s greatest scenic routes to travel in a car, or on a…
At a glance
A three-hour drive through beautiful and multi-varied, rural countryside.
Dignity and finesse imbues everything about Kamenoi Besso, which is one of Japan’s finest ryokan inns. Quintessential essences of Japan are embodied in its tranquil surroundings…
At a glance
A exquisitely refined ryokan inn in the heart of Yufuin.
Motomachi-bar, an easy going izakaya-style restaurant in the heart of Beppu’s nightlife district, specialises in Mediterranean cuisine with a sprinkling of Japanese panache.
At a glance
A popular, easy going eatery specialising in Mediterranean dishes.
Ban caught the attention of the architectural world through his innovative use of cardboard tubes in construction in creating temporary structures that can be quickly and cheaply…
At a glance
A lauded Japanese architect with several projects in Oita Prefecture.
Takeizaiku is the ages-old craft of weaving bamboo, an innately flexible and robust material, into every day, functional objects for the home and at work.
At a glance
Takezaiku, an ancient craft turned into an art form in Beppu.
Hidden within the myriad collection of izakaya restaurants and karaoke parlours at the core of Beppu’s nightlife district is The Hell Bar, a name being a hat tip to the city’s…
At a glance
Beppu's other hell, an intimate nightclub in the centre of Beppu.
Chabo Shinanoya has been a mainstay of Beppu’s cafe culture since 1981, when the current owner inherited a traditional Japanese building, which had originally been conceived in the…
At a glance
A cafe of understated opulence and subtle flavours.
Tsukahara, located a short drive from and high above Yufuin, is an elegantly charming village, which is listed as one of Japan’s most beautiful, is tucked into the north lee of…
At a glance
Cycling in the lanes of leaf and rural Tsukahara near Yufuin.
Comico Art Museum Yufuin is the core of a small cluster of buildings that resonate wonderfully together with a Japanese sense of calm attention to detail.
At a glance
A study in Japanese architecture at its best creating one of Oita's most private and exclusive places to stay.
This small, exhibition centre has lovely displays on the development of takeziaku bamboo crafts, and its growth into an art form and the artist instrumental in this. It also a…
At a glance
Beppu's exhibition centre extolling the beauties of takezaiku bamboo crafts.
Rakutenchi is a children’s paradise, a theme land of innocent playfulness and excitement. First opened in 1929, Rakutenchi has long held a special appeal and nostalgia for the…
At a glance
Beppu's delightful theme park for younger children and the young at heart.
For centuries, Beppu has attracted visitors for its abundant and therapeutic onsen hot springs, beautiful location between verdant mountains and the Seto Inland Sea, and warmer…
At a glance
Uniquely eclectic accommodation that set a new trend for luxury in Beppu.
For a truly unique experience, head to Creole Cafe which is easily found immediately below the towering and iconic Beppu Tower.
At a glance
Eclectic restaurant by day and in the evenings a popular nightclub.
Golf has a long history in Japan with the first golf course established in Kobe in 1903 by a British expatriate yearning to play his favourite sport. Ever since the game’s…
At a glance
Enjoy Oita's natural scenic attractions from the fairways of 23 courses spread throughout the prefecture. An unrushed day's play for beginners and experienced players alike.