Traveling in Japan! Beppu City of Onsen (Hot Springs)

 

Things to do in Beppu.

Beppu (別府市, Beppu-shi)

is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

Beppu is famous for its hot springs.

 

Hot springs

Beppu is famous for its onsen (hot springs).

It has eight major geothermal hot springs, seven of them are sometimes referred to as the "seven hells of Beppu" among many others.

Five of these are located close by within in the Kannawa district up the hill, and two are in the nearby Shibaseki district down the hill.

Beppu is also divided into eight major hot spring areas known as Beppu Hattō (別府八湯).

 

Seven Hells of Beppu

 

Admission

Walk up to the front counter of any of the hells. The entry fee for one hell is 400 yen, or 2000 yen for all seven hells. This pass allows you to visit the hells once on 2 consecutive days. When you purchase your tickets it's worth asking if there are any discounts since they sometimes have special discounts for all kind of situations.

I’m not quite sure what discounts and deals exist, but it’s worth asking. The front information counter of any of the ‘hells’ will let you know if there are any discounts that are applicable for you.

 

The distance between the Kannawa district and Shibaseki District is quite far (around 3KM) so if you don't have a bicycle, motorcycle or a car you should take a Taxi.

 

Another way is to book the Beppu hell onsen bus tour.

It includes the Entrance Fee and a lot of Information around Beppu but it is completely in Japanese. If you don't speak Japanese you can still follow the tour and enjoy the unique way of guiding the Tour and just follow along. At the Hell Onsen you have Free time to explore it.

Time required

About 3 hours

* It may differ slightly depending on the spouting time of Tatsumaki Jigoku (geyser).

 

Course fee

- adult 3,900 yen

- Middle school students 3,000 yen

- Elementary school students and younger 1,950 yen

* The bus fare includes the entrance fee to the Beppu Jigoku Tour.

* From March 1, 2020

You can book it directly in the Station Kitahama Bus Center or Beppu Ekimae but you can also book it in advance online here: https://kamenoibus.com/sightseeing_jigoku/

 

Hours

The hells are open from 8am to 5pm. There are no closing days.

 

-Kannawa District-

 

Here is a Video of Visiting the Kannawa District and the first 5 Hells of Beppu

 

 

 

① Umi-Jigoku (Sea Hell)

 

 

② Oniishi Bouzu-Jigoku (Oniishi Shaved head Hell)

Oniishi (the name of that area) shaved Head Hell, large and small bubbles of hot gray mud, that looks like the shaved head of a monk or a Bouzu.

 

③ Shiraike-Jigoku (White Pond Hell)

the colorless water, that naturally spouts from the ground and mysteriously turns creamy white.

 

④ Kamado-Jigoku (Oven Hell)

A bright demon standing on an enormous cooking pot is the mascot of the site, temptingly divided into six unique, pots of murky, budding thumping boiling water.

 

⑤ Oniyama-Jigoku (Devil’s Mountain Hell)

The force of the steam produced at this Spring can pull one and a half train cars. This hellish site is the happy home of a variety of crocodiles and alligators who slither down into the warm water for breeding.

 

 

-Shibaseki District-

 

Around 3KM away from the Kannawa District.

Here is a Video of Visiting the Shibaseki District and the last 2 Hells of Beppu

⑥ Chinoike-Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell)

Japan’s oldest natural Jigoku as written about in the Bungo Topography described as Akayusen, a reddish hot spring.

 

⑦ Tatsumaki-Jigoku (Water spout Hell)

A geyser, it is a natural monument designated by Beppu city. The Geyser means a hot spring, that spouts boiling water and steam in interval of around 30-40 minutes for 6-10 Minutes.