Beppu

About Beppu

Beppu is best understood as a working hot-spring city rather than a single resort surrounded by attractions. Steam rises from drains and rooflines across Beppu Onsen, and the mineral smell changes from one street to the next. The central area around Beppu Station is practical and slightly worn, with arcades, small restaurants and compact public baths, while the slopes toward Kannawa feel quieter and more residential. Start early, when the air is cool and the steam is most visible, then walk through Kannawa’s narrow lanes to see how bathing, cooking and laundry have adapted to the geothermal ground. The Beppu Hells, or Jigoku, are the city’s most famous sightseeing circuit, but they are not bathing facilities. Umi Jigoku has the clearest landscaped setting, with its blue pool and broad grounds, while Chinoike Jigoku is distinguished by its red mineral-rich water. They are orderly and photogenic, though the circuit can feel heavily managed and some visitors may find the admission cost difficult to justify after seeing one or two. The most useful way to approach the area is as a study in geothermal infrastructure: pipes, vents, concrete channels and the constant negotiation between natural heat and ordinary city life.

For a more grounded Beppu onsen experience, use the public baths where local residents actually go, keeping in mind that each has its own atmosphere and facilities. Takegawara Onsen, near the centre, is known for its traditional exterior and sand-bathing experience, in which attendants cover guests with heated sand before a conventional rinse and bath. The building is historically important, but the interior experience is more functional than luxurious, and visitors should check current arrangements before going because services and schedules can change. Kannawa is the better district for a slow afternoon: steam vents, small bathhouses and modest food shops make the streets more interesting than a rapid tour of named sights. Bathing etiquette is simple but important. Wash thoroughly before entering the communal bath, keep towels out of the water, speak quietly and follow the posted rules, since temperatures and customs vary. Some baths are extremely hot, and not all have showers, lockers or English information. Bring a small towel, drink water between baths and avoid moving from one hot soak to another without a break. Beppu sand baths and nearby hot-spring facilities are often more comfortable in the cooler months, while summer heat can make a long bathing circuit tiring. The city is also a useful base for exploring Oita Prefecture, including Yufuin and the Kunisaki Peninsula, although the quieter character of Beppu is easily lost if every day is spent on excursions.

Food here is closely tied to the hot springs. In Kannawa, look for jigoku mushi, ingredients cooked by geothermal steam, including vegetables, seafood and eggs, with a clean flavour that needs little decoration. Oita’s toriten, a lightly battered chicken dish, is another regional staple, and small izakaya near the station are generally more revealing than restaurants designed around tour groups. Beppu’s architecture is uneven in the literal sense: postwar concrete buildings, tiled bathhouses, narrow wooden houses and new accommodation sit together without much visual smoothing. I find the city most legible in the late afternoon, when low light catches the steam above the streets and the mountains darken behind the roofs. The coast is less dramatic than the volcanic interior, but Kamegawa and Beppu Beach Sand Bath offer a different pace, with open sky and the sound of traffic replacing the enclosed warmth of Kannawa. Accommodation ranges from large ryokan with private baths to plain business hotels near Beppu Station; staying several nights makes it easier to visit a bath at dawn, rest during the hottest part of the day and return after the tour buses have gone. Beppu travel rewards attention more than speed, provided you accept that some celebrated sights are crowded, some public baths are basic and the city’s appeal lies in its everyday relationship with heat rather than in a polished postcard image.

Sightseeing in Beppu

Beppu is best understood through its onsen districts, not as a collection of isolated attractions. The city spreads between Beppu Bay and the lower slopes of Mount Tsurumi, and steam rises from drains, kitchens and rooflines with a regularity that makes hot-spring water feel like part of the infrastructure. Start around Beppu Station, where the small bronze statue of Kumahachi Aburaya, an early promoter of local tourism, stands near the east exit, then walk towards the waterfront and Beppu Park rather than moving immediately from one paid attraction to another. The streets around Kitahama are more urban and open than the older lanes of Kannawa, with hotels, narrow restaurants and the broad curve of the bay shaping the view. Beppu Park is particularly good in the morning, when the paths are quiet and the low light catches the trunks and tiled roofs. The station area is also useful for trying local food such as toriten, a crisp style of tempura chicken associated with Oita, and jigoku-mushi, ingredients cooked in the natural steam of the hot springs. Beppu is not conventionally beautiful at every turn. Parts of the city are worn, with overhead wires and large roads, but that ordinary texture is important: this is a working spa town, not an open-air museum.

The most famous sightseeing area is Jigoku Meguri, or the Beppu Hells, in the Kannawa and Kamegawa districts. The name refers to hot springs too hot for bathing, and each site has a different mineral character. Umi Jigoku has a deep cobalt surface and a landscaped approach of ponds and greenery; Chinoike Jigoku is known for its reddish water; Tatsumaki Jigoku is a geyser that erupts at intervals, while Oniishibozu Jigoku has pale, bubbling mud pools. They are easy to photograph, though the designed paths, souvenir shops and packaged snacks can make the experience feel more like a themed attraction than a glimpse of raw geothermal activity. That does not make them worthless, but expectations matter. Umi Jigoku is the most composed and photogenic, while the geyser at Tatsumaki Jigoku is best visited with enough time to wait rather than treated as a quick stop. The Hells are spread across separate sites, so check current transport and admission information locally before setting out; buses are practical, but the hills and traffic make walking between every location tiring. Kannawa itself deserves time beyond the ticketed attractions. Steam drifts through the lanes, public footbaths invite a pause, and the narrow streets around the old hot-spring quarter show how bathing, cooking and daily life overlap.

For a more grounded view of Beppu onsen culture, use one of the public baths. Takegawara Onsen, near the station and the old entertainment district, is the best-known historic bathhouse, with a distinctive wooden frontage and a long association with sand baths. It can be crowded, and its fame means that the atmosphere is less private than some visitors expect. Smaller neighbourhood baths often offer a plainer experience, but they are communal facilities rather than sightseeing displays, so wash thoroughly before entering the tub, keep towels out of the water and follow the posted rules on tattoos, valuables and bathing arrangements. The distinction between a hot spring hotel, a public bath and a sand bath is worth understanding before arrival. For views above the city, take the Beppu Ropeway towards Mount Tsurumi, especially on a clear morning when Beppu Bay, the Kunisaki Peninsula and the inland mountains separate into visible layers. Weather changes quickly at elevation, and the ropeway may be affected by wind, so confirm operation on the day. Mount Tsurumi is a better choice for visitors who want landscape and walking trails than for those seeking another urban viewpoint; the summit area has seasonal vegetation and shrine features, but comfortable shoes matter.

At street level, give Beppu time to become less legible. The area around Kamegawada, Kannawa and the older streets behind Kitahama contains small bathhouses, modest cafés and buildings whose timber, tile and concrete record different periods of the city’s growth. Beppu Tower is an unmistakable landmark, although its observation experience is more useful for orientation than for a major architectural pilgrimage, and the tower is not a substitute for seeing the city from Mount Tsurumi. Beppu Art Museum and the nearby cultural institutions can be worthwhile on a rainy day, but schedules and exhibitions change, so verify details rather than relying on an old guidebook. Early morning is the calmest time for photographing steam and walking through the bath districts; late afternoon gives the bay a softer surface, while the Hells are usually most comfortable before the middle of the day. Allow at least two nights if possible, since rushing between the geothermal sights, public baths and mountain scenery reduces Beppu to a checklist. The city rewards attention to small transitions: a hot-spring vent beside a concrete wall, laundry drying above a narrow lane, or the way residents cross a public bath entrance without treating it as a tourist landmark.

Hotels in Beppu

Beppu is a city where the choice of hotel shapes the experience more than it does in many Japanese destinations. The central question is not simply where to sleep, but how much of the town’s bathing culture you want at your door. Hotels in Beppu, Japan range from practical business hotels near Beppu Station to traditional ryokan in Kannawa, where steam rises from drains and the air carries the mineral smell of hot spring water. The station area is the most convenient base for trains, buses, restaurants and day trips, with properties such as JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Beppu, Beppu Daiiti Hotel and Nishitetsu Resort Inn Beppu offering a straightforward stay close to transport. Kitahama, nearer the waterfront, has larger accommodation buildings, public baths and evening access to the seafront, although some streets feel quieter after dinner than their prominent position on a map suggests. For a longer stay, I prefer the station or Kitahama to the more isolated hillside resorts, since daily errands remain possible without relying on taxis.

The most atmospheric accommodation is found in Kannawa Onsen, one of Beppu’s best-known hot spring districts. Traditional inns here often place bathing at the centre of the stay, with tatami rooms, futon bedding and meals served in the room or a dining area, though the degree of formality varies considerably. Some ryokan include private baths or reservable family baths, while others rely on communal facilities, so it is worth checking the exact arrangement rather than assuming that every room has a bathroom. Kannawa is especially pleasant in the early morning, when the narrow lanes are quieter and the white vapour around the steam vents is more visible before the day’s visitors arrive. The area is also convenient for seeing the so-called Hells of Beppu, but I would not choose a hotel here solely for that attraction. The pools are visually striking, yet the visit can feel packaged and crowded. A ryokan such as Kannawaen suits travellers looking for a more self-contained onsen experience, while design-conscious visitors may prefer Galleria Midobaru, whose hillside setting and contemporary architecture make the building part of the stay. The trade-off is distance from the station and a greater dependence on buses or taxis.

For Beppu onsen hotels with resort facilities, Suginoi Hotel is the prominent large-scale option, with extensive bathing and leisure amenities that can work well for families or visitors who prefer to spend much of their time on the property. Its size also means a different atmosphere from a small inn: corridors, restaurants and bathing areas are designed for volume, not quiet domestic detail. The ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa takes the opposite approach, using its elevated position for broad views across Beppu Bay and a more polished spa-hotel setting. Such properties are comfortable, but they are not automatically the best value for every traveller. A room with a view may be less useful than a well-located room near the station if you plan to explore by train and local bus. Smaller hotels in Hamawaki, an older hot spring area south of the centre, can offer a slower rhythm and a closer sense of the city’s bathing history, although room size, English-language support and private bathroom arrangements may be more limited. Read recent official property information carefully, particularly if you need step-free access, an elevator, a western-style bed or an in-room bath.

The practical details of choosing a Beppu hotel matter. Many Japanese inns ask guests to arrive before dinner, and some have fixed meal times, so a late arrival should be discussed in advance rather than treated casually. Public baths generally require washing before entering the water, and towels should not be placed in the bath; tattoo policies vary, with private bathing often the simplest solution when rules are restrictive. Breakfast can be an excellent reason to book a ryokan, especially when it includes local ingredients and carefully prepared small dishes, but a business hotel may be more suitable for travellers who want coffee, an early departure and control over their schedule. Beppu’s hills also make distances feel longer than they look, particularly with luggage. Check the route from Beppu Station, the nearest bus stop, and whether the property offers a shuttle before booking. For a first visit, I would choose the station area for convenience, Kannawa for immersion in hot spring neighbourhood life, and a hillside resort only when its views and facilities are central to the trip rather than decorative extras.

Restaurants in Beppu

Beppu is best understood through its local food culture, not through a search for one definitive restaurant district. The city stretches from Beppu Bay up into the hills, and its restaurants change noticeably between the station area, the Kitahama waterfront, and the older hot-spring neighbourhood of Kannawa. Around Beppu Station, the streets are practical rather than decorative, with small counters, izakaya, noodle shops and long-established diners occupying narrow shopfronts. This is a good area for toriten, Oita’s crisp chicken tempura, which is usually served with mustard and a light dipping sauce, as well as dango jiru, a warming miso soup containing broad strips of handmade wheat dough. Restaurant Toyotsune, near the station, is widely associated with tempura and tends to attract visitors, so arriving before the main lunch period is sensible. The station quarter is more convenient than atmospheric, but it offers a useful introduction to Beppu food without requiring a bus ride or a detailed plan.

Up the slope, Kannawa restaurants make more direct use of the city’s geothermal character. At Jigoku Mushi Kogabo, visitors can cook ingredients in communal steamers heated by the hot spring vapour, an experience that is interesting partly because of its plainness: seafood, vegetables and meat emerge with their natural flavours intact, while the room carries the mineral smell of the springs. It is a practical expression of Beppu’s infrastructure rather than a theatrical restaurant performance. Kannawa is most comfortable earlier in the day, when the narrow lanes are quieter and the steam is easier to see in the cooler air; by afternoon, the famous “Hells” sightseeing route brings more visitors, and some dining rooms become crowded. The area is not ideal for travellers seeking a broad choice of vegetarian or vegan meals without advance checking, since many Oita dishes use fish stock, meat or egg. Ask clearly about ingredients, and do not assume that a vegetable dish is fully plant-based. At dinner, the small izakaya around the station and Kitahama are often a better choice than trying to dine beside the major hot-spring attractions, where menus can be aimed more at short-stay visitors.

For a more regional meal, look for restaurants serving Bungo beef, local chicken, fresh fish from the waters around Oita, and seasonal vegetables, while remembering that “local” does not automatically mean inexpensive or superior. Seki aji and Seki saba, prized fish from the Bungo Channel, are associated especially with nearby Oita and may appear on menus when supply and season allow, but they are not dishes to order casually if the price is unclear. Many smaller Beppu restaurants have limited seating, handwritten menus and irregular closing days, so checking the current details on the day is part of eating here. Dinner reservations are worthwhile for specialist seafood restaurants and compact counters, while lunch is usually the easier time to try a well-known tempura or sushi shop. The most rewarding meals are often in unremarkable buildings: tiled entrances, timber counters polished by use, and kitchens designed around a few seats rather than a view. Beppu’s restaurants do not need to compete with the hot springs for spectacle. Their strength is in the ordinary precision of Oita cuisine, best noticed slowly, with enough time left afterward to walk through the wet evening streets.

Transport in Beppu

Beppu does not have its own commercial airport, so most visitors arrive through Oita Airport, about 40 kilometres northeast of the city on the Kunisaki Peninsula. The most straightforward connection is the direct airport limousine bus to Beppu, which usually takes around 45 to 55 minutes depending on traffic and serves stops around Beppu Station and the major hotel areas. The road crosses open coastal and agricultural scenery before entering the city, and the first sight of Beppu is often the pale steam rising from hillside neighbourhoods rather than a formal landmark. Bus tickets are bought at the airport before boarding, and it is sensible to check the current destination, stop pattern and departure times on the official operator information because services can change. Taxis are available, but the distance makes them a costly choice for most travellers. There is no direct train from Oita Airport to Beppu, a point that is easy to miss when planning a route through Kyushu.

Beppu Station is the city’s principal transport hub and the most useful arrival point for visitors staying in the central area. It stands on the JR Nippō Main Line, with trains connecting Beppu to Oita, Kamegawa, Usa and other towns along the eastern coast of Kyushu. Limited express services can make longer journeys more convenient, while ordinary trains are adequate for short regional trips, though departure frequencies are not those of Fukuoka or Osaka. The station is compact, with ticket machines, a staffed ticket office and local bus stops outside; signs in English make the basic movements clear. The area immediately around the west exit is practical rather than picturesque, with arcades, modest restaurants and streets leading towards the hot-spring districts. I prefer arriving in the late afternoon, when the light catches the tiled station forecourt and pedestrians begin moving towards dinner, although this is also when hotel check-ins and bus departures can create a little congestion. Kamegawa Station, farther north, is useful for the Kamegawa onsen area and some quieter coastal accommodation, but it is not a substitute for Beppu Station if you intend to explore the central hot-spring neighbourhoods.

For the hot springs, the principal means of transport is the local bus network, especially Kamenoi Bus, which reaches Kannawa, Myoban, Hamawaki, Beppu Park and the seaside districts. The city is spread across a slope, and the distance between attractions is greater than a map can suggest, particularly when walking uphill from the station towards Kannawa. Buses are therefore more practical than relying on foot travel alone, although routes and stop names deserve attention because some services take different roads to similar destinations. A one-day bus pass or other visitor ticket may be available, but conditions, validity and sales locations change, so confirm the current arrangement before paying. Do not assume that every Japanese transport IC card will work on every Beppu bus; acceptance and top-up arrangements should be checked with the operator. For the Beppu Hatto, the city’s traditional eight hot-spring areas, buses are useful but not always frequent, and waiting in the rain beside a busy road is a less romantic experience than guidebooks imply. The best approach is to group nearby baths and sights together rather than crossing the city repeatedly.

Beppu also has a ferry connection for travellers continuing beyond Kyushu. The Beppu International Tourist Port, on the eastern waterfront, handles long-distance ferry services, including routes operated by Ferry Sunflower towards Osaka. It is separate from Beppu Station, so allow time for a local bus or taxi, and check the sailing company’s terminal instructions carefully because ferry boarding procedures are less forgiving than a local train. Taxis are convenient for luggage, especially from hotels around Kannawa or the station, but the port’s industrial setting is not designed as a waterfront promenade. Cycling can work around the flatter central and coastal streets, yet the steep western districts and summer heat make it a poor universal solution. For most visitors, the most reliable combination is the airport bus to Beppu, JR trains for regional travel, and local buses for the onsen areas. Keep small cash available even when electronic payment is possible, leave extra time for a first journey, and use the station or tourist information desk to confirm the day’s route rather than trusting an old screenshot or a timetable copied into a blog.

Shopping in Beppu

Beppu is better for small-scale, practical shopping than for a dedicated luxury retail experience. The main concentration is around Beppu Station, where Ekimae-dori runs south towards the older central districts, and around Kitahama, closer to the waterfront hotels. The station area is useful for browsing local food, souvenirs and everyday Japanese goods without setting aside half a day. Look for Oita specialties such as kabosu citrus products, dried shiitake mushrooms, yuzu kosho, regional shōchū and packaged foods connected with jigoku-mushi, the local tradition of cooking with hot steam. These items travel more easily than fresh produce and make more sense as gifts than generic “Japan” merchandise. Beppu’s shopping streets are most comfortable in the late morning or mid-afternoon, when the light reaches the covered arcades and the pace is less hurried than around the station during commuter times. Some smaller businesses remain cash-oriented, so carrying yen is sensible even when larger shops accept cards.

The most distinctive purchase in Beppu is often a piece of Beppu bamboo craft. Bamboo has been worked in the region for centuries, and the best examples are restrained rather than decorative: baskets with tight, even weaving, trays with a useful proportion, tea utensils and small containers designed for daily use. Prices vary widely according to the maker, the complexity of the weave and the amount of handwork, so a low-priced souvenir and a serious craft object should not be judged as the same thing. Specialist galleries and craft retailers are preferable to rushed station browsing if you want to understand what you are buying. The Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center is worth checking for exhibitions and context, although current opening arrangements should be confirmed before making a special journey. Architecture helps explain the appeal. The material is light, flexible and visibly structural, and a well-made object shows its method rather than hiding it beneath ornament.

For clothes, household goods and a wider range of Japanese retail, YouMe Town Beppu is the straightforward option. It is a modern shopping mall rather than a cultural attraction, with supermarkets, fashion, cosmetics, restaurants and practical items that can be useful during a longer stay. I prefer it for provisions and ordinary Japanese brands, not for souvenirs, since the experience resembles a suburban mall in many other Japanese cities. Smaller shops along Nagarekawa-dori and near Kitahama offer a more local rhythm, though the selection is uneven and some storefronts may close earlier than visitors expect. Beppu is not a city where every attractive-looking shop operates on a fixed tourist timetable. Checking the latest information locally matters, particularly on quieter weekdays and during holiday periods.

Food shopping deserves time because it gives a clearer sense of Oita than a shelf of mass-produced trinkets. Supermarkets and station-area retailers are good places to compare kabosu juice, regional condiments, dried seafood, shiitake and local alcohol, while department-style food counters, where available, are useful for neatly packaged gifts. Avoid buying delicate chilled items early in the day if you still plan to walk through the hot-spring districts. The same practical rule applies to ceramics and bamboo: inspect the finish, ask whether an item is handmade, and pack it with room around it. Beppu’s famous hot-spring streets can be more interesting for steam, stone and tiled façades than for shopping itself, and the tourist souvenir stalls around major attractions sometimes offer repetitive goods at inflated prices. For a more considered purchase, shop near the station or in a specialist craft store, then return to the arcades after dark, when the signs reflect in the pavement and the city’s retail life becomes quieter.

Nightlife in Beppu

Beppu’s nightlife is quieter and more local than its reputation as a hot-spring city might suggest. After sunset, the main movement is around Beppu Station, Kitahama and Kaimonji, where narrow streets run between low-rise buildings, tiled façades and older concrete blocks softened by the orange light of signboards. This is not a major clubbing destination like Tokyo, Osaka or even Fukuoka. The Beppu party scene is built more around izakaya, small drinking establishments, karaoke rooms and late meals than large dance floors. Kitahama-dori is a useful starting point, with restaurants and bars close enough together to explore on foot, while the streets around Beppu Station tend to feel more practical and less polished. The best time to walk is around 7pm, when dinner service has started but the night is still open-ended, and again later, when office workers and students settle into compact bars. Some venues are easy to enter, with menus or signs outside; others are intimate enough that a first visit can feel slightly formal. That reserve is part of the character of Beppu nightlife, and it rewards patience rather than loudness.

The most satisfying evening usually begins with food. Look for local dishes such as toriten, a crisp style of tempura associated with Oita, along with grilled chicken, sashimi, ramen and small plates suited to sharing. Shochu is more closely tied to Kyushu than many international visitors expect, and local drinking culture often gives it as much space as beer or sake. A good izakaya meal can lead naturally to a second stop, perhaps a standing bar, a jazz-oriented room or a karaoke box, although exact businesses and opening times change, so checking current information on the day is sensible. Karaoke in Beppu is generally less about public performance than renting a private room with friends, making it a dependable option when conversation has run out or the weather is poor. The area around Kitahama can attract visitors staying at nearby hotels, and some bars use cover charges or have menus that are not fully explained in English. It is reasonable to check the price of a drink before sitting down, especially in very small establishments. Avoid following touts into bars, and remember that a quiet room with only a few seats is not necessarily unfriendly, just designed for regulars and small groups.

Beppu’s unusual advantage is the way its onsen culture and nightlife sit close together. A late soak can make the city feel slower and more architectural, with steam lifting from drains and tiled bath entrances catching the streetlight, but public baths are not nightclubs and should be treated as places of routine rather than entertainment. Takegawara Onsen and other central baths are best approached with the same care as any neighbourhood institution: wash thoroughly before entering, keep voices low and follow posted rules. After bathing, a short walk through the station or Kitahama districts gives the evening a clear rhythm, from dinner to drinks to a final bowl of noodles. Transport requires more planning than in a large Japanese city. Trains and buses do not run indefinitely, and a taxi may be the practical choice after the last connection, particularly if you are staying uphill or outside the centre. For travellers seeking all-night dancing, Beppu may feel limited and some famous-looking streets can be quieter than expected. For slow travellers, that is precisely the point. The city’s best nights are measured in warm food, condensed streets, unhurried conversation and the brief change from bathroom steam to cool coastal air.

Coulture in Beppu

Beppu culture is best understood through its relationship with hot water. The city is not simply a resort with a large number of baths, but a place where geothermal heat shapes cooking, architecture, work and ordinary routines. Across the different districts commonly grouped as Beppu Hatto, the water changes in temperature, mineral content, colour and smell, and each neighbourhood has developed its own rhythm around it. In central Beppu, small public bathhouses sit among low commercial buildings and narrow streets, while Hamawaki retains a quieter scale and Kannawa is marked by rising steam, stone walls and the practical presence of pipes. The most revealing time to walk is early morning, before sightseeing groups arrive, when residents carry small baskets to the bath and shop shutters begin to lift. Beppu feels less polished than some Japanese hot spring towns, and that is part of its character. Concrete, weathered timber, ceramic tile and patched asphalt sit close together, showing a working city rather than a preserved stage set.

The etiquette of a Japanese onsen matters here because the public bath is still a shared civic space, not merely a hotel amenity. Wash thoroughly before entering the tub, keep towels out of the water, speak quietly and follow posted instructions, particularly where the water is very hot or the facilities are small. Many local baths are inexpensive, but some do not provide soap, shampoo or towels, and not every one is designed for visitors unfamiliar with Japanese bathing customs. Tattoo policies vary, so it is sensible to check before entering rather than assume that one rule applies throughout Beppu. The communal bathhouse called Takegawara Onsen is widely associated with the city and is architecturally memorable, especially in the softer light of late afternoon, although its fame can make the experience feel more directed toward visitors than the less celebrated neighbourhood baths. I would not judge Beppu’s bathing culture from one famous building. Spending time in Kannawa or Hamawaki, observing how people move between changing rooms, vending machines and the street, gives a more accurate sense of how deeply the bath belongs to daily life.

Food in Beppu also follows the heat beneath the city. Jigoku mushi, or steam-cooked food, uses hot spring vapour to cook ingredients in stacked wooden or metal baskets, producing a meal that is plain in appearance but closely tied to local technique. Restaurants and facilities offering this style of cooking differ in format, so visitors should check current arrangements rather than expect an informal market everywhere. Beppu’s food culture includes familiar Oita specialities such as toriten, a lightly battered chicken dish, and meals built around vegetables, fish and noodles, but the more interesting detail is the way steam appears in ordinary infrastructure. In Kannawa, vents and channels release heat beside houses and roads, and the air can carry a faint mineral scent. Some lanes are atmospheric; others are wet, steep or difficult with luggage, particularly in poor weather. The Beppu Hell Tour, known for its vividly coloured ponds and other geothermal sights, is worth treating as a separate attraction rather than as the essence of the city. It explains the geology and makes strong photographs, but it can feel crowded and curated. For cultural understanding, a quiet bath and a steam-cooked meal tell me more.

Beppu’s artistic identity extends beyond hot springs. The city has a long connection with traditional bamboo craft, supported by local makers and institutions such as the Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center, where the precision of split bamboo, woven surfaces and structural frames is easier to appreciate than in a souvenir shop. The work is architectural in miniature: thin strips are bent, layered and locked into forms that depend on proportion and tension rather than decoration alone. Contemporary art has also become part of Beppu’s public life through exhibitions and projects that use vacant buildings, streets and existing neighbourhood spaces, though programmes change and should be checked locally before planning a visit. This mixture of craft, temporary art and everyday bathhouse culture distinguishes Beppu from more carefully staged onsen towns such as Kurokawa. The city is uneven, sometimes visually untidy and occasionally inconvenient, but its culture is legible in the materials and routines around you. Walk slowly, visit a bath at an unhurried hour, remove your shoes where asked and leave room for the city to remain ordinary.

History in Beppu

Beppu’s history begins with water, heat and the volcanic structure of northeastern Kyushu. The city lies between Beppu Bay and the mountains of the Hiji and Yufu area, where groundwater is warmed by deep geothermal activity before returning to the surface through more than two thousand hot-spring sources. Long before Beppu became a resort, these mineral waters shaped local settlement and work. References to hot springs in the wider Bungo region appear in early Japanese records, although it is wise to treat popular origin stories with care. The best-known tradition says that the monk Ippen Shōnin visited the Kannawa district in the thirteenth century and helped establish practices around its springs. Kannawa’s narrow lanes, steam vents and bathhouses still make the connection between landscape and daily life unusually visible. This is not a preserved historical quarter in the manner of Kyoto. It is a working neighbourhood, where steam rises beside houses, cooking facilities and small public bathing places.

For centuries, the springs served residents, travellers and people seeking relief from illness, but Beppu’s transformation into a major hot-spring destination accelerated during the Edo and Meiji periods. Coastal transport connected the settlement with other parts of Kyushu, while the opening of the Beppu Railway in 1911 made access much easier from the north. Railways changed the scale of Japanese onsen tourism. Visitors no longer needed to depend on slow coastal journeys or difficult mountain roads, and hotels, restaurants and entertainment businesses began to gather around the station and waterfront. The modern city of Beppu was formally established in 1924 through municipal consolidation. Around this time, entrepreneur Aburaya Kumahachi promoted the town with unusual energy, helping to shape its public image and transport network. His statue stands near Beppu Station, though the station area is more useful as a starting point than as a historical destination in itself. The older story is easier to read on foot in Hamawaki, where the resort developed earlier and the streets retain a less commercial scale.

What makes Beppu’s onsen history distinctive is the number of ways residents learned to use geothermal heat. Bathing is only one part of it. In Kannawa, steam has traditionally been used for cooking, heating and therapeutic practices, while the local technique known as jigoku mushi cooks food in natural steam rather than boiling water or burning fuel. The “hells,” or jigoku, are a separate tradition of viewing dramatic hot springs such as Umi Jigoku and Chinoike Jigoku. They are historically interesting as examples of tourism built around geothermal spectacle, but I find them less revealing than the ordinary baths and streets. Some are heavily packaged for visitors, and a brief circuit of the famous sites can make Beppu seem like a theme park of coloured ponds. Early morning in Kannawa is quieter, when shop shutters are lifting and the white vapour is most legible against the cooler air. That is when the infrastructure, rather than the spectacle, explains the city.

Beppu also shows how twentieth-century Japan used hot springs as a foundation for education, industry and international exchange. The city became associated with health resorts, seaside leisure and organised tourism, while nearby institutions and businesses drew on the same geothermal setting in more practical ways. Its bamboo craft tradition, represented by the Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Crafts Center, reflects another local economy shaped by the surrounding mountains and by visitors’ demand for well-made objects. Today, the eight principal hot-spring areas are not interchangeable: Hamawaki feels older and more residential, Kannawa is defined by steam and therapeutic bathing, and the central Beppu district has the hotels, bars and transport links that grew with modern tourism. Some public baths are plain, inexpensive-looking and far more informative than polished spa facilities, although bathing etiquette and local customs matter. To understand the history of Beppu, spend time moving slowly between these districts rather than collecting photographs of the most famous springs. The city’s past remains in the pipes, tiled bath entrances, concrete hotel façades and the way people still organise an ordinary day around hot water.