6 sightseeing spots in Beppu that you can enjoy even in the rain
Beppu on a rainy day offers a different view than usual. The steam from the hot springs and the cloudy sky can blend together, creating a scene that looks as if the whole place is enveloped in steam. In this mysterious city, there are tourist spots where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Here are six spots where you can have fun to your heart's content, regardless of the weather, even on rainy days.
1Beppu City Bamboo Crafts Traditional Industry Center
Appreciate the infinite variety of bamboo expressions and delicate craftsmanship
Property exhibits a variety of bamboo crafts, from everyday items to artistic works. In 1979 (Showa 54), Beppu bamboo crafts were designated as a national traditional craft, and this Property was built in response. You can learn in detail about the history and process of bamboo crafts, such as the types of bamboo, how to make the strips (thin sticks made by splitting the bamboo into small pieces), and the types and techniques of weaving the bamboo.
After the learning zone, you will move on to a section where you can see the works of master craftsmen, after passing through an exhibition of everyday items. There are about 180 pieces on display, none of which are the same, and when you look at them up close, you will be fascinated by the intricate craftsmanship.
Experience the charm of bamboo crafts by actually making them
The deep world of bamboo crafts is packed with mind-boggling work and techniques, from weaving strips of bamboo to weaving them together. You can Experience some of its charms firsthand. Making a "bamboo bell" involves threading colored strips onto a ping-pong ball-sized bamboo bell to create your own original bell. Experience is aimed at children from around the middle grades of elementary school. The "Shikai Nami Hanakago" is a little more difficult, and is aimed at junior high school students and above. In about an hour, you will complete a basket that fits on both hands. The work you have made with your own hands is sure to become a one-of-a-kind souvenir.
- Beppu City Bamboo Crafts Traditional Industry Center
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https://takezaikudensankaikan.jp/
8-3 Higashisoen, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
Approximately 10 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
Take the bus from JR Beppu Station, get off at "Hikari no Sono Mae" and walk for about 6 minutes
8:30-17:00 (SHOP & CAFE open until 16:30)
Mondays (if Monday is a public holiday, the following day will be closed), New Year's holiday (December 29th to January 3rd)
High school students and above: 390 yen, elementary and junior high school students: 130 yen
0977-23-1072
free
Advance reservations are required for Experience
2Oita Marine Palace Aquarium "Umitamago"
Be captivated by the underwater world of fascinating sea creatures
An aquarium where you can get up close and personal with many animals. In the "Large Circulating Aquarium," which recreates the tidal currents of the Bungo Channel, you can see over 1,500 sea creatures from about 90 different species. The sight of sea turtles, rays, and sharks swimming gracefully is something you'll want to watch for hours. You can peek through the round window, observe the shadows of rocks on the seabed, and observe the different ways creatures live depending on the angle.
We also recommend the art corner, where you can be enchanted by the fantastical underwater scenes, such as jellyfish floating gently bathed in the changing rainbow of light and hairtail fish with their fluttering tails.
Hilarious performance by an over 800kg walrus
The two shows, which are held even in rainy weather, are must-sees. The "Umitama Performance" will have the audience laughing with the well-coordinated dialogue between the trainer and the walrus, and you can even touch the huge body of the walrus. The "Dolphin Performance" featuring the slippery dolphins and bottlenose dolphins is also very impressive.
There is a "Large Coral Tank" where you can watch tropical fish swimming among live coral, as well as tanks with cute, round-eyed sea creatures such as seals, sea lions, and fur seals. There are also plenty of Property such as shops and Restaurant, making this an aquarium you will never get bored of.
- Oita Marine Palace Aquarium "Umitamago"
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- https://www.umitamago.jp/
- Oita City Kanzaki Uto 3078-22 MAP
- Approximately 10 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
- Take the bus from JR Beppu Station and get off at "Takasakiyama Natural Zoo Mae"
- 9:00-17:00 *Extended hours during Obon and Golden Week
- There are 2-3 days off per year for maintenance. *Please check the website for details.
- Adults (high school students and above): 2,600 yen, Children (elementary and junior high school students): 1,300 yen, Infants (4 years and above): 850 yen
- 097-534-1010
- Paid
3Oita Fragrance Museum
"Perfumery Experience" where you can make your own original perfume
This museum offers a variety of exhibits and Experience on the theme of scents from all over the world, past and present. Over 60% of visitors Experience making their own original perfume. They choose the scents for the top note, middle note, and end note, and blend them in the amounts they like. Using a dropper and beaker, the process of making the perfume, checking the scent each time, is like an experiment, making it a fun experience.
Once you've created your perfume, you can register the recipe and reorder it without having to visit the museum. It's a popular gift for your partner or as a souvenir for yourself.
History and art seen through "fragrance"
The first floor of the building is the Fragrance Product Gallery. Artistic perfume bottles and posters from Japan and abroad are on display. The elaborate designs are truly works of art, so take your time to appreciate them. The large distillation equipment used to extract fragrances and the perfume mixing desk lined with bottles used by perfumers are also impressive.
The second floor is the Fragrance History Gallery, which features many world-class exhibits, such as a replica of a mummy originally from the British Museum and perfume bottles from the 3rd to 5th century BC, showing how fragrances were deeply connected to the powerful people of the time.
- Oita Fragrance Museum
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- http://oita-kaori.jp/
- 48-1 Kitaishigaki, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approximately 12 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
- Take the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station and get off at the "Oishi-Oita Fragrance Museum" stop
- 10:00～18:00
- Museum and cafe: December 31st, January 1st to January 3rd (cafe only closed on Sundays and the first and third Mondays of each month) *May be closed due to circumstances
- Adults: 500 yen, university and high school students: 300 yen, junior and elementary school students: 200 yen
- 0977-27-7272
- free
- Perfume making, sachet making, and aromatherapy Experience require prior reservations
4Beppu Station Market
A friendly place for locals and tourists alike
Located just a two-minute walk from Beppu Station, this shopping street still retains a strong Showa-era feel. It is a shopping street that continues to be loved today as the locals' kitchen. There are many unique old-fashioned shops here, including a dried fish store where you can get delicacies that go perfectly with alcohol, a clothing store where you can find great bargains, a florist with a famous uncle wearing a headband, and a friendly pharmacy that will provide you with courteous service.
On the other hand, the artwork painted on the shutters of vacant stores and the illustrations hanging from the ceilings in the arcades are also enjoyable. You're sure to encounter interesting things and people just by strolling around.
Affordable gourmet dining
The shopping district is filled with delicious-looking foods that tickle your fancy, and it's hard to choose. At the fishmonger's shop, which stocks fresh seafood at reasonable prices, they also sell sashimi and sushi. At the deli shop, which stocks nostalgic, old-fashioned side dishes, the thick rolls are so popular that people line up to get in. There's also a bakery that uses natural yeast to carefully make its bread, and an eel restaurant where the fragrant aroma will whet your appetite.
If you want to eat what you bought right away, there is a vending machine in the rest area. It's the perfect place to spend your mornings or when you feel a bit hungry.
- Beppu Station Market
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- http://www.beppu-sc.jp/ichiba/
- 6-22 Chuocho, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approximately 2 minutes walk from JR Beppu Station
- Varies by store
- Varies by store
- 0977-22-1686
- Free (9:00-18:00 40 minutes free)
5Beppu Tower
A panoramic view of the city, steam from the hot springs, ocean and mountains.
This tourist tower was completed in 1957 (Showa 32). It was designed by Tachū Naito, who also designed Tokyo Tower and Tsutenkaku. A large-scale renovation will be completed in January 2023, and it will be restored to its original height of 100m.
From the observation deck, you can enjoy a 360° view of Beppu. You can see a panoramic view of Beppu Bay, the Kunisaki Peninsula, the factories of Oita City, and even Shikoku. On the land side, the alluvial fan landscape spreads out around Mount Tsurumi and Mount Ogiyama. The view of the city is worth seeing even on rainy or cloudy days, and after the rain the air is clear and you can often see far into the distance.
Admire celebrity art on a rainy day
The tower is lit up for different seasons and events, making it a popular tourist spot at night. The Kitahama Deck on the fifth floor, which can be accessed depending on the weather, is covered with artificial turf and is equipped with light-up chairs and a sound-making floor. The intermediate observation deck, which can be reached by climbing a flight of stairs, offers a thrilling view of the road below through the steel framework of the floor.
On rainy days, you can also visit the Beppu Art Museum on the second floor, where you can see artworks by famous people, including a 1/53 scale miniature of Beppu Tower, which was used in the monster movie.
- Beppu Tower
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- https://www.bepputower.co.jp/
- 3-10-2 Kitahama, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approximately 3 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
- Take the bus from JR Beppu Station and get off at "Beppu Tower Mae"
- 9:30-21:30 (last entry 21:00)
- Open everyday *There may be temporary closures. Please check the website
- A: 17th and 16th floor Sea, Mountain and Hot Springs Town Observatory: 800 yen for adults, 600 yen for middle and high school students, 400 yen for ages 4 to elementary school
B: 2nd floor Beppu Art Museum: Adults 700 yen, Junior and senior high school students 500 yen, 4 years old to elementary school students 300 yen
A + B set: 1,000 yen for adults, 800 yen for junior and senior high school students, 600 yen for ages 4 to elementary school students
5th floor Kitahama Deck: 200 yen *Free for children under 3
- 0977-26-1555
- Free for 2 hours *Excluding use of Kitahama Deck only
- Beppu Art Museum Last admission 16:30
6Jigoku hot spring Museum
Experience how raindrops turn into hot spring
Raindrops that fell 50 years ago seeped into the ground, became hot spring, and now gush forth - this is a museum where you can experience and learn about this magnificent story. It is located next to five hells: Sea Hell, Demon Mountain Hell, White Pond Hell, Oniishi Bozu Hell, and Kamado Hell. If you gain some knowledge here before touring the hells, you will be able to enjoy the hot hot spring and hells even more.
Steam gushes out from the courtyard of the building, and you can get up close and personal with it. There are plenty of features that allow you to get up close and personal with the power of hell and hot spring.
Have fun learning with different themes and mechanisms for each scene
The museum is divided into four scenes. In SCENE 1, you feel like raindrops falling from the sky and experience the beginning of your hot spring journey. After SCENE 2, you walk through a fantastically shimmering maze-like area and collect stamps, and then you enter SCENE 3, a theater where you can experience hot spring gushing out above ground. The final SCENE 4 features special exhibitions themed around culture and art.
There are playful elements and mechanisms at every turn, and the space is filled with pleasant surprises and beautiful light. You will gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of hot spring and hell.
- Jigoku hot spring Museum
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- https://jigoku-museum.com/
- 321-1 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
- Take the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, get off at "Kanawa" and walk for about 2 minutes
- 9:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30)
- Irregular holidays (about 4 days a year)
- Adults: 1,500 yen; elementary and junior high school students: 1,000 yen
- 0977-84-7858
- None. *Please use the nearby Hell Tour Parking (Oniyama Hell, Kamado Hell, Umi Hell).
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