Local Guide
6 must-see sightseeing spots related to hell in Beppu

When you think of Beppu, you think of hot spring. And when you think of standard sightseeing, you think of "Hell Tours." Why are there so many spots called "Hells" scattered around Beppu? And what exactly are "Hells"?
We will introduce you to some spots where you can experience hell using all five senses while unraveling the mysteries of hell. Come and experience the great hell that is close to us.

Why Beppu is famous for "Hell"

Long ago in Beppu, dangerous places where steam, hot mud, boiling water, etc. erupted were called "Hell." It seems that it was recognized as troublesome land that could not be managed. In 1910 (Meiji 43), it was developed, attracting people, and becoming a tourist spot.
The hells, which fascinate visitors with their various colors such as blue, red, and white, each have their own distinctive features such as powerful geysers and hot mud bubbling up. Many people still visit these places today as they are places where they can see rare sights created by nature.

Experience the energy and mystery of nature

"Umi Jigoku" - A striking contrast between the cobalt blue, green of the trees, white steam and red torii gates
"Umi Jigoku" - A striking contrast between the cobalt blue, green of the trees, white steam and red torii gates

Beppu is home to seven extremely diverse hells. These include the Sea Hell, which captivates visitors with its sparkling cobalt blue beauty, the Blood Pond Hell, surrounded by forest and with steam rising from a red pond, and the elegant White Pond Hell, which sparkles in white and light blue. These hells offer a variety of colors you would never normally see.
There are also other attractions such as "Tatsumaki Jigoku" (Tatsumaki Hell), where hot water regularly erupts, and "Onishibozu Jigoku" (Onishibozu Hell), where hot mud bubbles up endlessly, creating a mysterious sight. The scenery unfolding before your eyes, mixed with the roaring sounds and unique smells, will leave you overwhelmed by the mystery and greatness of nature's power.

Take a look at the local specialties that make use of hell

At Oniyama Jigoku, crocodiles are raised using hot spring. The sight of around 80 giant crocodiles packed together is a spectacular sight.
At Oniyama Jigoku, crocodiles are raised using hot spring. The sight of around 80 giant crocodiles packed together is a spectacular sight.

Each hell has its own specialties that utilize its energy. Sea Hell has a greenhouse with tropical plants and colorful lotus flowers, White Pond Hell is home to tropical carnivorous fish such as pirarucu and piranhas, and Oniyama Hell is home to many crocodiles.
At Kamado Jigoku, you can take in the hot spring water directly into your body by drinking it or sucking on the spring water. Many of the Jigoku also sell eggs, which are steamed or boiled in the water, and come in a variety of flavors and preparations. Some Jigoku also have foot baths, so be sure to try them. Even just a few minutes will warm your body up.

Comments Local Guide
If you want to visit all of them, we recommend purchasing a combined ticket. Of the seven hells, Sea Hell, White Pond Hell, Demon Mountain Hell, Oniishi Bozu Hell, and Kamado Hell are all within walking distance.
Beppu Hell Tour
  • URLhttps://www.beppu-jigoku.com/
  • 住所559-1 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 15 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from JR Beppu Station and get off at "Umi Jigoku"
  • 営業時間8:00～17:00
  • 定休日Open daily
  • 入場料Joint admission ticket: Adults (high school students and above) 2,400 yen, Children (elementary and junior high school students) 1,200 yen
  • TEL0977-66-1577（別府地獄組合）
  • 駐車場free

Enjoy the specialty "Hell Steamed Pudding" surrounded by the aroma of sulfur

The caramel has a bitter, mature taste. Enjoy the pudding steamed with hell's steam while taking in the view of Beppu.
The caramel has a bitter, mature taste. Enjoy the pudding steamed with hell's steam while taking in the view of Beppu.

Located at the highest elevation among Beppu's hot spring areas, the Myoban area has long been visited by hot-spring cures. The area is filled with the aroma of thick sulfur, and the hot-spring huts stand side by side, creating a picturesque scene.
One of the main attractions of the area is this store. The famous "jigoku-mushi pudding" is, as the name suggests, a product made by steaming pudding in hot spring steam. The ingredients are simple: eggs, milk, cream, and sugar. The bittersweet caramel and gentle sweetness of the pudding make it a favorite among locals and tourists alike.

A wide variety of original menu items that can't be made without Hell

Many dishes use eggs steamed or boiled in hell, and are characterized by their salty taste and subtle sulfur smell.
Many dishes use eggs steamed or boiled in hell, and are characterized by their salty taste and subtle sulfur smell.

This is a spot where you can take a break while enjoying the spectacular view of Beppu Bay and the large concrete bridge. You can eat in the shop or take out. The "Hell Steamed Pudding Soft Serve" is made by mixing the specialty "Hell Steamed Pudding" into vanilla soft serve, allowing you to enjoy the rich taste of the pudding.
Other popular items include egg sandwiches filled with ingredients made from hell-steamed eggs, rice balls filled with soft-boiled hell-boiled eggs, and on-egg udon noodles with eggs boiled in hot spring hot spring water and a delicious creamy, sweet-and-salty sauce. There are so many things to try that it's hard to decide what to try.

Comments Local Guide
This popular spot always has a line. They have a wide variety of attractive menu items that use hell. Enjoy them together with the unique scenery of hell.
Okamotoya Shop
  • URLhttps://jigoku-prin.com/
  • 住所Oita Prefecture Beppu City Myoban 3 Group MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 20 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station and get off at Jizoyu-mae
  • 営業時間8:30～18:30
  • 定休日Open daily
  • TEL0977-66-6115
  • 駐車場free

"Hell Steaming" Experience where you can enjoy the cooking process

"Colorful Assortment Steamed in a Seiro" 1,800 yen. A set of seafood, vegetables, and meat, steamed in about 12 to 13 minutes.
"Colorful Assortment Steamed in a Seiro" 1,800 yen. A set of seafood, vegetables, and meat, steamed in about 12 to 13 minutes.

A popular Beppu delicacy is "Jigoku Mushi." It is a cooking method that uses the steam from hot spring to steam ingredients, and is gaining popularity as a healthy and delicious dish. There are many Property where you can Experience Jigoku Mushi, but what makes Jigoku Mushi Kitchen unique is that the lid is transparent. You can closely observe the ingredients being steamed in the hell.
The vegetables, seafood, and meat are enveloped in steam and take on vibrant colors. The ingredients are pulled out of the Jigoku Kama (Hell Steamer) and look shiny and delicious. Be sure to enjoy this nutritious and delicious dish.

Have fun all day at this comprehensive hot spring theme park

It's a hot hot spring paradise. People of all ages, genders, and nationalities gather here, and it's bustling even on weekdays.
It's a hot hot spring paradise. People of all ages, genders, and nationalities gather here, and it's bustling even on weekdays.

The same hot spring is one of the largest in Beppu and is a well-established hot spring Property that has been in business for over 100 years. The hot water is changed every day and every room is clean and shiny. The high ceilings are open and airy, and you can enjoy the free-flowing hot-spring water to your heart's content.
In the women's bath, there is a rock bath that has remained unchanged since the establishment of the bathhouse, and in the men's bath, there is a waterfall bath that falls from a height of 3 to 4 meters. Enjoy various types of hot spring such as steaming baths, Outdoor hot spring The family baths, where you can insert coins to enjoy fresh water and monopolize the steaming baths, are also very popular.

Comments Local Guide
The hell steamed eggs in the courtyard are delicious and are a favorite among many guests. You can also try drinking the hot spring water or inhaling it.
Gourd hot spring
  • URLhttps://www.hyotan-onsen.com/index.html
  • 住所159-2 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 20 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from JR Beppu Station, get off at "Jigokuhara-Hyotan hot spring" and walk for about 3 minutes
  • 営業時間9:00 to 1:00 the next morning
  • 定休日Open everyday *However, there are temporary closures for Property maintenance in April, July, and December.
  • 入場料Adults (13 years and over) 880 yen, children (7-12 years old) 380 yen, infants (4-6 years old) 260 yen, free for children 3 and under
    Family bath fee: 2,400 yen (60 minutes)
  • TEL0977-66-0527
  • 駐車場free
  • メモ"Hell Steam Kitchen" is closed on Thursdays. Family baths can be reserved by phone one week in advance.

A great spot to enjoy both a foot bath and hell steam bath at the same time

"Hell Steamed Seafood and Vegetable Set" "Hell Enma Mori" 3,000 yen, "Steamed Seafood Pizza" 1,500 yen
"Hell Steamed Seafood and Vegetable Set" "Hell Enma Mori" 3,000 yen, "Steamed Seafood Pizza" 1,500 yen

Various Experience can be Property made use of hot spring such as jigoku steaming, footbaths, family baths, and more. Especially popular is the "jigoku-mushi" (hell steam) served at an ashiyu (footbath) table. This style is rare in Beppu. The menu is also unique, and this is the only place where you can enjoy jigoku-mushi seafood pizza. The creamy cheese and fluffy dough are very creamy.
The blue tiles and plates embedded in the jigoku kettle are a uniquely photogenic sight. Be sure to experience the thrill of removing the ingredients from the cauldron.

Enjoy a private bath while watching the steam rising from the bath

A family bath as large as Public hot spring. Relax and forget about time in this hideaway-like bath.
A family bath as large as Public hot spring. Relax and forget about time in this hideaway-like bath.

We also recommend the family bath, which is semi-open-air and allows you to enjoy the breeze while gazing at the bamboo and steam, and have the spacious bath all to yourself. The spring water flows freely into the impressive stone bathtub. The water is of high quality and contains an abundance of hot spring ingredients, including metasilicic acid, which is said to be an ingredient in beauty baths. The water is around 42°C, so you can relax and soothe your everyday fatigue.
You can also Experience hot hot spring dyeing using geothermal energy, and bamboo Experience, a traditional Beppu craft. This is a spot where everyone from children to adults can enjoy the benefits of hell all day long.

Comments Local Guide
In addition to sets of vegetables, meat, and seafood, the ingredients for Jigoku Mushi are also available, including spiny lobster, sea bream, and turban shells. Come Experience the unique and rare Jigoku Mushi.
Geothermal Tourism Lab Enma
  • URLhttps://enma-ch.com/
  • 住所228-1 Furomoto, Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 13 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, get off at "Kanawa" and walk for about 5 minutes
  • 営業時間10:00-22:00 *The store may close earlier depending on the situation
  • 定休日Irregular holidays (monthly closing days are listed on the website)
  • TEL0977-75-9592
  • 駐車場Free *Limited number of units

A unique Experience where your whole body is steamed by the steam of hell

When you lie down in the stone chamber, which is covered with the medicinal herb sekisho, you will feel comfortable as you are enveloped in its refreshing scent.
When you lie down in the stone chamber, which is covered with the medicinal herb sekisho, you will feel comfortable as you are enveloped in its refreshing scent.

If you want to feel hell directly with your whole body, we recommend the natural mist sauna "Mushiyu" that uses the steam from hot spring. In particular, at "Kanwa Steam Bath", you can Experience a traditional and unique style of steam bath in which you lie down in a stone chamber covered with a medicinal herb called sekisho.
First, rinse off in the indoor bath, then change into a yukata and head into the stone chamber. The temperature inside the dimly lit stone chamber, about 1m high, is 50-60°C and the humidity is about 55-65%. When you lie down, you'll be enveloped in a gentle warmth and time will pass in silence.

The blessings of nature will warm you from the core

You can use the "foot steamer" for free. Put your legs in the steam-filled space from the knees down and cover it with a wooden lid, and your whole body will warm up in no time.
You can use the "foot steamer" for free. Put your legs in the steam-filled space from the knees down and cover it with a wooden lid, and your whole body will warm up in no time.

After about five minutes in the steaming bath, you will feel a large amount of sweat running down your entire body. It is not as stuffy as a sauna, but you will sweat an incredible amount. After about ten minutes of steaming, you will leave the stone chamber, take off your yukata, and rinse off in hot spring. The feeling of refreshment when you leave the stone chamber is something that cannot be replaced by anything else. There is also a space where you can sit on a chair and enjoy the open air.
Another spot you should definitely stop by is the "foot steamer" on the premises. Even just five minutes will warm you up surprisingly well, and your whole body will feel warm.

Comments Local Guide
The steam bath is a completely new Experience that is completely different from a normal sauna or bath. Combined with the pleasant scent of sekisho, it will give you a sensation you have never experienced before. Once Experience, you will definitely want to come back again.
Iron ring steam bath
  • URLhttps://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail11.html
  • 住所Oita Prefecture, Beppu City, Kannawakami 1 GroupMAP
  • アクセスApproximately 16 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, get off at "Kanawa" and walk for about 3 minutes
  • 営業時間7:30-19:30 (last admission 19:00)
  • 定休日The fourth Thursday of every month (or the following day if that Thursday is a public holiday)
  • 入場料700 yen, rental yukata 220 yen
  • TEL0977-67-3880
  • 駐車場Free Parking is available at the municipal hot hot spring "Netsu no Yu"
  • 温泉Sodium chloride spring (bath)

Looking back on 50 years with a view to hot spring and hell

The sound and light effects are beautiful. There are many photogenic spots inside the building, and photography is allowed.
The sound and light effects are beautiful. There are many photogenic spots inside the building, and photography is allowed.

It is said that it takes about 50 years for a single drop of rain to become hot spring and rise to the surface. This Property allows you to experience the magnificent story of how water seeps into the ground, travels underground, receives the blessings of the earth, contains various components, and reaches us.
The exhibition and Experience zone is divided into four scenes, and is filled with various devices that make full use of light and sound, providing fresh surprises and learning experiences. As you enjoy your way through the zone, your understanding will deepen, and you will come to love and cherish hot spring and hells of Beppu even more.

The luxury of feeling the massive amount of steam gushing out from the hot springs up close

The steam keeps rising
The steam keeps rising

In the museum's courtyard, you can get up close to the steam gushing out of the hot springs. This Property was once a hell called Kinryu Jigoku. The steam is still going strong today. The steam rises into the sky, changing shape by the minute as it splits apart in the wind, thickens and thins, and is a sight you could watch forever.
Enjoy a cup of specialty coffee from the adjacent "50 CAFÉ" and a Jigoku hot spring hot dog while experiencing the unique sights of hell up close.

Comments Local Guide
This Property is located in an area where many hells, such as "Sea Hell" and "Oniyama Hell," are gathered. If you get some basic information at the museum before going around, your visit to hell will be even more enjoyable. It is also recommended as a place to take a break.
Jigoku hot spring Museum
  • URLhttps://jigoku-museum.com/
  • 住所321-1 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 15 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station
  • バスアクセスTake the bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, get off at "Kanawa" and walk for about 2 minutes
  • 営業時間9:00～18:00（最終入場17:30）
  • 定休日Irregular holidays (about 4 days a year)
  • 入場料Adults: 1,500 yen; elementary and junior high school students: 1,000 yen
  • TEL0977-84-7858
  • 駐車場None. *Please use the nearby Hell Tour Parking (Oniyama Hell, Kamado Hell, Umi Hell).

MAP

Nearby Hoshino Resorts Property
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