19 recommended sightseeing spots in Oita

This is the standard course for sightseeing in Beppu Hot Springs, which takes you around “Jigoku(hell),” a natural source of hot water and hod mud that has been gushing out of the ground for more than 1,000 years.

Sea Hell, Blood Pond Hell, White Pond Hell, and Tornado Hell are designated as “Beppu no Jigoku” (Hell in Beppu), a national scenic spot.

There is also Jigoku with footbaths and day trip bathing facilities, and you can enjoy original souvenirs such as steamed and baked pudding and blood pond ointment!

With a length of 390m, a height of 173m and a width of 1.5m, the Kokonoe “Dream” Suspension Bridge is the tallest suspension bridge in Japan for footpaths only.

In front of you, you can see the waterfalls, which were chosen as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan, and the virgin forest of Naruko River Valley spreads under your feet.

Don’t forget to take a photo at the observation deck where you can see the entire suspension bridge.

An active volcano at an altitude of 1,583 meters, it is the symbol of the popular hot spring resort of Yufuin.

It is familiarly known as “Bungo Fuji” because of its cone-shaped shape.

As a mountain of faith from ancient times, its name was recorded in “Kojiki”.

In the Yufuin Basin, Mt. Yufu can be seen from various places, and the view from Beppu Bay can be seen behind Mt. Tsurumi.

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It is a mysterious lake where hot springs and clean water gush out from part of the bottom of the lake.

It is said that the pond was called “the pond under Mt. Yufu” in an Oita accent, but the Confucian scholar Kousou Mouri named it “Kinrin Lake” in the 17th year of Meiji when he saw the scales of fish in the lake shining in the sunset.

From autumn to early winter mornings, the steamy morning mist of the lake containing the hot springs is fantastic.

Kusumi Plateau, where a vast panorama of greenery spreads out at the southern foot of the Kuju mountain range with Mt. Kusumi as its main peak.

In spring, you can enjoy black (burning in the open), green(grassland), red (autumn leaves), and white (snow field) in autumn and winter, and especially the “burning in the open” has been selected as one of the “100 Scent Scenery” by the Ministry of the Environment.

The Chojahara Visitor Center at the entrance to the Kujyu area provides access to the Tadehara Marshland.

It is the headquarters of Hachimangu Shrine, the first shrine in Bungo and home to more than 40,000 companies across Japan.

Since its foundation in the 724, it has been the second mausoleum of Buddhism after the Ise Jingu Shrine and is revered by the imperial family.

The main hall, a typical Hachiman-style building, is designated a national treasure and nearly 150 festivals are held there throughout the year.

The monorail is free of charge for visitors in wheelchairs and strollers.

Yunotsubo Kaido, located at the foot of Mt. Yufu-dake, is a tourist spot, where you can find many souvenirs and tastes of Yufuin.

The street is lined with about 70 shops reminiscent of Edo-era banquets, and there are also souvenir shops selling Oita’s specialties such as “yuzu (species of citrus fruit)pepper”, and restaurants where you can enjoy local gourmet foods, which attract many tourists on weekends.

Hita Onsen has seven inns along the Mikuma River, which is rich in water.

Enjoy dinner on a Yakatabune(Houseboat) and cormorant fishing on a Yakatabune, a 200-year old traditional Yakatabune boat, and the sight of more than 40 houseboats sailing along the river has long been a Hita tradition.

This nature park is home to about 1,300 Japanese monkeys.

There are no cages, and the pristine and lively monkeys come right up to tourists.

You can take the Sarukko rail from the base entrance to the monkey yard, or take a leisurely walk along the nature trail, where you can feed the wheat once every 30 minutes and the potatoes twice a day.

Takasakiyama Natural Zoo

A hot spring resort hotel that can be enjoyed by three generations.

The “Tanayu” open-air bath has a great view of the city and Beppu Bay, and on a clear day you can see as far as Cape Sada on Shikoku.

There are many amusement facilities such as “The Aqua Garden”, an open-air hot spring facility where you can enjoy wearing a bathing suit, a fountain show, “Aqua Beat” (open for a limited time), “3 million ball illumination” (held throughout the year), 3D mapping, karaoke, bowling, a game corner, and a kids’ land.

Beppu Onsen Suginoi Hotel

Mt.Tsurumidake, 1,375 meters above sea level, stands in the western part of Beppu City.

On weekends from July to October, the ropeway is open at night and is one of the most popular night views in Kyushu, and the observation deck at the ropeway’s mountaintop station offers a spectacular view of Beppu City and Oita City.

The entire mountain is covered with the pink flowers of the Someiyoshino cherry tree, and the springtime view is a must-see.

Located on the northeastern side of Oita Prefecture in Kyushu, the Kunisaki Peninsula has a round, protruding shape.

It is also known as the “Home of the Buddha” and “Home of the Stone Buddha“, and is famous for its unique Buddhist culture and for its many polished cliff Buddhas and historical sites.

We recommend that you visit Usa Jingu Shrine, the head temple of Hachiman Shrine in Japan, as a starting point for a tour of mysterious stone Buddhas, including the Kumano Magaibutsu, the oldest and largest of its kind in Japan, which is designated as a national monument.

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Myoban Onsen has been continuing since the Edo period and is a famous historical site for its alum extraction.

The Okamotoya shop, which is also a rest and souvenir shop, serves a specialty, “Jigoku Mushi Pudding”.

The puddings are handcrafted one by one using the same method that has been used since 1988, with bitter caramel and a rich taste.

You can also enjoy a variety of flavors, such as hot egg udon noodles, while viewing the hot steam and the hot water flower hut.

The lively and bustling shopping street of the 1950s(Showa era) has been recreated, and you can enjoy a warm yet nostalgic atmosphere.

In addition to the “Showa Roman Gura”, a museum where you can experience the Showa era, each store has an exhibition that tells the history of the store.

A Showa 32s bonnet bus is also operated free of charge, mainly on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Showa no Machi

It is called a mineral bath, and is a “mud bath” in which you take a bath in the mud contained in the components of a hot spring.

There are two places now in Beppu City where there are rare mud baths in the whole country.

“Beppu Onse Hoyo Land” which looks like a mud field and “Nabeyama no Yu” which is a wild and natural mud bath.

Both are popular among hot spring enthusiasts because of the unique feel of the mud baths, the high heat retention effect and the skin-whitening effects.

Ao-no-Domon, located at the foot of Kyoshuho Peak, is a 342-meter-long tunnel dug by hand by a Zen priest for 30 years (completed in 1764) to allow safe passage along a difficult road in the Edo period.

There are still traces of chisels from those days on the windows for light cutting.

Beppu Beach Sand Bath, located in the corner of Joningahama Beach, is a spot where you can experience the famous sand bath.

If you change into a special yukata and lie down in the sandbox, which is always kept at 42 degrees Celsius, the sandcasters will sprinkle sand all over your body.

You can detoxify your body and mind while enjoying the warmth of the sand and the view of the sea in front of you!

On the first floor, you can find “Sekisaba no Ichiyaboshi(Overnight dried mackerel)”, “Kisagami Tofu”, and “Goat Ice Cream” made with local ingredients, as well as fresh fish and seafood from the Bungo Channel.

The restaurant on the second floor overlooks the sea and offers a variety of delicious dishes, including the famous Seki no Kaisen-don (Seafood Bowl), which uses an abundance of seasonal local fish.