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A hot-spring city with steam rising all over town. See the colorful "hells", then soak in public baths or a sand bath. Over the mountain lies Yufuin, a quiet resort below Mt. Yufu.
"Classics" and "Hidden gems" are this site's editorial picks, not a measured popularity ranking.
A tour of "hells": springs of boiling water and mud, for viewing only. Five of them, including the blue Umi Jigoku, are walkable in Kannawa.
about 1.5 hrPaid entryWheelchair & stroller friendly
Bus · About 35 min from Beppu ・ Bus to Umi Jigoku-mae or Kannawa ・ 30km from here
A pond of hot red mud and a geyser that erupts at regular intervals. They are a little apart from Kannawa, about 5 minutes by bus.
about 45 minPaid entryWheelchair & stroller friendly
Bus · About 45 min from Beppu ・ Bus to Kannawa, then change for Chinoike Jigoku-mae ・ 29km from here
A public bathhouse dating back to the Meiji era, in a grand-roofed building from the 1930s. It also has a sand bath heated by the spring.
about 60 minPaid entryFine on a rainy day
Walk · About 10 min from Beppu ・ 31km from here
A hillside hot-spring village where bath salts are made in thatched huts. Known for milky-white water and pudding steamed over the springs.
about 45 minPartly paid
Bus · About 40 min from Beppu ・ 32km from here
A 1,375-meter mountain. The top looks over Beppu, its bay and Mt. Yufu. In winter the trees are sometimes coated in rime ice.
about 1.5 hrPaid entryPartly step-free
Ropeway · About 50 min from Beppu ・ Bus to Beppu Ropeway, then about 10 minutes by ropeway ・ 35km from here
“Classics” and “Hidden gems” are our editors' picks, not a measured popularity ranking. Travel times are estimates. Please check prices, opening hours and operating days with the official sources before you go.
Hot spring steam rising between the houses of Kannawa Onsen 松岡明芳 (CC BY-SA 4.0) / White steam rising from the blue water of Umi Jigoku 663highland (CC BY 2.5) / Steam over the red water of Chinoike Jigoku Leyo (CC BY-SA 2.5 ch) / The wooden Takegawara Onsen with its curved gabled entrance Suicasmo (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Thatched yunohana huts at Myoban Onsen STA3816 (CC BY-SA 3.0) / The street in front of Yufuin Station with Mt. Yufu ahead そらみみ (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cropped and resized.
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ClassicsHidden gems
Times assume a 9:00 start. Travel times are estimated from distance and vary with waiting and crowds.
Leave 9:00 → until about 15:06 (about 6 hr)
about 35 min by transport
about 11 min on foot
about 15 min on foot
about 25 min on foot
about 10 min on foot
The five hells in Kannawa are walkable. Try steam-cooked "jigoku-mushi" for lunch.
Plan this routeLeave 9:00 → until about 12:19 (about 3.5 hr)
about 40 min by transport
about 15 min by transport
about 9 min on foot
Includes the round trip from Beppu. Sagiridai is an easy stop on the way if you go by car.
Plan this routeValues are for Oita; Yufuin, in a basin, is a few degrees cooler. Hot-spring steam is most visible on cold winter days. June–July and September are rainy.
Point at a month to see its temperature and precipitation.
Temperature (line: average; band: low to high)
Precipitation (mm)
Typical seasons
Cherry blossoms (Beppu Park)
Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival
Autumn leaves (Yufuin, Lake Shidaka)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High (℃) | 10.7 | 11.5 | 14.6 | 19.7 | 24.1 | 26.5 | 30.9 | 32.2 | 28.2 | 23.3 | 18.1 | 13 |
| Avg (℃) | 6.5 | 7.2 | 10.2 | 14.8 | 19.3 | 22.6 | 26.8 | 27.7 | 24.2 | 19.1 | 13.8 | 8.7 |
| Low (℃) | 2.6 | 3 | 5.9 | 10.3 | 15 | 19.3 | 23.5 | 24.3 | 20.9 | 15.2 | 9.5 | 4.6 |
| Rain (mm) | 49.8 | 64.1 | 99.2 | 119.7 | 133.6 | 313.6 | 261.3 | 165.7 | 255.2 | 144.8 | 72.9 | 47.1 |
Temperature and precipitation are Japan Meteorological Agency normals (1991–2020, Oita). Seasons are typical timings and can shift by a week or two each year. JMA data
Local buses (to Kannawa and the Hells)
About 20–30 minutes from Beppu Station to Kannawa or Umi Jigoku-mae. For Chinoike Jigoku, take another bus from Kannawa. Day passes are sold.
Beppu – Yufuin bus
About 50 minutes to 1 hour from the west exit of Beppu Station over the mountains to Yufuin, passing the Beppu Ropeway on the way.
JR Nippo and Kyudai lines
About 15 minutes from Beppu to Oita. For Yufuin, change to the Kyudai Line at Oita. Limited expresses also link Hakata and Yufuin.
Beppu Ropeway
About 10 minutes from the base station to the top of Mt. Tsurumi. The base station is about 25 minutes by bus from Beppu Station.
Airport bus
About 45–50 minutes from Oita Airport to Beppu Kitahama and Beppu Station. There are also direct buses to Yufuin.
From Oita Airport
No transfers
From Hakata
No transfers
From Kokura
No transfers
Times and fares (one adult) are estimates for a 9:00 a.m. departure. Tap a card to compare options for your own date and needs.