Aiming for the hot water ahead! 6 Beppu/Yufuin Areas

Hello, I am Tetsuma Photographer, a photographer who loves traveling in Kyushu! I will be introducing selected recommended touring spots in the Kyushu area from the perspective of Tetsuma Photographer, using the know-how I have gained from my coverage activities for touring magazines that I started in 2017. In this 23rd installment, we will introduce recommended touring spots in the Oita City and Beppu area of Oita Prefecture!

Recommended Touring Spots in 7 Selected Prefectures in Kyushu

Beppu City boasts the largest number of hot springs in Japan in terms of both the number of sources and the volume of hot spring water gushing out, and is home to a wide variety of hot springs called Beppu Hatto (eight areas including Beppu, Kannawa, and Myoban), which are extremely rich in ten different types of spring water. Local delicacies such as jigoku-mushi ryori (steamed food prepared by steaming food using hot spring steam) and jigoku-mushi pudding are also popular!

1. Take a break before driving the Yamanami Highway! Roadside Station Yufuin

With a magnificent view of Mt. Yufudake, this is the perfect location for a break from touring or traveling. Located right off the Yufuin IC of the Oita Expressway, it offers convenient access to tourist attractions.

Located at the foot of the majestic Mt. Yufu, it offers a wide variety of fresh local agricultural products, processed goods, and specialty items. Of course, there is also soft-serve ice cream...

The store is currently undergoing reconstruction and is only open to sell souvenirs and agricultural products in a temporary store next to the disaster prevention warehouse. Restrooms and other facilities can be used!

2. Yufu Silky Road" with a vast green carpet and a magnificent view of Mt.

Yufudake trailhead parking lot from the Beppu City side, drive up the forest road entrance a short distance and you will find a spot where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Yufuin and Mt. You can enjoy beautiful scenery in each of the four seasons: fresh greenery in spring, autumn leaves in fall, and snow-covered mountains in winter.

Climbing up the narrow forest road, you will arrive at a spot where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Mt. Yufudake and the town of Yufuin.

Located along the Yamanami Highway from Beppu to Aso, this is a recommended spot for a casual stopover during touring.

3. Jigoku-no-mushi Pudding (Okamoto-ya Kiosk), where the heat of hell turns into melt-in-your-mouth sweetness

The specialty of Okamoto-ya Kiosk in Myoban Onsen in Beppu is "Jigoku-mushi Pudding" (steamed pudding in hell), a popular sweet that is an essential part of sightseeing in Beppu. The bitter caramel flavor, combined with the rich pudding, attracts many fans as a mature taste.

The jigoku-mushi pudding, made by a process unique to Beppu that uses the steam (fumarole) from the hot springs to steam the pudding, is highly recommended.

This is a time-consuming gem, handmade one by one by artisans using a method that has remained unchanged since 1988.

4. Yumemuri Observation Deck, a spectacular spot symbolizing Beppu Onsen

The Yukemuri Observatory is a spot from which you can view the large amount of hot spring water gushing out of Beppu City, which has been selected as an "Important Cultural Landscape," and is a sight that can only be seen in Beppu, which boasts the largest amount of hot spring water in Japan. It is also a famous night view spot, having been recognized as a "Japan Night View Heritage Site.

This is Beppu! This is a recommended spot where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the hot spring scenery!

The hot water rising up from various parts of the city reminds us that this is a hot spring prefecture.

5. Mysterious and fantastic spot "Kinrin Lake

Early in the morning from fall to winter (from just after sunrise to around 8:00 a.m.), the temperature difference from the outside air causes steam to rise from the surface of the lake, and the entire lake is enveloped in a fantastic white mist. This scene is known as the "symbol of Kinrin-ko.

If you are planning to visit Kinrin Lake, it is recommended to aim for early morning, especially in the fall and winter.

The fantastic sight at sunrise is so beautiful that you can't help but shout!

6. Takegawara Onsen, a majestic historical building

The current building was rebuilt in 1938 and is a symbol of Beppu. It looks like a shrine and can be compared to the world of "Spirited Away. The spacious lobby with its high ceilings and other retro-modern spaces that retain the image of the early Showa period make visitors feel as if they have stepped back in time.

The majestic exterior with its gorgeous karahafuzukuri roof is a symbol of Beppu and looks like a shrine.

It is a retro style with no showers, and you use a tub to draw hot water to wash yourself.

Aim beyond the hot water! 6 Beppu and Yufuin areas! Go to  (12)