Beppu Onsen Guide

Area guide

Beppu Onsen

The Beppu hot spring area can be said to be a symbol of Beppu hot spring town. Beppu Onsen first appeared in history in a book called Bungo Kokufudoki, which was created in the first half of the 8th century. Beppu Onsen has a long history, but it has been attracting attention since the Edo period.
Since then, transportation and technology have developed over time, and the number of hot springs and accommodation facilities has increased. In modern times, it has become a hot spring town lined with various facilities and inns, starting with the famous communal bath "Takegara Onsen" among the Beppu hot springs.

In addition, a hot spring festival is held around Beppu Onsen every April, and it is crowded with many people. In addition, Beppu Onsen has a quaint townscape, and buildings from the Meiji and Taisho periods still remain.
In the Beppu hot spring area, where you can enjoy not only hot springs but also walks, you will be able to enjoy the atmosphere of going back in time.

Hamawaki Onsen

The Hamawaki Onsen area is considered to be the birthplace of Beppu Onsen Town. The origin of the name Hamawaki is named because hot springs gushed out of the beach, and it can be seen that it is rich in hot spring resources.
The Hamawaki Onsen area is located on the south side of Beppu City, and flourished as a port town during the Edo period, and its townscape has been cherished over time. Even today, the quaint inn remains, and you can enjoy the quaint cityscape of the past.

In 1991, a multipurpose hot spring facility "Yuto Pier Hamawaki" was built, and it continues to be loved by many people. You can also enjoy gourmet food made with fresh seafood in this area, and it is recommended to take a walk with the hot springs.

Kamegawa Onsen

Kamegawan onsen is an onsen area with a rich history, which is described in the travelogue "Toyokuni Travelogue" of the Edo period. In this travelogue of Toyokuni, it is written that a spring gushed out near the coast, suggesting that onsen resources have been abundant since ancient times.

Located on the north side of Beppu City, the Kamegawan onsen area is also a key point of transportation, so it has been popular as a place for travelers to heal their fatigue since ancient times. The Kamegawan onsen area is close to the sea and is popular with tourists for its quiet and calm atmosphere.

There is a popular tourist spot "Beppu Seaside Sand Bath" in the vicinity, where you can spend a relaxing time while listening to the sound of the waves. One of the most popular onsen facilities is the communal bathhouse Hamadan onsen, which is a recommended onsen where you can enjoy the traditional Sento culture.

Kannawa onsen

The Kannawa onsen area is a place with a landscape that can be said to be a symbol of Beppu Onsen Town. In the Kannawa onsen area, onsens rise from all over the town, creating a spectacular scene. There are many inns and onsens around Kannawa onsen, and it is one of the most popular areas in Beppu Onsen Town.

The townscape has a calming atmosphere and is the perfect environment to refresh. At Kannawa onsen, the cooking method "hell steaming" that has been used since the Edo period is a specialty, and it is characterized by steaming vegetables, meat, fish, etc. with gushing hot water.

You can enjoy mineral-rich dishes steamed with the steam of the onsens along with the onsens. Also, when you visit Kannawa onsen, we recommend "Tenowa Mushiyu", which you can lay on medicinal herbs and slowly warms your body.

 Kankaiji onsen

The Kankaiji onsen area is one of the most scenic places in Beppu Onsen Town. Kankaiji Onsen is lined with resort hotels, and is popular as a tourist area and has plenty of leisure. When the weather is clear and the air is clear, you can see the Shikoku region, and you can relax and look at the scenery while soaking in the onsens.

Kankaiji Onsen has a long history, dating back to the Kamakura period when it was discovered. In the past, it was loved by people as a secret onsen, and in modern times it is popular as one of the representative onsens of Beppu Onsen Town.

Located in the mountains overlooking Beppu City, Ichinode Kaikan is very popular with tourists because you can enjoy the cloudy white cobalt blue water with a superb view. At Kankaiji Onsen, you will be able to refresh your body and mind in the open open-air bath with a good view.

Horita Onsen

The Horita onsen area is an onsen resort located west of Beppu Onsen Town. This area has been used as a transportation hub since ancient times, and Horita onsen, which is blessed with abundant onsen resources, was a place of relaxation where people could heal the fatigue of travel.

It came to be called Horita onsen in the Edo period, and has developed until the present day. While it is surrounded by abundant nature, access is smooth and very popular with tourists. This area is actively spewing steam, and the sight that symbolizes the abundant onsens is very popular as a photo spot.

Horita onsen is an attractive onsen where you can enjoy the nature of the four seasons and refresh your body from the inside with warm water.

Shibaishi Onsen

The Shibaishi onsen area has a history of more than 1,000 years and is also known as a "wound healing onsen" that has been used for recuperation of injuries and illnesses since ancient times.

Located in the mountains, Shibaishi Onsen has a wonderful landscape rich in greenery, and you can enjoy a relaxing time while soaking in the onsen.

The current name Shibaishi Onsen dates back to the Edo period and is named after the fossils of Shiba were found. At Shibaishi Municipal Onsen, you can see the fossils that gave it its name, as well as open-air baths and steaming baths where you can enjoy nature.

Myoban Onsen

The Myoban Onsen area is famous for its "Yuhana Hut" where hot water rises from the hut. At the Yuhana Hut, you can observe the process of producing hot water flowers from steam, and the steam that rises with the scent of sulfur is irresistible for onsen lovers.

Since the onsen flowers of Myoban Onsen have a high cleaning effect, they are also used in cosmetics and are sold as "Yuhana cosmetics". In addition, many of the onsens in this area are acidic, including sulfur springs, and are also called "shampoo hot water" because they can exfoliate the skin.

In addition, "mud bath", which can be expected to have a skin-beautifying effect, and "hell steamed pudding", which is steamed vigorously with steam, are very popular with tourists.

Access

Beppu City, where Beppu Onsen Village is located, is located in Oita Prefecture in the Kyushu region, on the east coast overlooking the beautiful sea. Oita Prefecture accounts for about 70% of the forest area, and while it has abundant nature, access is relatively good.

In addition, the transportation network for transportation to Beppu City is well developed, and it can be seen that it has achieved numerous developments as an onsen and tourist destination. The main ways to get to Beppu City are by air, sea route, or rail. First of all, Oita Airport is often used as the main gateway for air travel.

Oita Airport is the closest airport to Beppu Station, about 1 hour away. The nearest international airport to Beppu City is Kansai International Airport, which has flights from all over the world. Fukuoka Airport, which mainly flies to and from Asia, is mentioned. As a shipping route, it is recommended to use the Beppu International Sightseeing Port.

The transfer from Beppu International Sightseeing Port to Beppu Station is also smooth, and it is located within 20 minutes. In the onsen area, you can use trains, buses, taxis, etc., so you can move efficiently. As you can see, the area around Beppu City is very well served by public transportation, and it can be said that it is an area where you can truly enjoy sightseeing.

From Tokyo

<Airplane>
Narita International Airport →Oita Airport → (Oita Kotsu Airliner) Beppu Station (about 3 hours 10 minutes)

<Train>
Tokyo Station→ Kokura Station→ Beppu Station (about 6 hours 20 minutes)

<Bus>
Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit→ Nagoya Station Shinkansen Exit→ Sannomiya BT→ Beppu Kitahama (about 19 hours 30 minutes)

From Nagoya

<Train>
Nagoya Station→ Kokura Station→ Beppu Station (about 4 hours 40 minutes)

<Bus>
Nagoya Station Shinkansen Exit→ Sannomiya BT→ Beppu Kitahama (about 13 hours 30 minutes)

From Osaka

<Airplane>
Itami Airport →Oita Airport → (Oita Kotsu Airliner) Beppu Station (about 2 hours 10 minutes)

<Train>
Shin-Osaka Station→ Kokura Station→ Beppu Station (about 4 hours)

<Bus>
Osaka Station (Higashi-Umeda Station) → Beppu Kitahama (about 10 hours 40 minutes)

Water quality

The quality of the springs in Beppu Onsen Village is abundant and diverse.

The eight onsens, also known as Beppu Hachiyu, are filled with hot water of various qualities, and many people have healed their bodies up to the present day. The quality of the springs in Beppu Onsen Village is characterized by having a very wide variety of onsens, such as simple onsens, carbon dioxide onsens, hydrogen carbonate springs, chloride springs, sulfate springs, iron-containing springs, iodine springs, sulfur springs, and acid springs.

The most common spring qualities in Beppu Onsen Village include simple onsens and chloride springs. First of all, simple onsens are colorless and transparent, have no peculiar odor, are hypoallergenic, and have a gentle quality on the skin. The mellow water without habit is friendly and has been loved by many people since ancient times.

In addition, even though it is a simple onsen, different spring qualities are mixed depending on the region and location, and various effects are exhibited. After bathing, the skin will be exfoliated and it will feel good to the touch. The main effects are wide-ranging, such as neuralgia, joint pain, fatigue recovery, and stress relief.

Next, chloride springs are characterized by their high heat retention effect and their difficulty in cooling the water. Since the hot water contains salt, it can be expected to have a bactericidal effect and has a history of being used to treat wounds. By slowly soaking in an onsen with chloride spring quality, your body will warm up from the core, so you can expect a relaxing effect.

The main effects are various such as sensitivity to cold, cuts, burns, skin diseases, and joint pain.

There are also precautions regarding bathing in chloride springs, and those with high blood pressure, heart disease, and sensitive skin should refrain from bathing for a long time. As you can see, there are various types of onsens in Beppu Onsen Town, and you can soak in a wide variety of onsens.

Why don't you go around the onsens of Beppu Hachiyu and find the onsens you are looking for?

History

Beppu Onsen Village has a very long history and has been loved by people since ancient times as one of the leading onsen towns in Japan.

It is now called "Beppu Hachiyu", and eight onsens of Beppu, Hamawaki, Kamegawa, Tetsuwa, Kankaiji, Hotta, Shibaishi, and Myoban Onsen are integrated, but originally they were independent onsens.

From the Meiji era to the Taisho era, as the development of onsens and the merger of municipalities progressed, the name Beppu Hachiyu gradually took root. The oldest of the Beppu onsen towns dates back to around the 8th century and is recorded in an ancient document called "Iyo Kokufudoki".

In addition, there are confirmed records that sanatoriums were built in Beppu, Tetsuwan onsen, etc., to heal the wounds of samurai.

Beppu City, which is famous as a Beppu onsen town, is home to a traditional craft with a long history, "Beppu bamboo work". Beppu bamboo crafts gradually spread as guests of the onsens began to take them home as souvenirs. Beppu bamboo work is said to have originated in the Muromachi period (1336~1573), and the tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation is still cherished today.

When you visit Beppu City, please enjoy a walk while feeling the fascinating history of the quaint scenery that flourished as an onsen town and beautiful traditional crafts.