Beppu Onsen: Ōita Prefecture’s Premier Hot Spring Destination

Communal Baths in a Thriving Hot Spring Resort

With more than 2,300 source springs discharging 80,000 liters of water every minute, the city of Beppu in Ōita Prefecture accounts for more than 8% of all the hot springs in Japan. One sight of the plumes of steam rising over the cityscape and you will know for certain that you have come to one of the world’s major onsen areas.

The city has eight major hot springs, collectively referred to as the Beppu Hattō. They are Beppu Onsen, Hamawaki Onsen, Kannawa Onsen, Myōban Onsen, Kankaiji Onsen, Kamegawa Onsen, Shibaseki Onsen, and Horita Onsen. Each onsen is unique, with its own special quality of water and history.

The outdoor rotenburo at Shibaseki Onsen. (© Beppu Tourist Association)

The most central of the Beppu Hattō is Beppu Onsen, situated in the midst of a bustling downtown that extends from the JR Beppu train station along the Kitahama strip on the western edge of Beppu Bay. Spared the devastation of the war years, the city of Beppu retains the original grid layout designed as a part of a city planning project initiated in the early twentieth century. Walk the byways and alleyways to discover delightful communal baths and gift shops.

Originally erected in 1879 and rebuilt in 1938, Takegawara Onsen is an important Beppu landmark. (© Beppu Tourist Association)

Beppu Onsen has numerous communal baths popular among local residents and visitors alike. These baths are always drawn directly from a hot spring and located in a half-basement. Takegawara Onsen, with its distinctive Chinese-style gabled entrance, is notable for also offering a heated sand bath.

Takegawara Onsen’s communal bath. (Photo courtesy of the Beppu municipal government)

The heated sand bath at Takegawara Onsen is another popular way to enjoy the city’s geothermal gifts. (Photo courtesy of the Beppu municipal government)

Other popular communal baths include Ekimae Kōtō Onsen, Tanoyu Onsen, and Kaimonji Onsen. Fees are minimal, ranging from ¥100 to ¥200, making the Beppu Onsen communal baths a favorite destination for aficionados.

The spacious bathing area at Kaimonji Onsen. (Photo courtesy of the Beppu municipal government)

Access to Beppu Onsen (from Fukuoka)

By car: Get on the Kyūshū Expressway at the Fukuoka interchange, change to the Ōita Expressway at the Tosu Junction, and get off at the Beppu interchange (about 140 km, or 1 hr 30 min). Turn left onto Prefectural Route 11 (Kyūshū Ōdan Dōro) and follow the route marked for Beppu (about 6 km or 15 min).

By train: Take the JR Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Kokura Station, about 15 min. Change to the JR limited express Sonic to Beppu Station, about 1 hr 20 min.

By bus: From the Hakata Bus Terminal, take a Nishitetsu or Kamei highway bus to Beppu Kitahama (about 2 hr 40 min).

Beppu Tourist Association: http://english.beppu-navi.jp/

(Originally written in Japanese. Banner photo: Plumes of hot springs steam over the Beppu cityscape. © Beppu Tourist Association.)