Beppu Onsen Guide: How to Experience the Hell Tour (Jigoku Meguri) and Japan's Most Dramatic Hot Springs

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The first thing you notice in Beppu isn't a temple or a castle. It's the steam. It rises from drainpipes, from gutters, from the gaps between houses, from manhole covers, until whole neighborhoods look like they're quietly smoldering. I came here expecting a hot spring town. What I got was a city sitting on top of a geothermal furnace — and a circuit of boiling, screaming-colored pools that locals have called "the hells" for over a thousand years.

Photo: Japanexperterna.se, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Quick Answer / The Short Version

Beppu, on the east coast of Kyushu in Oita Prefecture, is the largest onsen city in Japan — over 2,000 hot spring sources push out more geothermal water than anywhere on Earth except Yellowstone. Its headline attraction is the Jigoku Meguri ("Hell Tour"): a set of seven extraordinary thermal pools, each a different color and character, from cobalt-blue to blood-red. Important to know up front: the hells are viewing pools, not bathing pools — the water hits 98°C. You admire them, photograph them, and soak your feet in the free foot baths. A combo ticket (¥2,400) covers all seven; budget about three hours. Actual bathing happens in Beppu's separate public baths and ryokan. And yes — you can do the whole thing as a day trip from Fukuoka, roughly two hours away by limited express train.

Why Beppu Is Different from Every Other Onsen Town

Most Japanese hot spring towns are built around a handful of springs and a quiet ritual: arrive, soak, eat, sleep, soak again. Beppu plays in a different league entirely.

The numbers are genuinely hard to picture. Beppu sits on more than 2,200 individual hot spring sources, gushing roughly 130,000 kiloliters of hot water a day. In raw geothermal output, only Yellowstone in the United States produces more. That energy doesn't stay politely underground. It vents through the city in eight major thermal districts known collectively as the Beppu Hatto — eight onsen areas, each with its own water chemistry, color, and crowd.

What that means on the ground: you don't go to an onsen in Beppu. You pick from sulfur baths, sand baths where attendants bury you up to the neck in naturally heated black sand, steam saunas where the heat comes straight off the springs, and mud baths. There's a public bath called Takegawara, opened in 1879, where you can be buried in hot sand for around ¥1,500. There's a Michelin-listed onsen complex on the hillside. And there's the Hell Tour, which is unlike anything else in Japan.

Beppu is also unusually easy for foreign visitors. The city is home to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, one of Japan's most international universities, so you'll hear more English in tourist areas here than in most regional Japanese cities. Signage at the hells is bilingual, and ticket staff are used to overseas guests.

The Jigoku Meguri: Beppu's Hells Explained

A quick note that most English guides get wrong, because the situation changed recently. For decades, the "Hell Tour" included eight hells. But Yama Jigoku (Mountain Hell), a small zoo-style hell with hippos and flamingos, was removed from the official combo pass — it closed to the public — leaving seven hells on the current circuit. If you read older articles promising eight, that's why the numbers don't line up. Seven is correct as of 2026.

The hells split into two clusters. Five sit close together in the Kannawa district, walkable one to the next. The remaining two are about 3 km away in Shibaseki, a short bus or taxi ride. Here's each one, in the order most people walk them.

Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) — the cobalt-blue showstopper

This is the one on every postcard, and the one you should see first. Umi Jigoku is a vast pool of milky cobalt-blue water, the color coming from dissolved iron sulfate. It looks cool and inviting; it is in fact 98°C and around 200 meters deep. The grounds are the most elaborate of the seven — there's a tropical greenhouse heated by the spring, a lotus pond, a small red shrine torii on an island, and giant Amazonian water lilies whose leaves can hold the weight of a small child in summer. Allow more time here than anywhere else.

Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Oniishibozu Jigoku (Demon's Shaved-Head Hell) — bubbling grey mud

The name comes from the grey mud that bubbles up in fat, slow domes, supposedly resembling the shaved heads of monks (or demons). Stand at the railing and listen — the plop … plop of the mud is oddly hypnotic. The site has its own foot bath and a restaurant.

Kamado Jigoku (Cooking Pot Hell) — the most hands-on

Kamado means "cooking pot," a nod to the steam once used to cook rice for a local shrine festival. This is the most interactive hell: several different pools and colors in one compound, free foot and hand baths, steam you can inhale for your throat, and a guy who'll occasionally blow cigarette smoke over a vent to make the steam billow dramatically. Touristy, yes. Also genuinely fun.

Oniyama Jigoku (Devil's Mountain Hell) — the crocodile farm

Here's the one that surprises people. The hot spring water is used to heat a crocodile farm — around 70 crocodiles live on-site, and the heat lets them breed in a climate they'd never survive otherwise. It's an unusual sight and worth a quick look; feeding times draw a crowd. If you're not into captive-animal attractions, this is the one you can skip without much regret.

Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell) — the quiet one

A pale, milky-blue pond ringed by a small Japanese garden. The water emerges clear and turns cloudy white as it cools and the minerals react with the air. It's the calmest of the Kannawa five — a nice palate cleanser after the spectacle of Umi and Kamado. There's a small tropical fish house on the grounds.

Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell) — the iconic red pool

Now you cross to Shibaseki. Chinoike is Japan's oldest documented hell, mentioned in records over 1,300 years ago, and the most photographed. The water is a deep, opaque rust-red, stained by iron oxide in the clay below. On a cool morning the red water under white steam is genuinely otherworldly — this is the shot you came for. They also sell a red mineral ointment made from the clay, marketed for skin conditions.

Photo: Leyo, CC BY-SA 2.5 ch, via Wikimedia Commons

Tatsumaki Jigoku (Waterspout Hell) — the geyser

A few steps from Chinoike, Tatsumaki is a geyser that erupts on a tight schedule — roughly every 30 to 40 minutes, spouting boiling water that would shoot far higher if a stone slab weren't placed above it for safety. Eruptions last several minutes. Time your visit so you're sitting on the viewing steps when it goes off; check the posted schedule when you arrive so you don't wander off and miss it.

How to Visit the Jigoku Meguri (Tickets, Route, Duration)

The combo ticket covers all seven hells for ¥2,400 (children ¥1,200), versus ¥500 each if you pay individually — so the combo pays off the moment you visit five. The ticket is valid on the day of purchase and the following day, and you can start at any of the seven, so there's no fixed entry point.

Hours are 8:00 to 17:00, year-round. You'll want roughly 2.5 to 3 hours for all seven, including the hop between the two clusters.

The practical route: do the five Kannawa hells on foot first — Umi, Oniishibozu, Kamado, Oniyama, and Shiraike are all within a short walk of each other. Then take a bus or taxi (about 5–10 minutes) to Shibaseki for Chinoike and Tatsumaki. The Kamenoi bus runs between the clusters, and there's a combined hell ticket + bus day pass sold by Klook and at local counters if you'd rather not pay per ride.

If you'd prefer not to juggle bus timetables — or you're coming from Fukuoka and want it handled door to door — a guided option removes the logistics. You can book a guided Hell Tour in Beppu that bundles transport between the clusters and entry to all seven.

One small mistake I made: I lingered too long at Umi Jigoku photographing the lilies and arrived at Tatsumaki two minutes after the geyser finished. I had to wait out the next 35-minute cycle. Check the eruption board first, then plan your photos around it.

Bathing in Beppu: The Best Onsen Experiences

The hells are for looking. For soaking — actually getting in the water — Beppu has more options than you can fit into one trip. If you've never done a public onsen before, the etiquette (wash thoroughly before entering, no swimsuits, tattoos sometimes restricted) is worth learning in advance; our complete guide to onsen etiquette for beginners walks through every step so you can relax instead of worrying about doing it wrong.

A few standouts:

• Takegawara Onsen — Beppu's most historic public bath, dating to 1879, with a striking wooden roof. The hot sand bath here (you're buried in naturally heated black sand by an attendant) is the signature experience, around ¥1,500.
• Hyotan Onsen — a sprawling complex in Kannawa that holds a Michelin three-star rating, with sand baths, steam baths, waterfall baths, and private family baths. Good for first-timers because of the variety and the option to book a private room.
• Kannawa "mushi-yu" steam bath — you lie on a bed of medicinal herbs in a small wooden chamber filled with hot spring steam. Intense, brief, and unlike a normal sauna.

Kannawa is also where you eat jigoku-mushi — "hell-steamed" food. Vegetables, eggs, seafood, and dumplings are cooked in baskets lowered straight into the spring steam. At Jigoku-mushi Kobo Kannawa you rent a steam vent, buy ingredients, and cook your own lunch. The eggs come out with a faintly sulfurous, custardy yolk; the corn is unreasonably sweet.

Beppu vs. Yufuin: Which Should You Visit?

This is the question almost everyone planning Kyushu asks. Yufuin sits just over the mountains, about an hour from Beppu, and the two could not be more different.

My honest read: if you have two days, do both — base in Beppu for the spectacle and the sand baths, then take the bus over to Yufuin for one slow afternoon and a higher-end ryokan night. If you only have one base, choose Beppu for things to see and do, Yufuin for romance and a quieter soak. They're close enough that picking one isn't a tragedy.

How to Get to Beppu

From Fukuoka (the easy day trip)

This is the most common approach. From Hakata Station in Fukuoka, take the JR Sonic or Nichirin limited express to Beppu Station — about 2 hours, around ¥6,000 one way. Both trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass and the regional JR Kyushu Rail Pass, which makes a day trip excellent value if you already hold one. Trains run roughly hourly.

From Osaka

Two good options. The romantic one is the overnight ferry (Sunflower line) from Osaka to Beppu — you board in the evening, sleep aboard, and arrive in the morning, which doubles as a night's accommodation. The fast one: Shinkansen to Kokura (about 2.5 hours), then transfer to the Sonic limited express to Beppu (about 1.5 hours).

From Tokyo

There's no way to make this short. Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakata (about 5 hours), then the Sonic/Nichirin express to Beppu (2 hours). Flying into Oita Airport and taking the airport bus (about 45 minutes to Beppu) is usually faster and often cheaper.

Where to Stay in Beppu (Budget to Splurge)

Beppu rewards staying overnight — the hells close at 5pm, but the baths and the steam-shrouded streets are best in the evening and early morning.

• Budget: Hostels and guesthouses near Beppu Station run ¥3,000–6,000 per person, many with their own small onsen.
• Mid-range: Kannawa is the district to choose if the hells and steam-cooking are your priority — you'll wake up to vapor drifting past your window. Expect ¥10,000–20,000 for a room with onsen access.
• Splurge: A handful of ryokan offer rooms with private open-air baths fed directly from the springs, often with kaiseki dinners, in the ¥30,000+ range.

For a base near the hells and the sand baths, browse and find ryokan and onsen hotels in Beppu and filter for Kannawa or rooms with private onsen.

If Beppu's energy turns out to be a little much — and for some travelers it is — you might pair it with somewhere gentler. Up in Tohoku, Ginzan Onsen is the polar opposite: gas-lit wooden inns along a quiet river, snow falling, almost no theatrics at all. It's a useful contrast to keep in mind when you're planning a longer onsen itinerary.

Where to go next from Beppu

If you're continuing a Kyushu loop, the most rewarding inland detour is Takachiho Gorge — a narrow, emerald canyon in northern Miyazaki where you can row a boat beneath a 17-meter waterfall and stand at the cave that Japanese mythology calls the birthplace of the sun goddess. It's about 2.5 hours by car from Beppu (there's no train), and it makes a striking change of pace from the steam and spectacle here. Farther south, the ancient cedar forests of Yakushima off Kagoshima reward travelers willing to add a flight or ferry to a longer Kyushu itinerary.

Practical Tips

• Half-day vs. full-day: The hells alone are a comfortable half-day. Add a sand bath or jigoku-mushi lunch and you've filled a full, satisfying day. Two days lets you add Yufuin or a proper evening soak.
• What to wear: Comfortable walking shoes — the Kannawa hells involve gentle slopes and stairs. Bring a small towel for the foot baths.
• Cooler months are more photogenic: From October through March, the cold air makes the steam thicker and more dramatic. Summer is hot and humid; weekday mornings are least crowded year-round.
• Cash: Most hells and small baths take cards now, but carry some cash for buses, small eateries, and vending machines.
• Don't trust your photo plans over the geyser clock: as I learned, Tatsumaki erupts on its own schedule, not yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hells are there in Beppu?

Seven, as of 2026. The Jigoku Meguri once included eight, but Yama Jigoku (Mountain Hell), a small zoo-style attraction, was removed from the official combo pass. The current seven are Umi, Oniishibozu, Kamado, Oniyama, Shiraike, Chinoike, and Tatsumaki.

Can you bathe in the Beppu hells?

No. The hells are viewing attractions — the water reaches around 98°C, far too hot to enter. You can soak your feet in the free foot baths at several of them. For full bathing, Beppu has dozens of separate public baths and ryokan onsen.

Is Beppu worth visiting as a day trip from Fukuoka?

Yes. The limited express from Hakata takes about two hours and is covered by the JR Pass. You can comfortably tour all seven hells and grab a steam-cooked lunch within a day, though staying overnight to use the baths is better if you have the time.

Beppu or Yufuin — which is better?

Beppu is the bigger, livelier choice with the hells, sand baths, and more to see; Yufuin is the quieter, more upscale mountain retreat aimed at couples. If you can, visit both — they're about an hour apart. If you must choose, pick Beppu for sightseeing and variety, Yufuin for a romantic, scenic soak.

How much does the Jigoku Meguri cost?

The combo ticket for all seven hells is ¥2,400 for adults (¥1,200 children), valid for two days. Individual hells are ¥500 each, so the combo is the better deal if you plan to see five or more.

When is the best time to visit Beppu?

Year-round, but the steam is most dramatic in the cooler months (October to March). Cherry blossom season in late March and April adds color, and summer is warm but humid; weekday mornings are least crowded year-round.

My Honest Take

Beppu won't give you the hushed, snow-and-cedar serenity people often imagine when they hear "Japanese hot spring." It's louder, weirder, and far more theatrical than that — a working city venting steam from every crack, with seven boiling pools that look like someone spilled paint across the landscape. I left with grit from the sand bath still in my hair and the smell of sulfur on my jacket, and I'd go back tomorrow.

If you're building a Kyushu trip, plan a full day for the hells and a sand bath, sleep one night in Kannawa so you can see the steam at dawn, and consider tacking on a quiet night in Yufuin for balance. To make the logistics painless, book a guided Hell Tour in Beppu or find ryokan and onsen hotels in Beppu before you go.

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