Things to Do in Beppu

A spacious public park with a large pond, cherry trees, and a free footbath fed by natural hot spring water. A calm spot for picnics or a rest between sightseeing.

🕐 Always open

💡 Bring your own towel for the footbath — none provided. Best in late March for cherry blossoms, though peaceful year-round.

A large, well-tended public park with a pond, walking paths, and plenty of cherry trees for spring blossom. Good for a quiet stroll or picnic.

🕐 Open 24 hours

💡 Head to the rose garden at the south end — it's less busy and has benches to sit and read.

A small museum inside a bamboo workshop showing traditional Bamboo craftsmanship from Oita region. Displays include baskets, furniture, and tools. Free to enter.

🕐 09:00-17:00 Tue-Sun

💡 You can watch artisans at work on weekdays. Hands-on classes cost about ¥1,000 but need booking a day ahead.

A small museum and workshop showing local bamboo weaving traditions. You can watch artisans at work and try a simple basket-making class for a low fee.

🕐 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, closed Mondays

💡 The free exhibition area upstairs has the best pieces — skip the shop if you're on a budget.

A communal kitchen where you cook your own food using natural geothermal steam from Beppu’s hot springs. Bring raw ingredients (like eggs, vegetables, or seafood) and pay a small fee to use the steam vents.

🕐 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily

💡 Buy a bag of sweet potatoes and eggs at the nearby grocery store before going — costs less than ¥500 total for a full meal.

The base station of the ropeway to Mount Tsurumi is free to wander around, with views of the surrounding mountains and a small plaza. The ropeway ride itself costs money, but the base area has free lookout points.

🕐 Base area open 24 hours

💡 Best free viewpoint is at the back of the car park, looking east over Beppu Bay at sunset.

A 100-metre tower offering wide views of Beppu Bay and the city's steaming hot springs below. The entrance fee is minimal compared to many other tower experiences.

🕐 09:00-22:00

💡 Visit just before sunset to see the town lit up and the steam rising. The small café at the base sells decent coffee for ¥200.

Historic wooden public bathhouse dating back to 1879. While entry to the main baths costs money, the free foot bath (ashiyu) outside lets you soak your feet in the mineral-rich hot spring water for as long as you like.

🕐 Foot bath: 24 hours

💡 Go early morning (before 8 AM) to avoid crowds and get the cleanest water in the foot bath.

A set of seven unique hot spring ponds, each with a different colour and character. Umi Jigoku is a vivid cobalt blue, while Chinoike Jigoku is blood-red. Each site is a separate attraction with a small fee.

🕐 08:00-17:00 daily

💡 Buy a combo ticket for all seven at Umi Jigoku if you plan to visit more than three. Saves roughly 20%. Go early to avoid crowds.

A traditional wooden onsen built in the 1930s, with a striking Meiji-era facade. Entry costs only a few hundred yen for a hot spring bath.

🕐 06:30-22:30 (closed 2nd Monday of month)

💡 This is a working public bath, not a luxury spa. Expect basic facilities and strong sulphur smell. Sand baths here are separate and cost extra.