Beppu別府

The largest hot water "gusher" in Japan. Various strange sites can be viewed on a tour of "Hell."

Beppu is located in the central part of Oita, on the coast of Beppu Bay faces the sea, with Mt. Tsurumi and the rest of the Tsurumi Volcanoes in the rear. Hot water gushes at many spots in the city. Beppu ranks first in gush volume in Japan and is in a high place in the world in the number of sources and the variety of chemical properties. The Beppu-onsen Spa consists of eight hot spring areas including Hamawaki, Beppu, Kankaiji, Myoban and Kannawa, which are collectively called "Beppu Hatto". In addition, there are many modern spa resorts also supplied from the rich sources in those areas.

The Tour of Hell along a path in the Kannawa area is the highlight of sightseeing in the Beppu Spa. Eight spots including the Umi-jigoku (sea hell) made up of bright cobalt blue hot water, the Chi-no-ike-jigoku (blood pond hell) where hot water containing red melted clay gushes out and the Tatsumaki-jigoku (tornado hell), a geyser, are usually on the itinerary of the tour.

On the outskirts of Beppu are comfortable resort areas with many leisure activity facilities such as the Takasaki Shizen-dobutsu-en(Mt. Takasaki Monkey Land Natural Park) featuring a specifies of monkey native of Japan designated as a Natural Monument and Lake Shidaka-ko amid Mt. Tsurumi-dake, Mt. Yufu-dake and other mountains.