Visiting Beppu, Japan: Top Sights on Foot

Beppu is a hot-spring city on the eastern coast of Kyushu, in Oita, Japan. Its geothermal landscape appears in bubbling mud, steaming water, geysers and bathing traditions woven into everyday life. Neywo has a free audio guide for Beppu with 11 narrated places, available in 11 languages.

What to see in Beppu

The city’s sights bring together geothermal activity, historic buildings, museums, religious sites and viewpoints. These are some of the places to include when exploring Beppu.

Oniishibozu Hell

Oniishibozu Hell is one of Beppu’s famous hot-spring hells. Gray mud bubbles and pops across the surface, creating shapes compared with the shaved heads of Buddhist monks. It is one of the memorable stops on the Hell Tour of Beppu.

Catholic Beppu Church

In Beppu’s Suehiro-cho district, Catholic Beppu Church serves as the sanctuary of the Catholic Diocese of Oita. The church was built by the Salesian Society, which continues to operate the parish.

Oita Fragrance Museum

The Oita Fragrance Museum is devoted to scent, from natural aromas to the art of perfumery. It opened in 2007, taking over the collections and mission of the earlier Oita Fragrance Forest Museum, which had exhibited elsewhere in the prefecture until 2004.

Tatsumaki Hell

Tatsumaki Hell, or Tornado Hell, is a natural geyser. It erupts roughly every thirty to forty minutes, sending a column of steaming water into the air. Its regular bursts make it one of Beppu’s most dramatic geothermal sights.

Beppu Tower

Beppu Tower is a hundred-metre lattice tower that has stood above the city since the mid-1950s. It was originally built to attract visitors to the growing hot-spring resort.

The white-and-red steel structure tapers as it rises, with the colours chosen to meet aviation regulations. An observation deck at 55 metres provides panoramic views across Beppu’s steaming streets, the surrounding mountains and Beppu Bay.

For decades, the tower was known as the Kanko Center TV Tower, reflecting its role as both a tourism landmark and a television transmitter. In 2007, it was designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.

Crocodile Hell

Crocodile Hell is home to Japan’s first crocodile breeding facility. The facility is heated entirely by geothermal energy from Beppu’s springs, showing another way the city’s hot-spring resources have been used.

Fujiya Ryokan

The former Fujiya Ryokan preserves part of the old atmosphere of Beppu’s Kannawa hot-spring district. Its main building, stone walls, stone steps and front gate are registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties.

The traditional inn closed in 1996. Since 2005, the buildings have housed Fujiya Gallery Hanayamomo, placing art in the spaces where travellers once stayed. The stonework and heavy timber of the structure remain important parts of the site.

Beppu B-con Plaza

Beppu B-con Plaza is a major gathering complex in the city. Its facilities include Beppu City Civic Hall and the Oita Prefectural Beppu Convention Center, which operate under the same identity while being managed by the city and prefecture respectively.

The landmark is also known as Global Tower, a name connected with its role in events, conferences and community life.

Hachiman Kamado Shrine

Hachiman Kamado Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Beppu, in Oita Prefecture. It offers a change of atmosphere from the city’s geothermal landmarks and museums.

Beppu Art Museum

Beppu has two places referred to as the Beppu Art Museum. One is a private museum on the second floor of Beppu Tower, along Route 10. It is a compact space suited to a short visit alongside the tower.

The other is a public art museum in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. Both provide opportunities to add art to an itinerary focused on hot springs and viewpoints.

Explore Beppu with a self-guided walking tour

Neywo’s Beppu’s Steaming Hells of Kannawa is a 5.2-kilometre walking tour lasting about 102 minutes, with five narrated stops: Oita Fragrance Museum, Oniishibozu Hell, Crocodile Hell, Fujiya Ryokan and Tatsumaki Hell.

The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule, so you can explore independently while the narration connects Beppu’s geothermal sights and historic places. Download Neywo to follow this free Beppu audio guide and discover the city on foot.