Located in the city of Beppu in Oita Prefecture, Beppu Jigoku, or the “Beppu Hells,” is a group of seven stunning hot springs that offer visitors an unforgettable experience of Japan’s hot spring culture.
Each of the seven hot springs, or “Hells” in Beppu Jigoku has a unique appearance and features, making it a fascinating place to explore.
Umi Jigoku: This Hell is known for its vibrant blue color and features a large pond filled with hot water. Given the scenery, and grounds of Umi Jigoku, this “Hell” is one of the more visually stunning of the Hells.
Found also with the Umi Jigoku grounds, is Akaike, a smaller, lesser known Jigoku (sometimes refered to as the eigth hell), with vibrant red water.
Oniishibozu Jigoku: This Hell gets its name from the small bubbles that rise to the surface, which resemble the shaven heads of Buddhist monks.
Kamado Jigoku: The Kamado Jigoku is known as the “Cooking pot hell”, which features several boiling ponds. Snacks are cooked and steamed at this Hell should you wish to try. Guests to this hell can also drink the hot spring water, and relax in foot baths.
Shiraike Jigoku: Shiraike Jigoku takes the whitest appearance of the hells, featuring a pond with hot, and a pale blue water.
Oniyama Jigoku: The Oniyama Jigoku is known for the crocodiles and aligators which are bred and kept in these warm waters from the jigoku.
Tatsumaki Jigoku: Tatsumaki Jigoku is a boiling geyser which erupts roughly every 30-45 minutes, for between 5-10 minutes a time. While waiting for the next eruption, there is a pleasant waiting area with frozen treats to snack on.
Chinoike Jigoku: The Chinoike Jigoku is known for its bright red color, which is caused by the high iron content in the water. This high iron content creates one of the most visually unique “Hells” in Beppu, in where somedays the water could be described as “bloody”.
In general, the Beppu Hells are a spectacular geothermal attraction. Due to how the Hells are spread out, if you plan on seeing all seven, plus Akaike, we recommend the following viewing order; First, head to Umi Jigoku (plus Akaike), then head over to Oniishibozu Jigoku. followed by Kamado Jigoku, then see the Aligators at Oniyama Jigoku, the glistening white water of Shiraike Jigoku, then hop on a bus over to Chinoike Jigoku, and finish off with a cold treat while waiting forTatsumaki Jigoku to erupt.
Hours and Admission
- Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm
- 400JPY Each "Hell", 2000JPY for all 7 "Hells"
- Average Time Spent: Several Hours between all "Hells"
- Official Website
At the Kamado Jigoku, you can pre-purchase your tickets online, and for a small additional fee, you can purchase Onsen Eggs, which are eggs that have been cooked at Kamado Jigoku.
Accessing the Beppu Hells
The Beppu Hells are located for the most part, close to each other. The exception to this is the Chinoike Jigoku, and the Tatsumaki Jigoku, which are located about 3.5km away from the other five “Hells”.
As the Hells are one of the top destinations in the City, there are numerous bus lines which pass by the Hells at most times through the day. Bus line 5 is one of the most direct lines, and will take you directly to Umijigoku mae bus stop, directly outside the “Hells”. This will cost 330JPY one way.
To the Chinoike Jigoku from Beppu Station, the 26A is easiest route to take.
To get from the five “Hells” to Chinoike Jigoku and Tatsumaki Jigoku, take the 16A bus from Kannawa Bus stop, a short walk from Shiraike Jigoku. The 16A can also be used in the opposite direction to get from Chikoike Jigoku and Tatsumaki Jigoku, to the other five “Hells”
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