6 sightseeing spots in Beppu where you can have fun even in the rain
You can see a different view from usual, and that is Beppu in rainy weather. Sometimes the steam and cloudy sky merge into one, and the whole place looks like it is enveloped in steam. Beppu is surrounded by such a mysterious atmosphere, and there are some sightseeing spots where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Here are six spots where you can have fun even on a rainy day, regardless of the weather.
1Beppu City Bamboo Crafts Traditional Industry Hall
Appreciate the thousand different expressions and delicate techniques of bamboo
This Property exhibits a variety of bamboo crafts, from daily necessities to handicrafts, and was created in 1979 when Beppu bamboo crafts were designated as a national traditional handicraft. Visitors can learn in detail about the history and processes of bamboo crafts, including the types of bamboo, how to take higo (thin sticks made by splitting bamboo into small pieces), and the types and techniques of bamboo weaving.
After the learning zone, visitors will pass through an exhibit of daily necessities and move on to a section where they can see the works of master craftsmen. The approximately 180 pieces on display are unique, and visitors can admire the delicate skills of the craftspeople up close.
Experience the fascination of bamboo crafts by actually making them
The world of bamboo crafts is a profound one, with a condensation of the tedious work and techniques involved in weaving the strands from the bamboo. Visitors can experience firsthand some of the fascination of bamboo crafts. In the "bamboo bell" making experience, visitors can make their own original bell by threading a colored string through a ping-pong ball-sized bamboo bell. This is suitable for junior high school students and up. The Shikainami Hanakago (flower basket) is slightly more difficult and requires junior high school students or older to complete a basket large enough to hold in both hands in about an hour. The work created by the participants themselves will be a unique souvenir.
- Beppu City Bamboo Craft Traditional Industry Hall
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8-3 Higashishoen, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
Approx. 10 minutes from JR Beppu Station by car
Take a bus from JR Beppu Station, get off at Hikari no En-mae bus stop, and walk about 6 minutes.
8:30-17:00 (SHOP & CAFE open until 16:30)
Mondays (closed the next day if Monday is a national vacation), year-end and New Year holidays (Dec. 29-Jan. 3)
High school students and older: 390 yen, elementary/junior high school students: 130 yen
0977-23-1072
Free of charge
Experience requires advance reservation.
2Oita Marine Palace Aquarium "Umitamago
Be captivated by the underwater world of sea creatures
An aquarium where visitors can get up close and personal with many animals. The "Great Migration Tank," which reproduces the tidal currents of the Bungo Suido (Bungo Channel), features more than 1,500 marine creatures of about 90 species. Sea turtles, stingrays, and sharks swim gracefully in the tank, and you will want to watch them for hours. Visitors can observe the lives of these creatures from different angles, peering through round windows or observing the shadows of rocks on the sea floor.
We also recommend the art corner, where you will be enchanted by underwater illusions such as jellyfish drifting in the changing seven-color light and the fluttering tail fins of the beaked fish.
Laugh-out-loud performance by a walrus weighing over 800 kg
The two shows, which are held even in the rain, are a must-see. In the "Umitama Performance," the trainer and the walruses engage in a lively dialogue that will have the audience laughing, and you can even touch the huge body of the walruses. The "Dolphin Performance" featuring spinner dolphins and bottlenose dolphins is also very powerful.
There is also a "Coral Tank" where you can see tropical fish swimming among live coral, and a tank for seals, sea lions, fur seals, and other cute sea animals with dull eyes. The aquarium also has a variety of Properties, including a store and a restaurant, so visitors will never get bored of the aquarium.
- Oita Marine Palace Aquarium "Umitamago
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- 3078-22 Uto, Kanzaki, Oita City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 10 minutes from JR Beppu Station by car
- Take a bus from JR Beppu Stn. and get off at "Takasaki Shizen Zoo".
- 9:00-17:00 *Extended hours during Obon and GW
- Maintenance vacations are available for 2 to 3 days a year *Please check the website for details.
- Adults (high school students and older): 2,600 yen, children (elementary and junior high school students): 1,300 yen, infants (4 years old and older): 850 yen
- 097-534-1010
- Charged
3Oita Museum of Aroma
Experience "perfuming" where you can make your own original perfume.
The museum offers a variety of exhibits and experiences based on the theme of scents from the East and West. More than 60% of visitors experience making their own original perfume. Visitors choose a fragrance for each of the top, middle, and end notes, and blend them together in the desired quantities. Using a dropper and a beaker, the process of making perfume is like experimenting with the fragrance each time.
The finished perfumes can be re-ordered without visiting the museum by registering the recipe. The perfumes are popular as gifts for partners or souvenirs to take back home.
History and art through fragrance
The first floor of the museum is a fragrance product gallery. Artistic perfume bottles and posters from Japan and abroad are on display. The elaborate forms are truly works of art, and should be viewed carefully. The large distillation apparatus used to extract fragrances and the perfume preparation table with its many bottles used by perfumers are also very impressive.
The second floor is the Fragrance History Gallery. Many of the exhibits, such as a replica of a mummy formerly in the British Museum and perfume oil bottles from the 3rd to 5th centuries B.C., are valuable worldwide and show the deep connection between the powerful men of the time and fragrances.
- Oita Fragrance Museum
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- 48-1 Kita Ishigaki, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- 12 minutes from JR Beppu Station by car
- Take a bus from the West Exit of JR Beppu Station and get off at "Oishi/Oita Museum of Aroma".
- 10:00-18:00
- Museum/Cafe: Dec. 31, Jan. 1 - Jan. 3 (Cafe only: closed on Sundays, 1st and 3rd Mondays) *Museum may be closed for certain reasons.
- Adults 500 yen, college and high school students 300 yen, junior high and elementary school students 200 yen
- 0977-27-7272
- Free of charge
- Perfume making, scent bag making, and aroma experiences require advance reservations.
4Beppu Station Market
A warm place friendly to both locals and tourists
About a 2-minute walk from Beppu Station, this is a place where the atmosphere of the Showa period (1926-1989) remains strong. It is a shopping street that continues to be loved as the kitchen of the citizens. There are old-fashioned stores with rich individuality, such as a dried fish store where you can get the perfect delicacy to snack on, a clothing store where you can find bargains, a flower arrangement store with a famous old man in a pachimaki, and a friendly pharmacy that will take good care of you.
On the other hand, you can also enjoy artwork painted on the shutters of vacant stores and illustrations hanging from the ceilings in the arcade. Just a leisurely stroll through the area is sure to bring you into contact with interesting things and people.
Gastronomical delicacies at reasonable prices
The shopping district is full of tantalizing and delicious-looking food, and it is easy to get lost in the crowd. Fresh fish stores offering a wide selection of reasonably priced, fresh seafood are now selling sashimi and sushi. The deli's thick rolls with old-fashioned, nostalgic side dishes are so popular that people line up to get their hands on them. There is also a bakery that carefully makes bread with natural yeast and an eel store whose savory aroma stimulates the appetite.
If you want to eat your purchases right away, please visit the rest area with vending machines. It is the perfect place to spend time when you are a little hungry or in the morning.
- Beppu Station Market
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- 6-22 Chuo-machi, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- 2 minutes walk from JR Beppu Station
- Depends on the store
- Depends on the store
- 0977-22-1686
- Free (9:00-18:00, 40 min. free)
5Beppu Tower
The city, the steam, the sea, and the mountains. A great view of the city and the hot spring, the sea and the mountains.
This sightseeing tower was completed in 1957. In January 2023, the tower underwent a major renovation and was restored to its original height of 100 meters.
The observatory offers a 360° panoramic view of Beppu. The panorama of Beppu Bay, the Kunitachi Peninsula, the factories of Oita City, and even Shikoku can be seen. On the land side, there is a view of the fan-shaped area centering on Tsurumidake and Ougiyama. The view of the city is spectacular even on rainy or cloudy days, and after the rain, the air is often so clear that one can see far into the distance.
Appreciate celebrity art on rainy days
The tower is lit up seasonally and for different events, making it a popular nighttime sightseeing spot. The "Kitahama Deck" on the 5th floor, which is weather permitting, is covered with artificial grass and has glowing chairs and a sound-emitting floor. The intermediate observation deck up the stairs offers a thrilling view of the road below through the steel framing of the floor.
On rainy days, you can also visit the Beppu Art Museum, located on the second floor, where you can view the works of celebrities. A 1/53 scale miniature of Beppu Tower used in a monster movie is also on display.
- Beppu Tower
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- 3-10-2 Kitahama, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- 3 minutes drive from JR Beppu Station
- Take a bus from JR Beppu Station and get off at "Beppu Tower-mae" bus stop.
- 9:30 - 21:30 (last admission at 21:00)
- Open daily *Temporary closure may occur. Please check the website.
- A: 17th and 16th floor Sea, Mountain, and Hot Spring City Observation Deck: Adults 800 yen, Junior high and high school students 600 yen, 4 years old to elementary school students 400 yen
B: 2nd floor Beppu Art Museum: 700 yen for adults, 500 yen for junior high and high school students, 300 yen for elementary school students from 4 years old
A+B set: Adults 1,000 yen, junior high/senior high school students 800 yen, 4 years old - elementary school students 600 yen
5th floor Kitahama Deck: 200 yen *Free for children under 3 years old - 0977-26-1555
- Free for 2 hours (except when using the Kitahama Deck only)
- Last admission 16:30, Beppu Art Museum
6Jigoku Hot Spring Museum
Experience the transformation of raindrops into hot springs.
Raindrops that fell 50 years ago seeped into the ground and formed hot springs, which are now gushing out. The museum is located next to five hells: Umi Jigoku, Oniyama Jigoku, Shiraike Jigoku, Onishiboju Jigoku, and Kamado Jigoku. After gaining knowledge here, visitors can enjoy hot springs and hells even more deeply by touring around.
Steam is rising vigorously in the courtyard of the museum, and you can get very close to the steam. There are many ways to feel the power of hell and hot springs up close and personal.
Enjoy and learn about the themes and tricks that change from scene to scene
The museum is divided into four different SCENES. After passing through SCENE 2, in which visitors collect stamps while walking through a fantastically shimmering maze, visitors enter SCENE 3, a theater where they can experience the hot springs that have gushed out of the ground. In the last section, SCENE 4, there are special exhibits based on themes such as culture and art.
The space is full of fun surprises and beautiful light, with playful and gimmicky elements everywhere. Visitors can deepen their knowledge and understanding of hot springs and hell.
- Jigoku Hot Spring Museum
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- 321-1 Kannawa, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 15 min. from JR Beppu Station by car
- Take a bus from the West Exit of JR Beppu Station, get off at "Kannawa" and walk 2 minutes.
- 9:00-18:00 (last admission 17:30)
- Open irregularly (about 4 days a year)
- Adults 1,500 yen, Elementary/junior high school students 1,000 yen
- 0977-84-7858
- Please use the nearby Hell Tour Parking (Oniyama Jigoku, Kamado Jigoku, Umi Jigoku).
