Hello to everyone who has had an interest in Beppu!
It’s pretty natural, but don’t you decide your itinerary this way when you travel?
When you go to Paris, you immediately go to see the Eiffel Tower. When in Los Angeles, you immediately want to see Hollywood. One of the appeals of traveling is visiting the land of your longing.
However, if you ever visit a new place, I imagine you’d want to enjoy the local food and the places only locals know.
I’ll introduce ways to have fun outside of famous tourist attractions in Beppu!
What comes to mind when you hear the name “Beppu?”
When you mention Beppu, the Hells Tour comes to mind, doesn’t it?
The Hells Tour is a popular tourist attraction with seven hot springs to enjoy, each with their own unique features.
However! This time, I want to write about the appeal of new hot springs which aren’t as widely known.
The appeal of these new hot springs is that it offers a more local experience and is a culture rooted in daily life.
If you’re tired of the usual sightseeing or want to know about the local culture, please read!
Since the Edo period, Beppu has had this hot spring culture called “toji,” meaning “hot spring cure” or “hot spring therapy.”
Even now, hot springs are the center of the people’s lives in Beppu.
Hot springs are used in their entirety, from eating healthy meals made using the hot springs or using the onsen steam to detox.
Be sure to try taking a walk in the Kannawa area where such toji exists.
I believe you’ll be moved by its townscape, through which you can feel the difference in charm and history from the Hells area.
To add to that, hot water is just overflowing from the entire town in the Kannawa area. The sight of onsen steam rising is quite the spectacle in Beppu.
You can see the onsen steam even better on cloudy days! The fact that the steam, which holds a lot of moisture, rises much easier on days that are cloudy rather than sunny is pretty unique… But that’s to be expected of a hot spring town!
What are some of the places where you can actually experience toji?
Since you came to Beppu, you can not only see the hot springs, take a bath, eat hot spring dishes, and live with hot springs, but you can also enjoy the local experiences that people of this town take for granted.
One of the most famous hot spring eating experiences is “jigokumushi.”
Jigokumushi is a non-oil, healthy cooking method which utilizes the steam from hot springs to steam cook ingredients!
Check out this article to read about a more detailed account!
In addition, there is a unique hot spring that is different from the ordinary ones called “mushiyu,” which is a feature in the Kannawa area where the “toji” culture resides.
As the name suggests, mushiyu is a way to enjoy hot spring by being steamed by the onsen’s vapors. Readers who can’t imagine being steamed, if you picture a sauna, it’s a similar experience.
However! What sets it apart from typical saunas is an herb called “sekisho” (Japanese sweet flag). This herb, that can only be harvested in Oita, adds a smell to the hot spring which offers up a more relaxed feeling. For detailed locations and information.
Introduction to Toji-yado
Again, the inn which was used for hot spring therapy at the time presently exists.
Now, I will introduce some hot spring inns that provide English support!
・Yanagiya
https://beppu-yanagiya.jp/
・Hiromiya
https://www.tojistay.com/?lang=ja
Well, how about it?
Somehow there is a variety of history hidden within the town of Beppu through which you’ve been walking. Knowing this now, when you walk around the town, you’ll be able to make even greater memories!
How to get to Beppu Onsen.
Recommended hot springs and other attractions can be found by clicking the buttons below, so please have a look!
