Beppu Tower has looked out over Beppu Bay since 1957, and its 16th and 17th floors offer 360-degree views of the city below — the sea, the mountains, and the steam rising off the onsen district. It was designed by Tachū Naitō, the engineer who later designed Tokyo Tower. The floors below the observation deck house an art museum, a sauna terrace, a capsule hotel, and a karaoke bar. Open daily, 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
The Observation Deck: A 360-Degree Panorama of Beppu Bay
The observation deck spans two floors, 16 and 17, at 55 meters above ground — high enough to see Beppu Bay on one side and the mountains, with steam rising from Kannawa, on the other. On a clear day, the view stretches across the water toward Shikoku. Many recommend going up about an hour before sunset: reviewers note that once it’s fully dark, glare on the observation windows makes photos harder to get right, so arriving 30 to 45 minutes before dusk gives you both the daylight panorama and the transition into the night skyline.
At night, the tower itself becomes the view from below. Since its 2023 renovation, its exterior LED lighting changes color gradually rather than switching between fixed colors — the first of its kind on a Japanese tower — and the palette shifts for seasons and local events.
The 17th floor has a reception desk, a small observation café called Minato, a screen installation called the Sky Screen, and a compact shrine, Beppu Tower Shrine, tucked into the deck. The 16th floor is the main viewing level, with two features added in the 2023 renovation: Galaxy Walk, a themed walkway section, and the Shining Step Board, an illuminated floor feature.
Designed by the Engineer Behind Tokyo Tower
Beppu Tower was completed on May 10, 1957. It was designed by Tachū Naitō, a Waseda University structural engineer known in Japan as the “Tower Doctor” for his work on earthquake-resistant tower design. Naitō went on to design five more towers across Japan, including Tokyo Tower (1958) and the second Tsutenkaku in Osaka (1956) — the six are sometimes grouped together as “sibling” towers, all built on the same structural principles in the postwar period.
The tower reached its current 100-meter height after the 2023 renovation. Japan’s government designated Beppu Tower a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2007.
Beyond the View: What Else Is in Beppu Tower
Beppu Tower is a seven-floor building, and the observation deck at the top is only part of it. Most visitors come for the view and leave — reviewers describe a 30-to-60-minute visit as typical — but the floors below hold a mix of facilities worth checking out if you’re staying in Beppu overnight.
- 5F — Space Deck: a rooftop sauna and BBQ terrace with a barrel sauna, jacuzzi, and cold-plunge pool, plus the open-air Kitahama Deck
- 4F — Queen’s Echo: a karaoke bar with private rooms, including one with a tatami floor and its own small garden
- 3F — Capsule Hostel Beppu Tower: a space-themed capsule hotel
- 2F — Beppu Art Museum: over 400 artworks, including celebrity paintings and a piece attributed to John Lennon
- 1F — Creole Cafe: a restaurant serving tori-ten fried chicken alongside taco rice and dessert sets
The 5th-floor Kitahama Deck is often mentioned on its own in reviews as a nighttime spot, with turf flooring and lit-up furniture that draws couples after dark. These floors each have their own hours and admission fees, separate from the main observation deck ticket.
Hours & Tickets
The observation deck is open every day, 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, with last admission at 9:00 PM.
Admission is ¥800 for adults, ¥600 for junior high and high school students, ¥400 for ages 4 through elementary school, and free for children 3 and under.
Groups of 20 or more get a ¥100 discount per ticket (advance phone booking required), and visitors with a disability certificate get ¥200 off the individual price.
The 5th-floor Kitahama Deck has its own flat ¥200 admission, separate from the observation deck ticket.
The 2nd-floor Beppu Art Museum keeps different hours — 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with last entry at 4:30 PM.
Check the official website for the latest information: https://bepputower.co.jp/en/
Access from Beppu Station
Beppu Tower sits in the Kitahama area near the bay, about a 10-minute walk from Beppu Station’s east exit. Kamenoi Bus and Oita Kotsu both stop at “Beppu Tower-mae,” about a 1-minute walk from the entrance. By car, it’s about 15 minutes from Beppu IC, and observation deck and art museum visitors get 1 hour of free parking.
Address: 3-10-2 Kitahama, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Best Time to Visit
Go up about an hour before sunset if you want one visit to cover both the daytime panorama and the night skyline. Beppu’s Hi no Umi fireworks festival, held over Beppu Bay in late July, is another reason locals go up — from 55 meters, the fireworks appear closer than they do from the waterfront. At other times, the deck works as a quick stop any time of year, with most visits running 30 to 60 minutes.
FAQ
How tall is Beppu Tower? — 100 meters. A 2023 renovation restored it to its original 1957 height. The observation deck itself sits 55 meters above ground, spanning the 16th and 17th floors.
Who designed it? — Tachū Naitō, a Waseda University structural engineer known in Japan as the “Tower Doctor.” He went on to design five more towers across Japan, including Tokyo Tower.
What are the hours and admission? — Open daily 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, with last admission at 9:00 PM. Adult tickets are ¥800. Check the official website for current rates.
How do I get there from Beppu Station? — About a 10-minute walk from Beppu Station’s east exit, toward the bay. Buses also stop at “Beppu Tower-mae.”
What else is inside besides the observation deck? — An art museum (2F), capsule hotel (3F), karaoke bar (4F), and rooftop sauna and BBQ terrace (5F), plus a restaurant on the 1st floor. Each has its own admission and hours, separate from the observation deck.
What’s the best time to visit? — The hour before sunset is best. Most visits last 30 to 60 minutes.
