Ōita Prefecture, located in northeastern Kyushu, is one of Japan’s most famous hot spring destinations. With more than 4,400 hot spring sources and an output of 270,000 liters per minute, Ōita ranks first in the nation in both scale and volume, earning the title “Japan’s Number One Hot Spring Prefecture.” The two most iconic resorts are Beppu Onsen and Yufuin Onsen. Beppu features eight distinct hot spring areas, offering not only traditional baths but also sand baths, steam baths, and mud baths. Its famous “Jigoku Meguri” (“Hell Tour”) showcases colorful geothermal wonders. Yufuin, on the other hand, is celebrated for its pastoral scenery, the charming shops along Yunotsubo Street, and its artistic atmosphere, with hot spring inns offering views of Mount Yufu.
Beyond hot springs, Ōita’s natural landscapes are equally captivating. The Kuju Mountain Range in the west is a popular hiking area, and the “Kuju Yume Suspension Bridge” is Japan’s longest and highest pedestrian suspension bridge, overlooking dramatic gorges and waterfalls. Along the Nippō Coast, a ria coastline creates stunning scenery, which has been designated as part of Nippō Coast Quasi-National Park. In the Saiki area, visitors can enjoy activities such as diving and kayaking, while savoring fresh local seafood.
Culturally and historically, the Kunisaki Peninsula has long been a center of mountain ascetic practices and syncretic Shinto-Buddhist worship, home to ancient temples and stone Buddha carvings, collectively known as the “Rokugō Manzan Culture.” Usuki City is renowned for its Usuki Stone Buddhas, stone-carved figures from the Heian to Kamakura periods that are designated as National Treasures, admired for their solemn beauty. Castles such as Nakatsu Castle and the ruins of Oka Castle also bear witness to Japan’s feudal history, with Oka Castle listed among Japan’s Top 100 Castles.
Other highlights include the wild monkey population at Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden in Beppu, Usa Jingu Shrine, the head shrine of all Hachiman shrines in Japan, and the idyllic rural scenery of Taketa City.
Access to Ōita is relatively less direct, but the prefecture is conveniently reached from Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest transportation hub closest to Ōita, with frequent trains, buses, and flights available daily.
