Stay in Beppu or overnight in Yufuin?
Choose Beppu for hell sightseeing and mountain views, or Yufuin for hot spring town walks and an overnight stay. Usuki and Usa lie in different directions; separate their dates and check return station–facility transport.
Choose hells, mountain views or hot spring town walks
Beppu Jigoku Meguri is sightseeing of hot spring scenery; the ropeway offers Mount Tsurumi views. In Yufuin, walk through town to Lake Kinrin. For stone buddhas or shrine history, compare routes with separate Usuki and Usa days.
Itineraries by duration
Compare consecutive Beppu stays with buses to hells and ropeway against a move to Yufuin for an evening and morning in the hot spring town. The two routes for each duration differ in bases and visiting areas. They use Oita Airport; plan bathing and accommodation separately from sightseeing costs.
2 days, 1 night
Choose two days for Beppu’s two hells areas, or one Yufuin night for Yunotsubo Street and Lake Kinrin walks. Beppu requires a daytime arrival on day 1. Adjust final-day sightseeing around the airport bus and flight procedures.
3 days, 2 nights
Compare two Beppu nights with separate hells and ropeway days against one Beppu night followed by one Yufuin night. The split route requires arrival in time for mountain views on day 1 and stays in Yufuin on day 2.
4 days, 3 nights
Choose a Beppu-based Yufuin day trip or two Beppu nights followed by one in Yufuin. The split route visits Usuki Stone Buddhas on day 2 using a sightseeing taxi booked by the previous day; JR and taxi costs are extra.
5 days, 4 nights
Choose hells and mountain views in Beppu followed by one Yufuin night, or four Beppu nights with separate Usuki and Usa trips. The two areas lie in different directions; calculate JR and local transport separately from subtotals.
Where should you stay?
Beppu Station and Kitahama
A base for planning airport buses, JR trains and meals. The checked airport Airliner does not stop at Beppu Station, so arrange separate travel from Kitahama to your accommodation.
Kannawa
Convenient for the five nearby hells. The other two are farther away and require a bus. Hell sightseeing and bathing at your accommodation are separate.
Yufuin Station to Yunotsubo Street
A base for walks through the hot spring town and around Lake Kinrin. Check the station–lake distance and your ryokan’s meals and pickup times before choosing the walking sequence.
Prefectural tourism bodyCity tourism mapOfficial Lake Kinrin guide
Near Oita Station
Consider this base for JR travel towards Usuki. For several days in Yufuin and Beppu, compare travel times with staying in each area.
More time for hells or the hot spring town?
Beppu Jigoku Meguri
Split Kannawa’s five and Chinoike/Tatsumaki over two days. Hells are facilities for hot spring scenery. Plan bathing separately at accommodation or bathing facilities.
Beppu Ropeway
The ropeway climbs Mount Tsurumi, rather than Takasakiyama. Take route 36 from Beppu Station west side to the ropeway stop. Summit views depend on weather; check operation and visibility before setting out.
Official Beppu tourism ropeway prices and hoursWeekday route 36
Yufuin and Lake Kinrin
Walk from the station to Lake Kinrin through the hot spring town. Choose a day trip from Beppu or a Yufuin overnight first. Morning mist depends on cold-weather temperature conditions.
Official Oita Yufuin and Beppu introductionOfficial Lake Kinrin guide
Distinguish Beppu Station’s east and west bus bays
The two hells farther from Kannawa
On day 1, take route 5 from west bay 3 for Kannawa’s five hells. On day 2, take route 26 from east bay 5 for Chinoike/Tatsumaki and return on route 16. Entrance walks and Tatsumaki eruption waits are extra to bus rides.
Access to the two hells areasAPU-bound route 5 timetableOfficial Mini day-pass prices and Beppu hells area
Ropeway and Yufuin direction
Both use route 36 from west bay 1, but check destinations and stop markings. Some buses skip the ropeway, so choose your mountain return first. On a Yufuin overnight move, go from its bus centre to booked accommodation without adding a Beppu return trip.
Usuki Stone Buddhas and Usa Jingu Shrine
For Usuki, book station departure, stone buddha visit and station return with the taxi company by the previous day, then choose return trains. For Usa, take a station-front bus to Usa Hachiman and follow the city map’s approach to the main sanctuary, returning along the same path. Do not combine both areas in one day.
Usuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxis and previous-day bookingOfficial Usa city Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach mapOperator weekday/weekend Usa Station–Usa Hachiman timetables
Check Oita transport and passes
Between airport and accommodation
Beppu routes board and leave airport buses at Kitahama. This differs from Beppu Station; connect using your accommodation’s address. Yufuin routes choose airport buses at the station-front bus centre. Check actual-date directions and departure times.
Buses for day 2’s two hells
The route 26 Chinoike/Tatsumaki visit with route 16 return includes a ¥1,100 Mini day pass. Day 1 route 5 return ¥780 uses separate ordinary fares. This does not use a day pass for two days; hell admission is separate.
Official Mini day-pass prices and Beppu hells areaCombined ticketAccess to the two hells areas
Northern Kyushu JR Pass and ordinary tickets
For Hakata connections to Beppu or Yufuin, compare actual covered JR sections and return dates. Airport and Kamenoi buses, ropeway and hell admission cost extra. Oita–Usuki is excluded from Northern Kyushu coverage. Eligibility requires a passport from a country other than Japan, residence outside Japan and tourism entry with Temporary Visitor status. Check the passport’s entry stamp or sticker and carry it when using the pass. For automated immigration gates, ask airport staff for the stamp or sticker.
Northern Kyushu JR Pass trains, transport exclusions and consecutive days
Day trip from Fukuoka or a local overnight?
Choose return trains first for Hakata–Beppu/Yufuin travel. For a day trip, focus on one area: hell sightseeing or Lake Kinrin walks. For hot spring town evenings and mornings, compare a local overnight. Check Northern Kyushu coverage and consecutive validity; city buses, bathing and accommodation are extra.
Northern Kyushu JR Pass trains, transport exclusions and consecutive days
What should you eat in Beppu and Yufuin?
Look for toriten or Beppu reimen near Beppu Station and Kitahama. On Kannawa hells days, check steam-cooking facility use and queues before setting meal times.
Toriten and dango-jiru
Toriten is battered fried chicken served with accompaniments such as ponzu, mustard and yuzu pepper. Dango-jiru cooks thinly stretched wheat dough with vegetables in miso broth. Look for them on lunch or dinner menus.
Beppu reimen
Beppu reimen combines wheat and buckwheat noodles, Japanese-style broth, cabbage kimchi and beef toppings. Check each shop’s noodles and ingredients. It fits meals near Kitahama or Beppu Station before returning to your accommodation.
Kannawa’s hot spring steam cooking
Ingredients are cooked in hot spring steam. Some Kannawa facilities let you steam your own food; check use, queues and whether outside ingredients are allowed. Hell admission excludes meals and steam-cooking experiences.
Separate admission and bus fares from extra costs
Bathing, accommodation, meals and flights are excluded from route subtotals below. Beppu hells are sightseeing, rather than bathing. Usuki and Usa routes also require separate essential JR and local transport costs.
| Duration | Beppu-focused Course A | Course B adding another area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night, 2 days | ¥7,480: combined hells ticket ¥2,400, day 1 route 5 return ¥780, Kitahama airport bus return ¥3,200; day 2 Mini day pass ¥1,100 for route 26 outward and route 16 return | ¥4,000: two ordinary airport–Yufuin one-way tickets at ¥2,000 each |
| 2 nights, 3 days | ¥10,280: combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 return ¥780, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus return ¥3,200; day 2 Mini day pass ¥1,100 for route 26 outward and route 16 return | ¥7,500: airport–Kitahama ¥1,600, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, Beppu–Yufuin ¥1,100, Yufuin–airport ¥2,000 |
| 3 nights, 4 days | ¥12,480: combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 return ¥780, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus return ¥3,200, Yufuin day-trip return ¥2,200; day 2 Mini day pass ¥1,100 for route 26 outward and route 16 return | ¥8,050, excluding Usuki JR and per-vehicle sightseeing taxi: airport–Kitahama ¥1,600, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, stone buddhas ¥550, Beppu–Yufuin ¥1,100, Yufuin–airport ¥2,000 |
| 4 nights, 5 days | ¥11,780: combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 return ¥780, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, Beppu–Yufuin ¥1,100, airport–Kitahama ¥1,600, Yufuin–airport ¥2,000; day 2 Mini day pass ¥1,100 for route 26 outward and route 16 return | ¥10,830, excluding Usuki/Usa JR and local transport: combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 return ¥780, stone buddhas ¥550, ropeway return ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway buses return ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus return ¥3,200; day 2 Mini day pass ¥1,100 for route 26 outward and route 16 return |
Airport faresCombined ticketCurrent complete fare tableOfficial Mini day-pass prices and Beppu hells areaOfficial Beppu tourism ropeway prices and hoursFacility prices and accessUsuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxis and previous-day booking
Choose consecutive stays or a hot spring town overnight
Beppu Station and Kitahama
Consider both points for consecutive Beppu stays with buses to the hells and ropeway. Hells and Yufuin buses use the station’s west side; airport buses use Kitahama. Choose boarding points based on your accommodation’s address.
Weekday route 36Airliner timetableAccess to the two hells areas
Near Kannawa
Consider Kannawa accommodation for more time at the hells and steam-cooked meals. Check your property’s bathing hours and return transport to the city or airport. Do not directly apply station-based basic route fares to another accommodation address.
Official Oita local food introductionAccess to the two hells areas
One night in Yufuin
Choose this for an evening and morning in the hot spring town. A Beppu-based Yufuin day trip differs from moving your accommodation there. Check ryokan meals, bathing and pickup before setting Lake Kinrin walking time.
Official Oita Yufuin and Beppu introductionOfficial Lake Kinrin guideWeekday route 36
Compare accommodation bases by trip length
| Duration | Beppu-focused | Adding another area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night, 2 days | Seven hells over two days | One Yufuin night and Lake Kinrin walks |
| 2 nights, 3 days | Separate hells and ropeway days | One Beppu night, then one Yufuin night |
| 3 nights, 4 days | Consecutive Beppu nights and Yufuin day trip | Course B: pre-booked Usuki sightseeing taxi, then one Yufuin night |
| 4 nights, 5 days | Course A: hells and ropeway, then one Yufuin night | Course B: consecutive Beppu nights, booked Usuki taxi and Usa worship |
Official Oita Yufuin and Beppu introductionAccess to the two hells areasOfficial stone buddha bus/taxi access and pricesOperator weekday/weekend Usa Station–Usa Hachiman timetablesUsuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxis and previous-day bookingOfficial Usa city Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach map
If suspensions or transport checks change your plans
When the ropeway is suspended
Check same-day operation before going to the stop. If suspended, spend the day on meals and rest in Beppu, adding mountain sightseeing on another operating day. For bathing too, check facility hours and prices separately.
Official Beppu tourism ropeway prices and hoursOfficial Oita local food introduction
When you cannot book the Usuki sightseeing taxi
Book Usuki Station departure, the stone buddha visit and station return by the previous day. The current limited-period plan has limited daily vehicles. Without a booking or outside the operating period, switch to meals and rest in Beppu. For Usa Jingu, shorten visits to fit approach controls and return buses.
Usuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxis and previous-day bookingOfficial Usa city Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach map
Check cameras before your Oita trip
Check each camera’s filming location and update time. A Beppu city view cannot establish Mount Tsurumi summit visibility or Yufuin morning mist. Confirm ropeway and bus operation with their operators separately.
Frequently asked questions
Are Beppu Station and Kitahama the same airport bus stop?
No. This route boards and leaves airport buses at Kitahama. Arrange travel between Kitahama and accommodation near Beppu Station separately. Yufuin routes use the station-front bus centre. Return boarding locations may differ from arrival drop-offs, so check official stop information.
Do hot spring town route prices include bathing and ryokan stays?
Current amounts exclude bathing, accommodation, meals, flights, luggage storage and address-specific accommodation travel. Hell tickets are not bathing tickets. Check booked facilities’ check-in, pickup and bathing conditions before setting your walking time.
Combined ticketAccess to the two hells areasPrefectural tourism bodyCity tourism map
Official sources and check dates
- Airport fares ·
- Route timetable ·
- Combined ticket ·
- Access to the two hells areas ·
- Prefectural tourism body ·
- City tourism map ·
- Facility prices and access ·
- APU-bound route 5 timetable ·
- Weekday route 36 ·
- Separate timetable ·
- Airliner timetable ·
- Current complete fare table ·
- Official Lake Kinrin guide ·
- Official Beppu tourism ropeway prices and hours ·
- Northern Kyushu JR Pass trains, transport exclusions and consecutive days ·
- Official Mini day-pass prices and Beppu hells area ·
- Official stone buddha bus/taxi access and prices ·
- Operator weekday/weekend Usa Station–Usa Hachiman timetables ·
- Official Oita local food introduction ·
- Official Oita Yufuin and Beppu introduction ·
- Usuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxis and previous-day booking ·
- Official Usa city Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach map ·