Where should I sightsee or walk?
Choose Beppu Hells Tour for close views of hot-spring activity, or Beppu Ropeway for mountain scenery. For a relaxed hot-spring town walk, continue through Yufuin to Lake Kinrin. For Stone Buddhas and shrine history, allow separate days in Usuki and Usa. Hells visits are not bathing; Usuki and Usa also need return access from their stations.
Attraction fees and access
Beppu Hells Tour
Beppu Jigoku Meguri別府地獄めぐり
This is a trip to view hot-spring activity. The combined ticket does not let you bathe in the water. Allow half a day for five hells and visit the remaining two the next day. Reduce visits to fit entrance walks and return buses.
- AdmissionThe seven-hell combined ticket costs 2,400 yen for high-school students and older, or 1,200 yen for elementary and junior-high students. Use each facility once across the purchase day and following day.
- HoursOpen 08:00–17:00 year-round according to the guidance. These are not hotel bathing hours.
- Getting thereFrom Beppu Station west stand 3, take Kannawa-bound route 5 to Umi Jigoku-mae or Kannawa. Walk the five nearby hells first, then travel separately to Chinoike and Tatsumaki about three kilometres away.
Combined ticketAccess to the two hells clustersAPU-bound route 5 timetable
Beppu Ropeway
別府ロープウェイ
Take Beppu Ropeway up Mount Tsurumi for mountain views or walks near the summit. Allow half a day for travel and viewing, changing plans during wind or maintenance suspension. Check official weekday and weekend timetables for a return route 36 bus that actually stops at the ropeway. Some last services do not. Bus singles cost 500 yen, separate from ropeway tickets. Add ticket purchase and boarding waits to the roughly one-minute stop-to-facility walk.
- AdmissionReturn fares are 1,800 yen for junior-high students and older, or 900 yen for ages four through elementary school. City buses and bathing are extra.
- HoursFrom March 15–November 14, the first departure is 09:00, last uphill service 17:00 and last downhill service 17:30. From November 15–March 14, the first departure is 09:00, last uphill service 16:30 and last downhill service 17:00. There are no regular closure days, but weather, maintenance or inspections may suspend service. Each ropeway ride takes about ten minutes.
- Getting thereFrom Beppu Station west stand 1, take Yufuin-bound route 36 to Beppu Ropeway stop. Official tourism guidance estimates a one-minute walk to the facility. The lower station is Beppu Kogen and the upper station is Tsurumi Sanjo. Adult bus fare is 500 yen single, 1,000 yen return; buy ropeway tickets separately. Services marked 不 do not stop here; choose the return bus first.
Official Beppu tourism: ropeway fares and hoursOita tourism association: ropeway stop and stationsWeekday route 36Separate timetableCurrent full fare table
Lake Kinrin
金鱗湖
Continue from Yufuin’s streets to Lake Kinrin for a waterside break. Allow separate time for lakeside walking and a café stop. Mist may rise on cold mornings but depends on the weather. Allow half a day for a return walk from the station and lunch. Cafés and private facilities cost extra. If using a ryokan shuttle, leave time to return to the station.
- HoursDistinguish lakeside walking from café and shop opening hours. Autumn and winter morning mist depends on temperature and weather and may not appear.
- Getting thereWalk from Yufuin Station towards Yunotsubo Street. The city tourism map estimates about 25 minutes to Lake Kinrin, excluding shopping, photos and rests.
Prefectural tourism authorityCity tourism map
Usuki Stone Buddhas
臼杵石仏
Look closely at the faces and poses of Usuki’s rock-carved Buddhas. The National Treasure statues form several groups, which you can compare along the viewing path. Allow a day for return travel from Beppu and viewing. The course below uses a reserved sightseeing taxi from Usuki Station to the statues and back; JR and taxi charges are outside its subtotal.
- AdmissionAdmission costs 550 yen for high-school students and older, or 270 yen for elementary and junior-high students.
- HoursOpen 09:00–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. The guidance lists year-round opening.
- Getting thereReserve a return trip from Usuki Station to the Stone Buddhas with the sightseeing taxi company by the previous day, then choose return JR trains from Beppu. The facility map estimates about 15 minutes by taxi from the station. The current flexible city course runs July 1, 2026–March 31, 2027; two hours cost 7,000 yen per vehicle. Daily vehicle numbers are limited. Agree station pickup, viewing time and return train when booking. JR and taxi charges are outside the course subtotal.
Official Stone Buddhas bus/taxi access and admissionFacility admission and accessOfficial station-to-Stone-Buddhas access mapUsuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxi and previous-day bookingUsuki taxi operator 2026 plan
Usa Jingu
Usa Jingu Shrine宇佐神宮
Usa Jingu retains a history of Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Understanding how the two faiths came together adds context as you walk the shrine approach. Take a bus from Usa Station to Usa Hachiman stop, then walk the approach. Allow a day for return travel and worship, separate from Usuki.
- AdmissionWorship is free; parking costs extra. This does not mean every adjoining facility is free.
- HoursThe upper shrine opens 06:00–18:00, with New Year exceptions. Check official access hours for your date and the area you want to visit.
- Getting thereTake a Yokkaichi-bound bus from Usa Station to Usa Hachiman. Cross towards the shrine at the Usa Jingu entrance junction on National Route 10, then follow Nakamise, Shirobashi, Omotesando and Usa torii to the main shrine area. Retrace the approach to the stop and return on a Bungotakada-bound bus serving Usa Station. Check on-site restrictions and your date’s weekday and weekend timetable. JR and buses are outside the course subtotal.
Tourism association access and operationOperator Usa Station–Usa Hachiman weekday and weekend timetablesOfficial Usa City map: Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach
Frequently asked questions
Does a hells ticket include bathing?
No bathing is included. The ticket is for viewing hot-spring activity. For a bath, check your hotel or bathing facility’s prices and hours separately.
Can I walk all seven hells?
The five Kannawa hells are about three kilometres from Chinoike and Tatsumaki. These itineraries use buses to visit the two groups separately.
Does Lake Kinrin have mist every morning?
Not every morning. Mist may rise from the water on cold mornings, depending on temperature and weather. Plan a lakeside walk you can enjoy even without mist.
How do adult age categories differ for hells, ropeway and Stone Buddhas?
Hells adult fares apply from high-school age, ropeway adult fares from junior-high age, and Stone Buddhas general fares from high-school age. Check each facility’s age categories separately.
Combined ticketOfficial Beppu tourism: ropeway fares and hoursFacility admission and accessOfficial Stone Buddhas bus/taxi access and admission
Does the Beppu Ropeway ticket include bus fares?
The 1,800-yen return ropeway ticket and 1,000-yen route 36 return from Beppu Station’s west side are separate. Neither the Mini nor Wide bus pass replaces a ropeway ticket. Choose mountain descent and a return bus that stops here together.
Official Beppu tourism: ropeway fares and hoursWeekday route 36Separate timetableCurrent full fare tableOfficial Kamenoi Bus My Beppu Free
Official sources and check dates
- Combined ticket ·
- Access to the two hells clusters ·
- Prefectural tourism authority ·
- City tourism map ·
- Facility admission and access ·
- Tourism association access and operation ·
- APU-bound route 5 timetable ·
- Official Kamenoi Bus My Beppu Free ·
- Weekday route 36 ·
- Separate timetable ·
- Current full fare table ·
- Official Beppu tourism: ropeway fares and hours ·
- Oita tourism association: ropeway stop and stations ·
- Official Stone Buddhas bus/taxi access and admission ·
- Official station-to-Stone-Buddhas access map ·
- Operator Usa Station–Usa Hachiman weekday and weekend timetables ·
- Usuki tourism association 2026 sightseeing taxi and previous-day booking ·
- Usuki taxi operator 2026 plan ·
- Official Usa City map: Usa Hachiman stop and shrine approach ·