Should I stay in Beppu or Yufuin?
Look at Beppu for hells sightseeing and mountain views, or Yufuin for hot spring village walks and an overnight stay. Usuki and Usa lie in different directions; visit on separate days and check return transport between each station and attraction.
Choose hells sightseeing, mountain views or a hot spring village walk
Beppu Jigoku Meguri is for viewing hot spring scenery; the ropeway offers Mount Tsurumi views. In Yufuin, walk through the village to Lake Kinrin. For Stone Buddhas or a shrine visit, compare itineraries that visit Usuki and Usa on separate days.
Itineraries by trip length
Compare staying in Beppu for bus trips to the hells and ropeway with moving to Yufuin for an evening and morning in a hot spring village. The two itineraries for each trip length use different bases and destinations. They travel via Oita Airport; plan bathing and lodging separately from admission costs.
2 days, 1 night
Choose between visiting Beppu's two hells areas across two days and staying one night in Yufuin for Yunotsubo Street and Lake Kinrin walks. Beppu requires daytime arrival on day one; adjust last-day sightseeing around the airport bus and check-in deadline.
3 days, 2 nights
Compare two nights in Beppu, visiting the hells and ropeway on separate days, with one night in Beppu followed by one in Yufuin. The Yufuin move itinerary requires arrival early enough for mountain views on day one and stays in Yufuin on day two.
4 days, 3 nights
Choose between keeping your Beppu accommodation for a Yufuin day trip and staying two nights in Beppu followed by one in Yufuin. The latter requires a Usuki Stone Buddhas return sightseeing taxi booked by the preceding day for day two; JR and taxi costs are extra.
5 days, 4 nights
Choose between Beppu hells and mountain views followed by one night in Yufuin, or four nights in Beppu with separate day trips to Usuki and Usa. Usuki and Usa lie in different directions; budget JR and local transport separately from itinerary subtotals.
Where to stay
Beppu Station and Kitahama · 別府駅・北浜
A useful base for planning airport buses, JR travel and meals. The checked airport Airliner does not stop at Beppu Station, so you need separate travel from Kitahama to your hotel.
Kannawa · 鉄輪
Convenient for a day visiting five of the Hells of Beppu facilities. The other two are farther away and require a bus. Viewing the hot spring attractions is separate from bathing at your hotel.
Yufuin Station to Yunotsubo Street · 由布院駅・湯の坪街道
A good base for walking around the hot spring town and Lake Kinrin. Check the station-to-lake distance and your ryokan's meal and shuttle times before planning the walk.
Prefectural tourism agencyCity tourism mapOfficial Lake Kinrin guide
Oita Station area · 大分駅周辺
A base to consider for JR travel toward Usuki. If visiting Yufuin and Beppu over several days, compare travel times when staying in those areas too.
Where would you like more time: the hells or a hot spring village?
Beppu Jigoku Meguri
Visit the five Kannawa-area facilities and the Chinoike/Tatsumaki pair over two days. The hells are for viewing hot springs and their scenery. Plan bathing separately at your accommodation or a bathing facility.
Beppu Ropeway
This ropeway climbs Mount Tsurumi, rather than Takasakiyama. Take route 36 from Beppu Station's west side to the ropeway stop. Mountain views depend on the weather; check operations and visibility before leaving.
Beppu City official tourism: ropeway fares and hoursRoute 36 weekday timetable
Yufuin and Lake Kinrin
Spend a day walking through the hot spring village from the station to Lake Kinrin. First choose between a day trip from Beppu and an overnight stay in Yufuin. Morning mist depends on temperature conditions on cold days.
Oita official Yufuin and Beppu introductionOfficial Lake Kinrin guide
Distinguish Beppu Station's east and west boarding stops
Kannawa and the separate pair of hells
On day one, take route 5 from Beppu Station west-side stop 3 to the five Kannawa-area hells. On day two, take route 26 from Station-mae east-side stop 5 to Chinoike and Tatsumaki, returning on route 16. Allow time for walking between entrances and waiting for Tatsumaki's eruption in addition to bus rides.
Access to both groups of hellsRoute 5 toward APU: timetableOfficial Mini one-day pass fare and Beppu hells area
Toward the ropeway and Yufuin
Both use route 36 from west-side stop 1, but check the destination and stop markings. Some services skip the ropeway, so choose your return bus before heading up the mountain. When staying in Yufuin, do not add a round trip to Beppu; continue from Yufuin's station-front bus center to your booked accommodation.
To Usuki Stone Buddhas and Usa Jingu
For Usuki, book station departure → Stone Buddhas visit → station return with the sightseeing taxi company by the preceding day, then choose return trains. For Usa, take a bus from Usa Station-mae to Usa Hachiman, follow the city's mapped approach to the main shrine and retrace it to the stop. Do not visit both regions on the same day.
Usuki tourism association: 2026 sightseeing taxis and preceding-day bookingUsa City official Usa Hachiman stop and worship approach mapOperator weekday/weekend timetables: Usa Station-mae ↔ Usa Hachiman
Check Oita transport and passes
Between the airport and your accommodation
The Beppu itinerary boards and exits the airport bus at Kitahama. It is separate from Beppu Station, so plan connections for your accommodation's address. The Yufuin itinerary chooses an airport bus at the station-front bus center. Check direction and times for your travel date.
Buses for the pair of hells on day two
The day taking route 26 to Chinoike/Tatsumaki and route 16 back includes a ¥1,100 Mini one-day pass. Day one's ¥780 route 5 round trip uses separate regular fares. The calculation does not reuse a one-day pass across two days; hells admission also requires a separate ticket.
Official Mini one-day pass fare and Beppu hells areaCombined ticketAccess to both groups of hells
JR Northern Kyushu Pass or ordinary tickets
When continuing from Hakata to Beppu or Yufuin, compare eligible JR sections and your outbound/return dates. Budget separately for airport buses, Kamenoi buses, the ropeway and hells sightseeing. Oita → Usuki is outside Northern Kyushu Pass coverage. Eligibility is for holders of a non-Japanese passport who live outside Japan and enter for tourism with Temporary Visitor status. Check for the Temporary Visitor stamp or sticker in your passport and carry your passport when using the pass. If using automated immigration gates, ask airport staff for the entry stamp or sticker.
JR Northern Kyushu Pass: eligible trains, exclusions and consecutive days
A day trip from Fukuoka or an overnight stay here?
Choose your return train first when traveling between Hakata and Beppu or Yufuin. For a day trip, spend time in one area: hells sightseeing or a Lake Kinrin walk. For a hot spring village evening and morning, compare an overnight stay. Check the Northern Kyushu Pass's actual coverage and consecutive validity days; city buses, bathing and lodging cost extra.
JR Northern Kyushu Pass: eligible trains, exclusions and consecutive days
What should I eat in Beppu and Yufuin?
Around Beppu Station or Kitahama, look for toriten or Beppu reimen. On a Kannawa hells sightseeing day, check how to use jigoku-mushi steaming facilities and their waits before setting a meal time.
Toriten and dango-jiru
Toriten is battered, deep-fried chicken served with accompaniments such as ponzu, mustard or yuzu pepper. Dango-jiru is thinly stretched wheat dough simmered with vegetables in miso broth. Look for them on lunch or dinner menus.
Beppu reimen
Beppu reimen uses wheat/buckwheat noodles and Japanese-style broth with cabbage kimchi and beef toppings. Check each shop's menu for noodles and ingredients. It fits a meal around Kitahama or Beppu Station before returning to your accommodation.
Kannawa jigoku-mushi
Ingredients are steamed using hot spring steam. Kannawa has facilities where you can steam food yourself; first check instructions, waits and whether you may bring ingredients. Hells admission does not include a meal or steaming experience.
Separate admission and bus costs from other expenses
Bathing, lodging, meals and flights are excluded from the itinerary subtotals below. Beppu hells are for sightseeing rather than bathing. Usuki/Usa itineraries also require separate budgeting for essential JR and local transport.
| Trip length | Beppu-focused A | Alternative destination B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night / 2 days | ¥7,480 — combined hells ticket ¥2,400, day-one route 5 round trip ¥780, Kitahama airport bus round trip ¥3,200; day-two Kamenoi Mini one-day pass ¥1,100 (route 26 outbound, route 16 return) | ¥4,000 — two ordinary one-way airport ↔ Yufuin tickets at ¥2,000 each |
| 2 nights / 3 days | ¥10,280 — combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 round trip ¥780, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus round trip ¥3,200; day-two Kamenoi Mini one-day pass ¥1,100 (route 26 outbound, route 16 return) | ¥7,500 — airport → Kitahama ¥1,600, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥1,000, Beppu → Yufuin ¥1,100, Yufuin → airport ¥2,000 |
| 3 nights / 4 days | ¥12,480 — combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 round trip ¥780, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus round trip ¥3,200, Yufuin day-trip return travel ¥2,200; day-two Kamenoi Mini one-day pass ¥1,100 (route 26 outbound, route 16 return) | ¥8,050 (Usuki JR and per-vehicle sightseeing taxi extra) — airport → Kitahama ¥1,600, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥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 round trip ¥780, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥1,000, Beppu → Yufuin ¥1,100, airport → Kitahama ¥1,600, Yufuin → airport ¥2,000; day-two Kamenoi Mini one-day pass ¥1,100 (route 26 outbound, route 16 return) | ¥10,830 (Usuki/Usa JR and local transport extra) — combined hells ticket ¥2,400, route 5 round trip ¥780, Stone Buddhas ¥550, ropeway round trip ¥1,800, route 36 ropeway round trip ¥1,000, Kitahama airport bus round trip ¥3,200; day-two Kamenoi Mini one-day pass ¥1,100 (route 26 outbound, route 16 return) |
Airport faresCombined ticketCurrent combined fare tableOfficial Mini one-day pass fare and Beppu hells areaBeppu City official tourism: ropeway fares and hoursFacility admission and accessUsuki tourism association: 2026 sightseeing taxis and preceding-day booking
Choose consecutive nights in one base or a hot spring village stay
Around Beppu Station and Kitahama
Consider both areas when staying several nights in Beppu and taking buses to the hells and ropeway. Hells/Yufuin buses depart on Beppu Station's west side; airport buses depart from Kitahama. Use your accommodation's address to plan travel to each boarding stop.
Route 36 weekday timetableAirliner timetableAccess to both groups of hells
Around Kannawa
Look at Kannawa accommodation if you want more time for hells sightseeing and steam-cooked food. Check your booked property's bathing hours and return transport to the city and airport. Do not apply Beppu Station-based itinerary fares directly to a different accommodation address.
Oita official regional food guideAccess to both groups of hells
One night in Yufuin
Choose this to spend an evening and morning in the hot spring village. A day trip from Beppu differs from moving your overnight base to Yufuin. Check your ryokan's meals, bathing and shuttle arrangements before setting time for a Lake Kinrin walk.
Oita official Yufuin and Beppu introductionOfficial Lake Kinrin guideRoute 36 weekday timetable
Compare overnight bases for your trip length
| Trip length | Beppu base | Adding another area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night / 2 days | Visit the seven hells across two days | One night in Yufuin and a Lake Kinrin walk |
| 2 nights / 3 days | Visit the hells and ropeway on different days | One night in Beppu, then one in Yufuin |
| 3 nights / 4 days | Stay in Beppu and visit Yufuin for the day | B: visit Usuki by prebooked sightseeing taxi, then stay one night in Yufuin |
| 4 nights / 5 days | A: visit the hells and ropeway, then stay one night in Yufuin | B: stay in Beppu; booked Usuki sightseeing taxi and Usa shrine visit |
Oita official Yufuin and Beppu introductionAccess to both groups of hellsStone Buddhas official bus/taxi access and admissionOperator weekday/weekend timetables: Usa Station-mae ↔ Usa HachimanUsuki tourism association: 2026 sightseeing taxis and preceding-day bookingUsa City official Usa Hachiman stop and worship approach map
If service suspensions or transport checks change your plans
When the ropeway is suspended
Check same-day operations before heading to the stop. If suspended, spend a day eating and resting in Beppu, and visit the mountain on another operating day. If adding hot spring bathing, check the facility's hours and fees separately.
Beppu City official tourism: ropeway fares and hoursOita official regional food guide
If you cannot book a Usuki sightseeing taxi
Book Usuki Station departure → Stone Buddhas visit → station return by the preceding day. The current limited-period plan has a daily vehicle limit. If unavailable or outside its operating period, make it a Beppu meal and rest day. At Usa Jingu, reduce the visit to suit onsite approach restrictions and return buses.
Usuki tourism association: 2026 sightseeing taxis and preceding-day bookingUsa City official Usa Hachiman stop and worship approach map
Check cameras before your Oita trip
Check each camera's location and update time. A Beppu city view does not establish visibility on Mount Tsurumi or morning mist in Yufuin. Check ropeway and bus operations separately with their operators.
Frequently asked questions
Are Beppu Station and Kitahama the same airport bus stop?
No. This itinerary boards and exits the airport bus at Kitahama. Plan separate travel between Kitahama and accommodation near Beppu Station. The Yufuin itinerary boards for the airport at the station-front bus center. Return boarding locations may differ from arrival stops, so check the official stop guide.
Do the hot spring village itinerary costs include bathing and ryokan lodging?
The current itinerary figures exclude bathing, lodging, meals, flights, luggage storage and additional travel to your accommodation's address. A hells sightseeing ticket is not a bathing ticket. Check your booked accommodation's check-in, shuttle and bathing conditions before planning walks.
Combined ticketAccess to both groups of hellsPrefectural tourism agencyCity tourism map
Official sources and check dates
- Airport fares ·
- Route timetable ·
- Combined ticket ·
- Access to both groups of hells ·
- Prefectural tourism agency ·
- City tourism map ·
- Facility admission and access ·
- Route 5 toward APU: timetable ·
- Route 36 weekday timetable ·
- Separate timetable ·
- Airliner timetable ·
- Current combined fare table ·
- Official Lake Kinrin guide ·
- Beppu City official tourism: ropeway fares and hours ·
- JR Northern Kyushu Pass: eligible trains, exclusions and consecutive days ·
- Official Mini one-day pass fare and Beppu hells area ·
- Stone Buddhas official bus/taxi access and admission ·
- Operator weekday/weekend timetables: Usa Station-mae ↔ Usa Hachiman ·
- Oita official regional food guide ·
- Oita official Yufuin and Beppu introduction ·
- Usuki tourism association: 2026 sightseeing taxis and preceding-day booking ·
- Usa City official Usa Hachiman stop and worship approach map ·