Beppu Jigoku Meguri
べっぷ地獄めぐり33°19′ N 131°29′ EHot spring vents¥2,400, about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates)
The Beppu hells suit families and first-time visitors who want to see Beppu's springs boil up out of the ground, and they are hot springs to look at, with foot baths the only place to dip in.
Photo 663highland · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5 and others, credited in the gallery
Seven hells make up the tour. Umi Jigoku is a cobalt-blue pond at 98 °C, Chinoike Jigoku runs red with iron oxide down to its steam, and Tatsumaki Jigoku throws out boiling water and steam at regular intervals. Shiraike, Oniishibozu, Oniyama and Kamado Jigoku complete the set. Umi, Chinoike, Tatsumaki and Shiraike are national Places of Scenic Beauty for their colours and forms.
The Bungo Fudoki, written more than a thousand years ago, already records steam, hot mud and boiling water bursting from the ground at Kannawa and Kamegawa. People shunned the land and called it hell, and in Kannawa a spring vent is still called a jigoku today.
Five of the hells sit together in Kannawa, and Chinoike and Tatsumaki stand side by side about 3 km away. Umi, Chinoike, Oniishibozu and Kamado each have a foot bath.
Worth knowing
- From JR Beppu Station's west exit, Kamenoi buses 2, 5, 24 and 41 reach the Umi Jigoku-mae stop in about 20 minutes, and bus 16 runs on from Kannawa to Chinoike Jigoku-mae.
- The Jigoku association suggests a car or bus for the 3 km between the two groups, and each hell has free parking.
Quick answers about Beppu Jigoku Meguriよくある質問
How much does it cost to see all of the Beppu hells?
The joint ticket for all seven hells costs ¥2,400 for adults and ¥1,200 for primary and junior high school students, in force since 1 February 2025. All seven open from 8:00 to 17:00 every day.
What are the opening hours of Beppu Jigoku Meguri?
Beppu Jigoku Meguri keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00.
When is the best time to visit Beppu Jigoku Meguri?
Beppu Jigoku Meguri: Any day of the year. Come on a weekend at 10:00 if you want to see the staff at Oniyama Jigoku feed its crocodiles.
Within 12 km
