OITA

Oita

Oita prefecture located in north-east Kyushu is perhaps the most famous prefecture for onsen (hot springs) in Japan. Places such as Beppu and Yufuin being especially popular onsen towns with millions of visitors all year around. These towns are extremely geothermal, giving them their rich number of different onsen, and you can find steam rising all over the towns. With countless beautiful spots to relax your mind and soul at the onsen and enjoy a more traditional Japanese atmosphere and local cuisine (fugu being a famous local speciality!), these are two unmissable spots on your list! In addition to the onsen are jigoku, which means "hell" in English: these are naturally occurring geothermal ponds that are constantly bubbling with geothermal energy and some are literally boiling. Unique natural conditions and the rocks etc. that they form at produce different color effects on the jigoku, one of them being so red that it is called Blood Pond Hell (Chinoike Jigoku).

Spots in this area(16)

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Kinrinko Lake

Oita

Kinrinko Lake

Hot spring water seeps up through this lake, veiling winter dawns in mist.

Beautiful Scenery
Oniyama Jigoku Hell

Oita

Oniyama Jigoku Hell

80 crocodiles bred since 1923 on raw geothermal heat lurk in the steam.

Entertainment
Kuju Flower Park

Oita

Kuju Flower Park

220,000 sqm of wildflowers blooming at the foot of a volcano.

Beautiful SceneryEntertainmentInsta-worthy+1
Komatsu Jigoku Hell

Oita

Komatsu Jigoku Hell

Red rocks hiss with sulfur steam deep inside a volcanic national park.

Beautiful SceneryOnsen(Hot Springs)
Oita Sports Park

Oita

Oita Sports Park

A World Cup stadium shaped like an eye, beside Japan's hottest spa town.

Entertainment
Shibaseki Onsen

Oita

Shibaseki Onsen

Two emperors soaked here — and that was in the year 895.

Onsen(Hot Springs)
Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell)

Oita

Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell)

Cobalt-blue water that boils at 98°C — hell never looked so serene.

Onsen(Hot Springs)
Fukiji Temple

Oita

Fukiji Temple

Kyushu's oldest wooden hall, standing since the Heian era.

Art & ArchitectureHistory
Usuki Magaibutsu Stone Buddhas

Oita

Usuki Magaibutsu Stone Buddhas

60+ Buddhas chiseled from raw cliff face, Japan's first stone national treasure.

Art & ArchitectureHistory
Shitanyu Onsen (Yufuin)

Oita

Shitanyu Onsen (Yufuin)

Soak under thatch while mist lifts off a mirror-still lake.

Onsen(Hot Springs)
Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge

Oita

Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge

Sway 173 m above a waterfall, with red maples blazing below.

Art & ArchitectureOutdoor Activities
Nadagu Shrine

Oita

Nadagu Shrine

A red torii rises from the sea, 300 meters off the Oita coast.

Art & ArchitectureHistory
Usa Jingu Shrine

Oita

Usa Jingu Shrine

Japan's oldest Hachiman shrine, where 40,000 warrior-god shrines trace their ro…

Art & ArchitectureHistory
Yabakei Gorge

Oita

Yabakei Gorge

Volcanic cliffs frame Japan's top-three autumn foliage river canyon.

Beautiful Scenery
Harajiri no Taki Waterfalls

Oita

Harajiri no Taki Waterfalls

Rice paddies frame a roaring falls you can walk right over.

Beautiful Scenery
Chinoike Jigoku Blood Pond Hell

Oita

Chinoike Jigoku Blood Pond Hell

A 78°C pond runs blood-red, iron-stained and bubbling from below.

Onsen(Hot Springs)

Activities in Oita

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Locals in OITA

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Masao Takayama
Licensed Guide
English

OITA

Masao Takayama

HistoryAnime・MangaSake+11
naoko muroi
Licensed Guide
Japanese / English

OITA

naoko muroi

MoviesHistorySake+7
KEITA HIROSE
Licensed Guide
Japanese / English

OITA

KEITA HIROSE

MoviesHistoryAnime・Manga+5
Jun Matsuo
Japanese / English

OITA

Jun Matsuo

MusicMoviesHistory+9

Frequently asked questions

What is Oita known for?
Oita prefecture located in north-east Kyushu is perhaps the most famous prefecture for onsen (hot springs) in Japan. Places such as Beppu and Yufuin being especially popular onsen towns with millions of visitors all year around. These towns are extremely geothermal, giving them their rich number of different onsen, and you can find steam rising all over the towns. With countless beautiful spots to relax your mind and soul at the onsen and enjoy a more traditional Japanese atmosphere and local cu…
Where is Oita?
Oita is an area in OITA, Japan.
What are the best places to visit in Oita?
WOW U lists 16 spots in Oita. Popular spots include Kinrinko Lake, Oniyama Jigoku Hell, Kuju Flower Park, Komatsu Jigoku Hell, Oita Sports Park.
Can I book a guided tour in Oita?
Yes. WOW U lists activities in Oita hosted by Locals, the local guides who live in the area. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U.
What is WOW U?
WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.
Oita | WOW U