Save time & money!Travel Osaka ↔ Kyushu on the
Travel Osaka ↔ Kyushu on the
Enjoy a unique 2-night ferry
experience with spectacular
sightseeing in Beppu.
Why not take a trip to Beppu while you're in Osaka?
Nestled in the heart of Oita Prefecture, Beppu is an idyllic hot spring resort that is just a luxurious ferry ride away! Departing from Osaka’s Bay Area in the evening, you can relax with the onboard buffet and large public bath before waking up in Beppu the next morning. Spend the day exploring the famous hot springs known as the “Hells of Beppu” and sampling local cuisine, then board the return ferry that same night, making this a quick and easy getaway.
With the Sunflower's "Bullet Ferry®" plan, you’ll enjoy two nights about plus a full day in Beppu your destination as well as a 2-night stay on the ferry for half the return fare, all without needing a hotel, making it an incredible value for time and money! Read on for a recommended itinerary to make the most of your journey.
Depart for Beppu
on a ferry
comfortable as a hotel!
19:05 Departure from Osaka Bay Area
The ferry to Beppu departs from the Sunflower Terminal on the second floor of the ATC (Asia-Pacific Trade Center). ATC is directly connected to Trade Center-mae Station on the Osaka Metro New Tram line, so you can easily access the ferry terminal even after enjoying sightseeing and shopping in central Osaka.
Complete the necessary procedures one hour before departure, and board the Sunflower when your instructions arrive.
The first thing that will surprise you when you board the ship is the three-story atrium!
Its sparkle and sense of occasion add to the excitement.
15 minutes before departure, a crew member will ring a gong to announce the departure.
The loud, rhythmic sounds will get you excited for the start of your journey.
Now, it's time to set sail!
19:30 Dinner is a buffet
of local dishes and ingredients
from the Seto Inland Sea.
Dinner will be served at the ship's restaurant.
In honor of the ship's route through the Seto Inland Sea, you can enjoy the "Setouchi Buffet" where you can enjoy delicious seafood such as sashimi, as well as local Oita cuisine!
The side dishes are a good balance of Japanese and Western cuisine, and all are colorful enough to make you overwhelmed.
Oita's local dish "Ryukyu," a bowl of freshly sliced fish with a savory blend of sauces and seasonings, is a particular highlight. The buffet corner also has sesame seeds and green onions, so you can put them on rice to make a Ryukyu bowl.
The restaurant’s window seats offer a panoramic ocean view. It's truly a luxurious experience to be able to enjoy delicious local cuisine while leisurely sailing through the Seto Inland Sea.
After passing under the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge,
be dazzled by the onboard projection mapping
The Sunflower passes under the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge at around 8:15 PM on Sundays through Thursdays (around 9:15 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). Be sure to head out to the observation deck to catch the moment it passes under!
Then, inside the ship, the atrium comes alive with projection mapping, as state-of-the-art projectors cast dazzling images onto the circular ceiling and walls.
In addition to projection mapping, the atrium also has photo spots as well as daily events such as magic shows and live music.
The ferry moved steadily through the pitch-black sea, and the view from the deck was very impressive. As I watched the projection mapping, I felt a sense of unity with the other passengers, as if we were all gazing up at the starry sky.
Are we really at sea?
With a large bathroom and spacious bed,
it's truly a hotel on the move!
The best way to end the day is with a bath!
The Sunflower has a large bath with a sweeping view that you can use in the morning and evening, regardless of your cabin type.
The bath is available at night until 10:30 p.m., and then the next morning from 5:15 a.m. on Sundays to Thursdays and 5:45 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Showers are available 24 hours a day.
You can stretch your legs and soak in the bath while looking out at the sea.
And tonight we’re staying in this suite room.
This lovely room features an impressive kumiko latticework. With a large TV and a sturdy bed, you'll almost forget you're at sea.
Eat delicious food, enjoy the night view and a large bath, and sleep comfortably in a bed. Is it really okay to have this much fun just by traveling?
Tomorrow we will finally be sightseeing in Beppu. Good night!
The public bath has large windows, so if you can get up early, I recommend taking a morning bath while watching the ocean at dawn. The sunrise seen from the balcony or deck is amazing!
The Hells of Beppu and local cuisine,
enjoy a full day of sightseeing
in Beppu
Good morning!
Watching the ocean sparkle in the morning sun is the perfect way to wake up.
6:55 a.m. Arrive at Beppu International Tourist Port
Once you disembark, head out to sightsee in Beppu until it's time for the return ferry in the evening!
If you use the "Bullet Ferry® Round-Trip Room Sharing Service," you can leave your large luggage and disembark, allowing you to enjoy sightseeing with ease.
*Reservations must be made online (with seat selection) or by phone at least four days before the outbound date.
In the morning, enjoy a tour of the Hells of Beppu, a classic Beppu sightseeing activity. First, head to the Kannawa area, where five of the seven unique hells await.
Admission for each site is 500 yen. They also sell a combined ticket for all site for 2,400 yen, so if you are visiting five or more spots, be sure to purchase the combined ticket at the first spot you visit.
What is the Beppu Jigoku (“Hells of Beppu”) Tour?
This course takes you around the seven bubbling hot springs, known as “jikoku” or “hells” across the city of Beppu. The hell spots are divided into two areas, the Kannawa Area and the Blood Pond Hell Area, with a total of seven hells: Umi Jigoku (“sea hell”), Chinoike Jigoku (“blood pond hell”), Tatsumaki Jigoku (“tornado hell”), Oniyama Jigoku (“demon mountain hell”), Shiraike Jigoku (“white pond hell”), Kamado Jigoku (“cooking pot hell”), and Oniishibozu Jigoku (a name that refers to the boiling mud’s resemblance to a monk’s bald head). Four of these hells are so famous that they have been designated as national scenic spots.
Beppu Hell Tour Official Website(Beppu Hell Association)
*This article introduces only a part of the Hells of Beppu Tour.
*This article starts with breakfast at Kamado Jigoku, but for the Umi Jigoku area the best order to efficiently tour the area is Umi Jigoku → Oniishibozu Jigoku → Kamado Jigoku → Oniyama Jigoku → Shiraike Jigoku.
8:00 a.m. Breakfast at Kamado Jigoku.
The Hells of Beppu Tour begins!
We immediately take a commemorative photo with the brave demon statue.
Kamado Jigoku is a luxurious spot with various hot spring ponds across the area, allowing you to experience everything from hell to paradise in one go. It's also interesting to note that the water changes color and appearance depending on the geological layer where it springs up.
The highlight of Kamado Jigoku is the experiments demonstrated by the staff!
The steam from the hot springs, which is normally invisible to the naked eye, is made to rise by the smoke from the mosquito coil.
The shop also opens at 8 a.m.
For breakfast, we will enjoy Kamado Jigoku's specialty.
The onsen (“hot spring”) century egg is steamed in the salty steam of a hot spring, giving it a smoked flavor. After taking a bite, try adding some yuzu pepper soy sauce to the yolk to change up the flavor!
Soy sauce pudding has a rich flavor thanks to the subtle, fragrant soy sauce.
The combination of onsen century egg and yuzu pepper soy sauce is a flavor that would go perfectly with an alcoholic drink! The soy sauce pudding has a salty caramel flavor and a rich, rare cheese flavor that is delicious. It's truly a flavor that you can only get here!
Kamado Jigoku
Phone number: 0977-66-1577 (Beppu Jigoku Association)
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://kamadojigoku.com/
An otherworldly hell!?
The natural cobalt-blue “Sea Hell”
Next, we head to Umi Jigoku, a nationally designated scenic spot, just a short walk away.
This is the largest of the Hells of Beppu. While this hell has is a beautiful, cobalt-blue color, but it is also frightening at a sweltering 98 degrees Celcius and running 200 meters deep. The secret to its mysterious color is said to be the dissolved iron sulfate in the hot spring.
It was an otherworldly sight! With the blue hell, where steam constantly rises, as a backdrop, this is a spot you'll want to take a commemorative photo of.
Umi Jigoku, a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty
Phone number: 0977-66-1577 (Beppu Jigoku Association)
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://www.umijigoku.co.jp/
Over 70 crocodiles!
Welcome to“Demon Mountain Hell”
A five-minute walk from Umi Jigoku takes us to Oniyama Jigoku, which means
“demon mountain hell,” but is often called “crocodile hell.”
This spot opened in 1923 and was the first in Japan to use hot spring heat to raise crocodiles. Currently, it is home to over 70 crocodiles.
It was probably my first time seeing so many crocodiles at once. There were panels explaining their ecology, and on weekends you can watch a feeding, which made me feel closer to the crocodiles.
Oniyama Jigoku
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official Instagram]
https://www.instagram.com/wani_jigoku_official/
Shiraike Jigoku: Japanese-style garden
giant fish!
Next, we head to Shiraike Jigoku, a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty where pale blue hot spring water gushes out.
It's nice to relax and gaze upon the Japanese-style garden, but the tropical fish aquarium, which utilizes the heat from the hot springs, is also worth seeing.
Tropical fish such as the pirarucu, one of the world's largest freshwater fish, and piranhas swim leisurely in the aquarium.
All of the "hells" we've visited so far can be explored on foot. I recommend taking your time to see the places that interest you and exploring at your own pace! There is also Oniishibozu Jigoku.
Shiraike Jigoku, a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty
Business hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://shiraikejigoku.com/index.html
10:30 a.m. An early lunch of Jigoku-mushi,
steamed with hot spring steam
After enjoying a tour of the hells in the Kannawa area, Jigoku-mushi (“hell-steamed”) is a great choice for lunch. This Beppu specialty style of cooking is healthy and concentrates the flavor of the ingredients, made by steaming vegetables and seafood with hot spring steam.
At Geothermal Tourism Lab Enma, you can choose your own ingredients and put them into a pot to steam, making it the perfect memento of your trip!
Let’s go for the vegetable platter and the steamed seafood pizza! This signature pizza is topped with plenty of scallops and tiger prawns, which are pre-cooked in a bechamel sauce. The delicious flavor of the seafood and the richness of the cheese are a perfect match!
My first time trying a steamed pizza was incredibly delicious, with the chewy dough and cheese and sauce mixed in. There are also table seats where you can enjoy a footbath, making it a great place for a break!
Geothermal Tourism Lab Enma
Phone number: 0977-75-9592
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (last order 4:00 p.m.)
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://enma-ch.com/
After lunch, let’s grab a sweet dessert! We head to Beppu Onsen Fruit Farm and enjoy a parfait made with bananas grown pesticide-free using the heat from Beppu's hot springs.
Beppu Onsen Fruit Farm
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Thursdays
[Official Instagram]
https://www.instagram.com/beppuonsen_fruitfarm/
12:30 Lots of photo spots!
The final stop on our Beppu Hell tour
To the "Blood Pond Hell"
After a 6-minute bus ride from the Kannawa bus stop, we arrive at the nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, Chinoike Jigoku.
It is the oldest natural hell in Japan, having existed for over 1,300 years and being mentioned in ancient records compiled during the 8th century.
These bright-red hot springs truly evoke an image of hell.
This is a must-visit spot when you come to Beppu! People in the past must have been very surprised to see bright-red hot water gushing out. The energy of the people of Beppu to turn it into a tourist destination is incredible! There is also Tatsumaki Jigoku nearby.
Nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty: Chinoike Jigoku
Phone number: 0977-66-1577 (Beppu Jigoku Association)
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://chinoike.com/
Enjoy local cuisine and hot
and hot
springs in Beppu
1:30 p.m. A healthy,
local favorite with a
comforting flavor: dango-jiru
We take a taxi to the area around Beppu Station and Beppu Port in the afternoon.
First, we will taste another local Oita dish, dango-jiru, at Sabo Shinanoya.
Dango-jiru is a miso-flavored soup made with ingredients and dango (rice dumplings) made from kneaded wheat flour and stretched into strips. At Shinanoya, the dough is made using only salt and wheat flour. The soup is finished with a gentle flavor that respects the quality of the ingredients, using dried sardine stock, miso, and plenty of vegetables.
The restaurant is housed in a renovated building that was originally built as a villa in 1928.
Although it has a stately atmosphere, there is a sense of warmth from the high ceilings and glass lattice windows that let in plenty of sunlight.
The natural flavor is heartwarming and gentle. I ate both breakfast and lunch there, and it was surprisingly light. The warm-hearted nature of the owerner also makes this a place you'll want to visit again and again.
Sabo Shinanoya
Phone number: 0977-25-8728
Business hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Holidays: Thursdays (open on public holidays)
*There are temporary closures twice a month
[Official Instagram]
https://www.instagram.com/shinanoya_beppu_offical/
2:30 p.m. Beppu Tower,
the third tower in
Japan and designed by Dr.
Tachu Naito (the architect behind Tokyo Tower) has long
stood watch over the city
Just a 15-minute walk from Sabo Shinanoya is Beppu Tower. Built in 1957, this was the third tourist tower in Japan and is a beloved landmark of Beppu.
From the observation deck 55 meters above the ground, you can get a panoramic view of Beppu's sea, mountains, and city.
On a clear day, you can even see as far as Shikoku!
The observation decks on the 16th and 17th floors have photo spots and hands-on experiences, making them a fun spot for couples and families.
The local and retro atmosphere is irresistible! You can take great photos of the entire tower from in front of the Tokiwa department store.
Beppu Tower
Phone number: 0977-26-1555
Business hours: 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. (last entrance 9:00 p.m.)
Holidays: Open all year round
[Official website]
https://bepputower.co.jp/
3:30 p.m. Soak in the Takegawara Onsen,
a
symbol of Beppu hot springs, before
heading home
The final stop on our Beppu sightseeing trip is Takegawara Onsen, which was founded in 1879. he building itself, built in 1938, has a magnificent roof using a traditional karahafu style and is a symbol of the city.
One thing to definitely try is the famous sand bath!
After you put on your robe and lie down on the sand, an attendant will pour warm sand over you, warming your entire body. You will work up a healthy sweat and relieve the fatigue of the day.
Takegawara Onsen
Phone number: 0977-23-1585
Business hours: Regular bath 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sand bath 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. (last admission 9:30 p.m.)
Holidays: Third Wednesday of every month (or the following day if it is a public holiday)
[Official website]
https://takegawara-onsen.com/
Pick up a Beppu souvenirs
on
the Sunflower
After fully enjoying Beppu, we return to the Sunflower.
While you're enjoying the afterglow of your trip, don't forget to pick out some souvenirs.
The Sunflower's shop has a wide selection of Beppu souvenirs, so no need to fret about shopping around town.
Being able to purchase souvenirs on board is great for saving time and luggage space! The shop is open the next morning too, so you can stop in and buy some. I've become a big fan of the Sunflower, so I bought a lot of merchandise!
After taking a breather, we toast with a can of chuhai from the shop, and dig into some chicken tempura that we bought as takeout from local Beppu chain Toyoken! The juicy chicken tempura is still delicious even after some time had passed, and make a perfect pairing with the drinks.
Restaurant Toyoken Tokiwa Beppu
Tokiwa Beppu Store, 1st basement floor food court
Business hours: Lunch 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Holidays: Second Tuesday of every month
[Official website]
https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/
The next morning, we return to
Osaka!
Three days of enjoying
the “Bullet Ferry.”
This whirlwind trip allowed us to enjoy both the ferry and sightseeing in Beppu.
The Sunflower allows you to rest well during travel and there are plenty of things to enjoy on board. It's as comfortable as a hotel, and we were able to enjoy the entire trip.
Everyone should take the Sunflower from Osaka to Beppu and experience the unique charm of a ferry trip.
Everyone should take the Sunflower from Osaka to Beppu and experience the unique charm of a ferry trip.
Internet reservation
The sweet Kyushu-style soy sauce goes really well with rice! There are also dishes unique to the Sunflower, such as original curry and special oden, so I ate my fill.