1 night in Beppu & Yufuin: how to plan an onsen trip?

An onsen-focused 1 night, 2 days: the big picture

Beppu and Yufuin are Oita's signature hot-spring region. Beppu is an onsen city where steam rises all over town, and Yufuin is a quiet hot-spring village beneath Mount Yufu. The guide recommends 3 to 4 days, so this post picks out only the hot springs and the Hells for a short 1-night, 2-day trip.

On day 1 you see the Hells and eat jigoku-mushi in Beppu, then take a sand bath in the evening; on day 2 you ride the bus to Yufuin, walk Yunotsubo street to Lake Kinrin and head back to Fukuoka. Airport transfers and the standard 4-day plan are covered in our Beppu & Yufuin first-trip post.

• Day 1: Hakata to Beppu on the Limited Express Sonic → bus to Kannawa for the Hells and jigoku-mushi → evening sand bath at Takegawara Onsen, toriten
• Day 2: route bus (No. 36) from Beppu Station to Yufuin → Yunotsubo street (early morning) → Lake Kinrin → Yufuin no Mori (or Yufu) or a highway bus back to Fukuoka

• Full Beppu & Yufuin travel guide →
• Beppu & Yufuin first trip: from the airport, and how many days? →

Day 1 daytime: the Kannawa Hells and jigoku-mushi

At Fukuoka Airport, take the free shuttle bus from the international terminal to the domestic terminal, then the subway Airport Line to Hakata Station (about 5 min, about 260 JPY). From Hakata, the JR Limited Express Sonic runs to Beppu Station without changes in about 2 hours. You can also take the Toyonokuni-go highway bus to Beppu from the international terminal (about 3,250 JPY, reservation required), and if you arrive at Oita Airport (OIT), the Airliner airport bus reaches Beppu Station in about 53 min (about 1,600 JPY).

From Beppu Station, take a Kamenoi bus to Kannawa Onsen, a hot-spring quarter where steam rises from every lane and most of the Hells are close by. The Hells tour is a circuit of seven 'Hells' — sea-blue and blood-red pools, a geyser and more. Five are in Kannawa and two (Chinoike and Tatsumaki) are in Shibaseki. They are open 8:00-17:00 year-round; check official information for fees.

For lunch, try Kannawa's signature jigoku-mushi: vegetables, eggs and seafood steamed over hot-spring vents, best paired with a walk through the onsen streets. With only 1 night, plan to finish the Hells before 17:00.

• Hells tour: 7 Hells (5 in Kannawa, 2 in Shibaseki), 8:00-17:00, open year-round, check fees officially
• Jigoku-mushi: vegetables, eggs and seafood in Kannawa Onsen
• Kamenoi buses: cash, IC cards or contactless credit card; notes of 2,000 JPY and above can't be changed on board; 1- and 2-day passes available
• If you have time: Myoban yunohana huts (bus from Beppu Station), Mount Tsurumi ropeway (about 10 min; check hours officially)

Day 1 evening: a Takegawara sand bath and where to stay

In the evening, try the sand bath (sunayu) at Takegawara Onsen, a historic city-run bathhouse within walking distance of Beppu Station. The sand bath takes no reservations, so you may have to wait; check official information for closing days and fees. For dinner, have toriten, Oita's famous chicken tempura, dipped in vinegar-soy sauce with mustard.

With just 1 night, location matters. The area around Beppu Station and Kitahama is Beppu's hub, with the JR station, bus stops and restaurants, which makes the next morning's bus to Yufuin from Beppu Station easy. For steam-filled streets, stay in Kannawa Onsen; for mountain baths and views, there is Myoban Onsen on the hillside.

If you'd rather sleep in Yufuin, onsen lodgings are scattered among rice fields with mountain views on the outskirts of the village. Book early for peak seasons. Staying in Yufuin in winter lets you see the early-morning mist on Lake Kinrin.

• Around Beppu Station and Kitahama: first visit, transport, dining
• Kannawa Onsen: the Hells, steam-filled streets
• Myoban Onsen: mountain baths, views
• Outskirts of Yufuin: quiet onsen stays, book early for peak seasons

Day 2: Yufuin's Yunotsubo street and Lake Kinrin

From Beppu Station, the route bus (No. 36) takes about 50 min to Yufuin, and the Yufurin sightseeing rapid bus runs via the ropeway and Kannawa. Beppu is on the Nippo Line and Yufuin on the Kyudai Line, so going by JR means changing at Oita, and the bus is often easier. Check official timetables.

Yunotsubo street is the walk between Yufuin Station and Lake Kinrin, lined with food and craft shops. It gets very crowded at midday and on weekends and holidays, so go early in the morning. Lake Kinrin is a small lake fed by hot-spring water. Mount Yufu, the twin-peaked 'Bungo Fuji', takes several hours to hike round trip, so on a 1-night trip simply enjoy the view from Yufuin village.

To return to Fukuoka, the Yufuin no Mori sightseeing train (all seats reserved) takes about 2 hours 15 min between Hakata and Yufuin. It runs on set days, and when it doesn't, the Limited Express Yufu runs at the same times. The Yufuin-go highway bus (about 3,250 JPY) also requires reservations, so book once your plans are fixed and leave for the airport with plenty of time.

• Beppu Station to Yufuin: route bus No. 36 about 50 min, Yufurin sightseeing rapid bus
• Yunotsubo street: go early; very crowded at midday and on weekends and holidays
• Lake Kinrin: a small lake fed by hot-spring water
• Heading back: Yufuin no Mori (or Yufu) about 2 hours 15 min Hakata-Yufuin, Yufuin-go highway bus about 3,250 JPY; reserve both

When to go and what it costs: March-May and October-November

March-May and October-November are pleasant for walking and bathing. On early winter mornings, mist rises off Lake Kinrin. June to early July is the rainy season, and typhoons may come in August-September.

Japan Meteorological Agency normals for Yufuin station (1991–2020) give highs and lows of 13°C and 1°C in March, 19°C and 6°C in April, 23°C and 11°C in May, 21°C and 10°C in October, and 16°C and 4°C in November. Winter is 10°C and -1°C in December, 7°C and -2°C in January, and 9°C and -2°C in February. Rainfall is 363 mm in June and 355 mm in July.

The guide's daily budget per person is about 7,000 JPY with a business hotel, a toriten set meal and buses; about 15,000-22,000 JPY with an onsen hotel, restaurants and the Hells tour; and about 40,000 JPY+ for a Yufuin onsen ryokan with a kaiseki dinner. According to a Japan Tourism Agency survey (2025), foreign leisure travellers visiting Oita Prefecture spent an average of about ¥29,000 per person per visit (excluding travel between prefectures). Actual costs vary widely with itinerary and accommodation.

• March-May and October-November: good for walking and bathing
• Winter: early-morning mist on Lake Kinrin, January low -2°C
• June to early July rainy season; typhoons possible in August-September
• Per person per day: about 7,000 / 15,000-22,000 / 40,000+ JPY

Onsen etiquette and checks before you go

The guide's onsen etiquette is simple: wash before entering the bath and keep your towel out of the water. Some facilities restrict guests with tattoos, so check in advance.

On Yunotsubo street, don't block the path or eat while walking; use the space in front of shops to eat. The rainy season (June to early July) and typhoons (August-September) can stop trains and buses, so check the Japan Meteorological Agency and transport operators' service information. Entry procedures and online arrival forms can change, so check Japanese government or embassy information before you travel.

• Onsen: wash first, towel out of the water, some facilities restrict tattoos
• Yunotsubo street: no eating while walking; eat in front of the shop
• Yufuin no Mori and highway buses: reserve once plans are fixed
• Rainy season and typhoons: check JMA and operators' service information

• Where should you go for a winter onsen trip in Japan? →
• Japan's IC cards explained →
• Incheon → Fukuoka flights →

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