Located in the east of Kyushu, Beppu features the highest number of thermal sources and gush volume in Japan, making it the largest hot spring resort in western Japan with Mts. Tsurumi and Yufu as a backdrop facing Beppu Bay. Beppu Onsen (Beppu Hot Spring)’s gush volume is so great that it is second only to the Yellow Stone National Park Geyser and having 10 types of hot springs out of 11 types of the world’s hot springs.

Beppu has an astounding number of having 670 hot springs in total, containing 8 major thermal hot spots which are referred to as “Beipu Hells (Beppu Jigoku)”, which “Jigogu” in Japanese means “burning hell” from the ancient Buddhist sutras of the past. Beppu is also divided into eight major hot spring areas known as “Beppu Hatto” include Beppu Onsen, Hamawaki Onsen, Horita Onsen, Kankaiji Onsen, Kannawa Onsen, Kamegawa Onsen, Myoban Onsen, and Shibaseki Onsen. The name “Beppu Hatto was settled in 1924 when the City of Beppu was formed as a result of several mergers of smaller surrounding towns and villages with a long history tracing back to the beginning of the 8th century.

Beppu’s top sights are the 8 hells include Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell), Kamado Jigoku (Boiling Hell), Onishibouzu Jigoku (Shaven Monk’s Head Hell), Oniyama Jigoku (Demon Mountain Hell), Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell), Tatsumaki Jigoku (Geyser Hell), Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell), and Yama Jigoku (Mountain Hell), famed for they are visually just extraordinary in various colors from white, red, bright blue to a cloud of steam, and with their high temperature with some above 99 degree centigrade, having a temperature that they are more than any human can probably bare. Visitors may find six of the hells in Kannawa District and two in the more remote Shibaseki District for an unforgettable Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour).

Out of the 8 hells, Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell), Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell), Tatsumaki Jigoku (Geyser Hell) and Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) are four recognized National Sites of Scenic Beauty of Japan. Chinoke Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell) is one of the world’s top most popular hot springs. The pond of hot, red water is the result of high concentration of iron salts in the area with an average temperature of 78 degrees centigrade which could better be used for cooking than a bath. Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell) features a pond of colorless hot water of about 98 degree centigrade that naturally spouts from the ground mysteriously turns creamy white. Tatsumaki Jigoku (Geyser Hell) is a geyser and a natural monument designed by Beppu City that erupts ever half an hour for about 5 minutes. The short interval is significant among the world’s geysers. Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) is a cobalt blue 200-meter deep hot spring which emerged 1200 years ago with a volcanic eruption.

The 8 hells are clustered around Kannawa, about a 20 minute bus ride from Beppu Station. These exhilarating hot spring sites are fascinating natural wonders that shouldn’t be missed. Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour) can be done through the day up to 17:00 for 2, 000 yen. The sightseeing tour enables you to see the 8 phenomenal, natural hot spring sites in about 150 minutes.

Apart from the spectacular “hell spots”, one may also find a wide variety of local hot spring specials include bath powder at Umi Jigoku, Chinoike ointment at Chinoike Jigoku, Dango-jiru at Restaurant Umi, Jigoku baked pudding, Jigoku cap & T-shirt, Jigoku ramen/noodles, hot spring boiled egg, Kobosu (citrus) sold at Umi Jigoku(seasonal), and Pomelo sold at Tatsumaki Jigoku (seasonal).

Book your Japan Kyushu hotels today for an unforgettable Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour) in Beppu, Japan.

Please visit the official web site of Beipu Jigoku Meguri (Beipu Hell Tour) for more information on the “hells”, tours” & “admission fees”.