Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [581]
World Sports Bar Small Eye (Map; 21-3336; 2nd fl, 1-10-12 Kitahama; drinks/snacks from ¥500/400; closed Thu). You’ll find a good mix of young folk at this Yankee-styled bar with high ceilings, darts and beach umbrellas.
Natsume Kissa (Map; 21-5713; 1-4-23 Kitahama; closed Wed) A good snack and dessert spot best known for its own onsen kōhī (¥530), coffee made with hot-springs water.
Shingai Coffee Shop (Map; 24-1656; 10-2 Kusu-machi; closed Mon) A mellow place with good coffee, plus antique maps and old photos of Beppu.
Kuishinbō (Map; 21-0788; 1-1-12 Kitahama-dōri; 6pm-2am) A cheerful corner izakaya serving unusual tofu and daikon steaks, chawan-mushi (savoury custard), and ¥100 yakitori skewers to complement the alcohol.
Getting There & Away
Flights go to Ōita airport from Tokyo Haneda (¥35,600, one hour) and Osaka (¥19,300, one hour). Flights also operate to Seoul.
The JR Nippō line runs from Hakata (Fukuoka) to Beppu (tokkyū; ¥5550, two hours) via Kitakyūshū, and Miyazaki (¥5770, 3¼ hours). The JR Hōhi line connects Beppu with Kumamoto (¥4830, three hours) via Aso-san (¥3440, two hours).
There’s a Beppu Kyūshū Odan bus to Aso Station (¥2950, three hours).
The Ferry Sunflower Kansai Kisen (22-1311) makes an overnight run between Beppu and Osaka and Kōbe (¥9600, 11 hours), stopping at Matsuyama (4½ hours). The evening boat departs at 7pm to western Honshū and passes through the Inland Sea, arriving at 6am the next morning. For the port, take bus 20 or 26 from Beppu Station’s west exit.
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Hovercraft (097-558-7180, 0120-81-4080) run from JR Ōita Station to Ōita airport (¥2950, 25 minutes), located on the Kunisaki Peninsula.
Beppu airport buses to Ōita-ken airport stop outside the Tokiwa department store (¥1450, 45 minutes, twice daily) and Beppu Station.
BUS
Kamenoi (23-5170) is the main bus company. An unlimited ‘My Beppu Free’ travel pass comes in two varieties: the ‘minipass’ (adult/student ¥900/700), which covers all the local attractions, including the hells, and the ‘wide pass’ (one/two days ¥1600/2400), which extends to Yufuin and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Passes are available from the Foreign Tourist Information Office and at various lodgings around town. Buses 5, 9 and 41 take you to Myōban (20 minutes).
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KUNISAKI PENINSULA
Immediately north of Beppu, Kunisaki-hantō bulges eastward from the Kyūshū coast. The region is noted for its early Buddhist influence, including some rock-carved images linked to more famous ones at Usuki.
Sights
USA
In the early post-WWII era, when ‘Made in Japan’ was no recommendation at all, it’s said that companies would register in Usa so they could proclaim their goods were ‘Made in USA’! Usa-jinja (; 0978-37-0001; admission to treasure hall ¥300; closed Tue), the original of which dates back over a thousand years, is connected with the warrior-god Hachiman, a favourite deity of Japan’s right wing. It’s a 10-minute bus ride from Usa Station, which is on the JR Nippō line from Beppu.
OTHER SIGHTS
The 11th-century Fuki-ji (; 0978-26-3189; admission ¥200) in Bungo-takada is the oldest wooden structure in Kyūshū and one of the oldest wooden temples in Japan. Ōita Kōtsū buses from Usa Station go to Bungo-takada (¥810, 35 minutes); from there, it’s a 10-minute taxi ride (around ¥1000).
In the centre of the peninsula, near the summit of Futago-san (721m), is Futago-ji (; 0978-65-0253; admission ¥200), dedicated to Fudō-Myō-o, the ferocious, fire-enshrouded, sword-wielding deity, able to repel attacks while appearing calm.
Nearby Taizō-ji (0978-26-2070; admission ¥200; 8.30am-5pm) is known for its famously uneven stone stairs. Local legend says that they are so random and haphazard that the Oni (devils) must have created them in a single night, confirming that, even in mythology, it has always been hard to get good help.
Carved into a cliff behind Taizō-ji, 2km south of Maki Ōdō, are two 8th-century Buddha images; a 6m figure of the Dainichi Buddha and an 8m figure of Fudō-Myō-o. Known as Kumano