Beppu Hatto Walk (4) ---Takegawara Neighborhood Alley Walk

"Takegawara Neighborhood Alley Walk" is a program of strolling around the central zone of Beppu hot spring area near the JR Beppu station. This program is held on daily basis except Tuesday and Thursday. The walk starts from the JR Beppu station and finish at Takegawara onsen, one of the most popular public hot springs in Beppu. Participants walk through the extremely narrow backstreets here and there and feel the air of good old days of downtown Beppu. In about 2 and half hours, all the participants are treated with two different delicious homemade cakes and green tea en route before arriving at Takegawara onsen.

The walk starts from JR Beppu station. The stature of Aburaya Kumahachi, the founder of Beppu tourism.

"Hand Bath" just in front of the station

Eki-mae Koto Onsen( Only one minute from the station)
 Both hot and warm onsen are available to bathe.   

"Minshuku (Inn) Kokage"
This old fashioned music box is still making beautiful sound.    

This gramophone also plays well now.       

                  

Extremely narrow backstreets in pictures remain around this area.    

Steamed cake with sweet potatoes 

Soft cake with yuzu citrus jam inside gives us an extra energy to keep walking.    

Nakahama-dori Shrine in the middle of the downtown    

Takegawara Onsen, one of the oldest public hot springs in Japan.
  The building itself is worth seeing.

Professional bamboo craftsmen are making art pieces.

Many pieces are sold on the site.

(TG)

Beppu Hatto Walk(3) Hamawaki Sepia-tic Walk(2-Uptown)

This walk is scheduled on every Sunday morning.
Three Buddhism temples and a Roman Catholic Church are on the route. Further information of "Hatto Walk" is available at three FTIO offices in the city of Beppu. Feel free to drop by any one of them. We are looking forward to seeing you!!    

 "Chokakuji temple" is said to be built during 1429-40.
   After destruction by a big fire, it was rebuilt in 1822.

The wall of this temple looks like the wall of a castle.

A forceful dragon carved in wood.

"Sofukuji temple" was built in 1266.

As if this statue would like to talk to visitors.

This bell rings at 6 o’clock every morning and evening. 





This temple was built in 718.
They say that it is the oldest one in Beppu city.

   

Great view from there 

                             

Have you seen of maple flowers?
     This is it. Green of this season is amazing!



This sutatue is "Kan-on with a thousand hands" .



Missionaries of Charity  (Mother Teresa is the founder)

The Virgin Mary statue is in the wall on the way to their house.
    Sisters fold their hands in prayer in front of it every time when they go through by. 

(TG)



Beppu Hatto Walk(3) Hamawaki Sepia-tic Walk (1-Downtown)

Hamawaki Onsen area, one of the Beppu Hatto, is located at the edge of east-south of Beppu city and near to the Beppu Bay. It was most bustling in Showa Era (1950's～70's) Many people came to Beppu from Kansai and Shikoku to bathe in the hot spring and to go sightseeing by ships at that time. Many people still live in the old houses remaining there through a long history. Pictures below make you feel and touch the old era in sepia color.

Hamawaki Sepia-tic Walking starts from JR Higashi Beppu station next to Beppu.

This house used to be a post office then.

The house was built in 1872, the beginning of Meiji era.

It is registered as a tangible cultural asset in 2007.

The owner is running a gallery named Masuya.

 

Old Japanese lattices made of bamboo

A round well was drilled in 1847.

Neighbors are using it in a daily life.

It has never been dried-up even

 in a spell of dry weather.

It’s amazing!!

When you sit down on this bench, you can feel the time doesn’t go by.

Jasmine flower

The branches are heavily laden with cherries.

(TG)

Drop-by Onsen in Beppu (2)

The pictures below is the view from a private bath in Sakuratei (ryokan, Japanese inn) located on a hillside of Kannawa hot spring area.

The sign says 'Sora no Yu' which means 'the hot spring in the sky'.

Roten-buro (Open-air  bath)

Sakuratei has another type of private bath as well as a large public bath. These baths also offer  panoramic views over the city and the bay of Beppu.

Sakura-tei has 4 cottage-type private baths.  

Inside of the private bath(1)

Inside of the private bath(2)

Inside of the large public bath

Some ryokans(Japanese inns)  and hotels open their baths to the public during limited hours for drop-by use.

Sakuratei is only a five-minute walk from Kannawa bus stop. Tourists can get more information about it at FTIO Kannawa office.

Any one of FTIO offices in the city provides you the information of other drop-by Onsen in and around Beppu city.


(TG/AW)

"Best Shot in Beppu" from tourists

These photos were taken by three college girls from Norway during their stay in Beppu  last April. The caption under the photos are from them.

<Myoban Yunosato>

One of the most memorable parts of our trip was
the Yunosato onsen with a great view of the city.

<Restaurant  Mitsu Boshi>

Another of the most memorable parts of our trip was 

a fantastic Bungo beef at the Mitsu Boshi restaurant in Kannnawa. 

<Umi Jigoku>

Our favorite hell was the blue one, "Umi Jigoku",
where we had some delicious Tofu ice cream and flan with onsen-boiled eggs.

<Chinoike Jigoku>

<Oniishi-Bouzu Jigoku>

<Yama Jigoku>

Dear Norwegian college girls, 

Thank you very much for sending us very impressive photos.

We are very glad to see your message stating 'Beppu is all in all a friendly, relaxing city among mysterious and colorful hot springs.'. Hope you come back to Beppu in the near future.

                                                                                                                        From FTIO staff

(AW)