Recommended Dish "Toriten"

This is a local specialty that we call ‘TORITEN”.

"TORI" means chicken and "TEN" is an abbreviation for TEMPURA. This chicken TEMPURA is so juicy on the inside and so crispy on outside. We eat it with some dipping sauce like ponzu sauce. Yummy! I think it is a better choice for you to have it for lunch or dinner.

There are so many places where you can eat it in Beppu. We could give you a TORITEN map at FTIO office.(AW)

Magnificent views

Kannawa hot spring area has several places that offer great views.

<Beppu Vista-Hot Spring Steam>

One of them is known as an observation deck, from where you can see a panoramic view of Yukemuri (misty smoke of hot springs) with beautiful mountains. It takes 20 minutes walk to get there from Kannawa bus stop.

<Haiku-park>
Another one is a viewing park where local people recommend you to stop by. You can be healed with the beautiful view of the Beppu Bay over Yukemuri. It is located within ten minutes walk from Kannawa bus stop.

Please ask details at Beppu-FTIO Kannawa office.(AW)

Beautiful azalea at the hillside of Tatsumaki Jigoku

What a beautiful scenery it is!  The lump of the azalea fully blooms in profusion at the hillside near Tatsumaki Jigoku (or Tornado hell), one of Beppu's popular sightseeing spots.

Tstsumaki Jigoku is a geyser that is designated as a natural monument by the city of Beppu. The temperature goes up as high as 105℃. The word geyser means a hot spring that spouts out boiling water and steam in certain intervals. Tatsumaki Jigoku blows off approximately every 35 minutes and it lasts for about seven to ten minutes.  Because of the appearance that hot water blows looks like the tornado or Tatsumaki in Japanese, it is called Tatsumaki Jigoku or Tornado Hell.

It is a good choice for the tourists to see Tatsumaki Jigoku at the end of eight hell tour starting from Kannawa hot spring area. This beautiful azalea blooming can be seen until the end of May.(K.K.)

Visitors from Czech Republic

Seven Czechs, one big family and their friend, visited Beppu on April 15 under the most difficult situation for Japan. An unprecedented earthquake and tsunami had attacked Japan one month before they arrived. They had various negative news on Japan's disaster through media and, of course, hesitated to come to Japan for a while. They were scared of radioactivity occurred by Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

After a couple of week consideration, they reached to a thoughtful conclusion. Yes. They finally decided to visit Japan thinking that their visit to Japan would help Japan and encourage Japanese people to recover in a small way. We really appreciate it.

From Prague, the capitol of Czech Republic, they flied to Osaka instead of Tokyo. Then, they made trip to Okinawa, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Fukuoka. During their stay in Fukuoka, they visited Beppu for one day trip.


Mr. Kuni Kumamoto, a member of Beppu Friendly Guide Club, met them at JR Beppu station in the morning and guided them to Myoban Hot Spring, Kannawa Jigoku area, Chinoike Jigoku, Tatsumaki Jigoku and Beppu Beach Sand Bath by local bus throughout the itinerary. Their lunch at Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa gave them unique experience cooking traditional jigokumushi cuisine by themselves.

They left Beppu by JR Sonic express train to Fukuoka in the evening. According to Ms. Petra, the leader of this party, they would fly to Sapporo from Fukuoka, then return to Czech via Osaka.

Kuni, the tour guide for them, reported FTIO that the most impressed thing they met through this Beppu excursion was Okamotoya's Jigokumushi Pudding.

We hope they would have a wonderful trip in Japan and back home safely. Their thoughtful visit to Japan would be very much appreciated.(KK for TG)

Floriculture Research Institute

You can see Phalaenopsis orchids and other plants in the big greenhouse at Floriculture Research Institute run by Oita Prefecture. Hot spring steam is utilized as its heating system.

It has also beautiful botanic gardens filled with various kinds of trees and flowers. The cherry tree in the above picture is a good example. It has yellowish green petals, which is a kind of rare. It can be seen until the end of April.

The exhibition greenhouse and gardens are open to the public for free from 9:00 to 16:00 daily.

Oita Floriculture Research Institute is located in front of Yama Jigoku in Kannawa hot spring area, 20 minutes away from JR Beppu station by local bus. (AW)

Beppu Bamboo Crafts

What do you think these bags are made of?

Yes. It's bamboo.

Beppu bamboo wares are designated as one of Japanese traditional crafts. In old days, some people weave bamboo into baskets for keeping tablewares. Meanwhile, bamboo wares were spread among those who were receiving hot spring treatment in Beppu. Now, bamboo wares are made for gifts, such as bags, plates, and flower vases.

Beppu city traditional bamboo crafts center is 20 minutes away from JR Beppu station by local bus. You can see elaborate bamboo crafts created by many artists in exhibition hall and try to make some simple ones there at a reasonable price.

Information of gift shops and the crafts center is available at FTIO office. (AW)

Kyushu Shinkansen Completed

Kyushu Shinkansen Kagoshima route (260km) connecting JR Hakata (Fukuoka) with Kagoshima Chuou is fully open on March 12, 2011. This high speed railroad which runs through Kyushu from north to south is finally completed taking 38 years since its original planning.

　

Because of the east Japan great earthquake outbroke on the day before, the inauguration of Kyushu Shinkansen was celebrated quietly. By this completion, the fastest trains take only 80 minutes from Hakata to Kagoshima Chuou and three hours and 45 minutes from Shin Osaka to Kagoshima which is 77 minutes shorter than before.

Those tourists who plan to come to Beppu, Oita-pref. after arriving at New Kansai International Arport can take a Shinkansen from Shin Osaka to Kumamoto and change the train at Kumamoto. Taking Houhi Line from Kumamoto to Oita via Mt. Aso is quite smart sightseeing route for foreign tourists.

(KK)