Resumption of the normal operation on the Houhi Main Line

The JR Houhi Main Line, which had been suspended between MIYAJI station and BUNGO TAKETA due to the train track damage by heavy rain last year, resumed on the 4th of August.


●  Kyushu Odan Tokkyu              4 services / day  

   BEPPU Station               ASO Station

     7:52                  →          9:57     
   11:44                  →        13:44
   14:46                  →        16:47
   18:30                  →        20:28
  
 (AW)

Drop-by Onsen in Beppu (3)

This is located at Kannawa Onsen area (one of Beppu Hatto) --only a few minutes walk from Kannawa bus stop.  "Iroha ryokan (Japanese inn)" runs this drop-by Onsen. You can feel relax and comfortable. 

Entrance of Iroha Ryokan 

Entrance of Onsen

Take off your clothes here

Dressing place

Inside washing place

Inside bath tab 

Look over an open-air bath tab from the inside one

Outside washing place

Open-air bath surrounded with seasonal plants

You can get further information about this Onsen at Kannawa FTIO Office.

(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)

How to get to Mt. Aso from Beppu (2013/4)

Visiting Mt. Aso from Beppu is popular among those who visit Beppu.

JR and a bus company provide ways to get there.

 

< The JR Kyushu >

●  Kyushu Odan Tokkyu

    4 services / day  (the deperture time at Beppu station: 7:52,11:44,14:46,18:30)

         

  *Please transfer a local bus at JR Aso station to get Mt. Aso crater.

　
●  Aso Yufu Kogenbus
         
    1 service / day  (the deperture time at Beppu station   9:45)

　  *Advanced reservations required.

<The Kyusyu Sanko Bus>

　　
●　Kyushu Odan Bus
   
     2 services / day  (the deperture time at Beppu station  8:11, 9:19)

     *Advanced reservations required.

Please ask about further information at FTIO offices.        (AW)

One-day use Onsen in Beppu (1)

Beppu is one of the most popular hot spring resorts in Japan. There are a lot of municipal hot springs, unique hot springs (mud bath, sand bath, steam bath, open-air bath) and hot spring facilities with
various types of hot springs in one site, such as Hyotan Onsen.
Additionally, some ryokans(Japanese inns) and hotels open their baths to the general public during limited hours for one-day use.

 The pictures below are the baths of Marugamiya (ryokan, Japanese inn) in Kannawa, which reopend following renewal the end of last year.



Open air bath (the men's bath) 

Open air bath (the women's bath)

Family bath (Private bath)

Family bath (Private bath)

the courtyard

Maruyamiya is near Kannawa bus stop. FTIO Kannawa Office has information where it is and when it is open.

FTIO offices provide you information of other day-use onsens around Beppu.

(AW)

Events in December 2012

Beppu Christmas Hanabe(firework) Fantasia 2012

      Date : December 23rd and 24th
      Time: 20:00 - 21:00
      Place: Spa beach (main site) and Matogahama park etc.

6th Beppu Tohsuisai

      Beppu Park will be illuminated from 2012 Dec. 15th (Sat) to 2013 Jan. 18th (Fri).
      The Lighting ceremony is 18:30 on Dec. 15th.
      
                                                                                             (GH)
    

Global Tower in Beppu

  Global Tower is a symbol of the convention facility, “B-Con Plaza.”

  The tower is 125m high so the views of it from different places with different objects at different times are attractive.




B-Con Plaza and Global Tower

B-Con Plaza and Global Tower
from Fujimi street

The view of B-Con Plaza
from Beppu Park 



from directly below

    The height of the observation deck is 100m.
A 360-degree view of Beppu is enjoyable.

Observation deck
The ceiling is open

 

Fujimi St. and Beppu Park

Beppu bay and Mt. Takasaki

The ferry at the center of photo
docks at Beppu International port 

View of mountain side.
Mt. Tsurumi and Mt. Ohgi
can be seen.

   <Access> 20 minutes on foot from Beppu station west exit, walking through Beppu park.
Kamenoi Bus is also available from Beppu station west exit, taking bus No 3 and getting off at Bcon Plaza.
   
   <  Open    >   9:00 -  21:00    (from March to November)
                          9:00 - 19:00    (from December to February)

   < Admission >  Adults  :  300 yen
                        Children :  200 yen

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Just for your information about the place near the tower, there are a Sushi restaurant and a shopping mall.    The restaurant is a Kaiten zushi style.    In the Shopping mall, there are a 100 yen shop, a fresh food super market, a second-hand shop, a clothing shop for kids, a barbershop and a bakery.   a Sushi restaurant   a Shopping mall
	(GH)

The Hells Tour in Beppu

"Jigoku Meguri" (or The Hells Tour) attracts you to Beppu. Myoban area is also worthy to visit.

Kamenoi Bus Company offers a half-day tour going to Jigoku and Myoban areas. 

  Kitahama Bus Center→　Beppu Station→　8 hells→　Myoban area→
　　　　　　　　　　                      Kitahama Bus Center→　Beppu Station 

No appointment necessary, please plan to arrive ten minutes prior to the bus departure.

This tour allows you to visit 8 hells and see Myoban area through the bus window.  It takes 2 hours 40 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes. If you would like to walk in Myoban area, you could get off the bus and sightsee there by yourself. In this case, you could take local buses to return to Kitahama or Beppu station. The bus fare is for free if you show the guide book that was given to you when you purchased the tour ticket.

Devices, special audio pens that give multilingual guidance, such as  in English, Korean and Chinese are available just for this course.

Special audio pen

Tour bus

Tour bus

Departure times from Kitahama Bus Center are

•   10:00
•   13:20

               

The Bus Center is located in Nishitetsu Resort Inn across Route 10 from Tokiwa Department store.

Departure times from Beppu Station are

•   10:05 
•   13:25

              

      The bus stop is located at the east side of Beppu JR Station.

Tour ticket fares (include an admission fee for Jigoku) are

•     4,000 yen  for  adults
•     3,370 yen  for  high school students  
•     3,100 yen  for  junior high school students
• 　2,110 yen  for  elementary school students 

FTIO Beppu station office provides you detail information and the leaflet. 

(AW)

Beppu International port (Beppu Kokusai Kankoko) and around it

  Beppu Kankoko extends 1Km south to north along Route 10.
It is situated about  3 Km north of Beppu downtown.
  (3.6 Km from Beppu JR station)

  There are two ferry terminals.
One is  Ferry Sunflower between Beppu and Osaka.
The other is Uwajima Unyu Ferry between Beppu and Yahatahama.
They are about 600 meters away from each other.

  The photos shown below are taken at Beppu Kankoko.


Sunflower in harbor



Taken from a crossing bridge over Route 10



Beppu bay

A monument in the shape of Anchor



A small partk

<Ferry Sunflower terminal>    ● Ferry Sunflower

Below is a photo of Ferry Sunflower terminal building.

Ferry Sunflower terminal

 Go out the Ferry sunflower terminal building, there is a bus stop on your left,
the name of the bus stop is "Kansaikisen Mae."
(indicated by the red sphere on the photo below)

Kamenoi Buses ( Bus Number 16, 16A and 20 ) take you to
the bus stop "Beppu Kitahama (Beppu downtown)" and "Beppu Eki (Beppu JR Station)."

      From "Kansaikisen Mae" to "Beppu Kitahama", it takes about  9 minutes
      From "Kansaikisen Mae" to "Beppu JR Station", it takes about 12 minutes.

The bus stop " Kansaikisen Mae"

Oita Kotsu Buses are also available for you.


<Uwajima Unyu Ferry terminal>　　● Uwajima Unyu Ferry (in Japanese)

 Below is a photo of Uwajima Unyu Ferry terminal building.


Uwajima Unyu Ferry terminal



Go out the Uwajima Unyu Ferry terminal building, you will see Beppu Kotsu Center building, the photo below.

Beppu Kotsu Center

There are two bus stops on both sides of Beppu Kotsu Center building.
The name of the both bus stops is "Beppu Kotsu Center."
If you go to Beppu Kitahama or Beppu JR Station, take buses from the bus stop
at the other side (mountain side) of the building, not this side (facing Beppu bay).

Bus stop " Beppu Kotsu Center "

Kamenoi Buses ( Bus Number 16, 16A, 20 ) take you to
the bus stop "Beppu Kitahama (Beppu downtown)" and "Beppu Eki (Beppu JR Station)."

      From "Beppu Kotsu Center " to "Beppu Kitahama", it takes about  8 minutes
      From "Beppu Kotsu Center " to "Beppu JR Station", it takes about 11 minutes.

Oita Kotsu Buses are also available for you.

<On the stretch of both sides of Route 10>

  Route 10 that runs side by side with Beppu Kankoko is a few minutes' walk from
the ferry terminals.



Route10



The sidewalk 

When you walk from Ferry Sunflower terminal toward Beppu
downtown on the side way of Route 10 about 1.5 kilometers,
there are restaurants, stores, a post office and etc. that are
convenient for you, such as.

 

  - Restaurants    :   Ramen noodle shops
                              Udon noodle shop
                               Japanese restaurant
                              Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets) restaurants
                              Gyoza (Chinese meat dumpling) house
                              Curry house , etc.
                                                         

                                     - Bakery
                                     - Cafe
                                     - Convenience store
                                     - Bookstore
                                     - Hundred-yen shop
                                     - Game center ( or video arcade )
                                     - Recycle shop( or second-hand shop)
                                     - Post office
                               



Post office

                                      - Supermarket that opens 24 hours



Supermarket

                                                                                                        (GH)