Heaven in the Hells of Beppu

Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell)
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The first photo I ever saw before coming to Japan was a picture of Chinoike Jigoku (blood pond hell), a steaming lake of red-colored clay and geothermally heated water. I never knew I was a closet geologist though until I went to see the real thing for myself. To me, a person born and raised in volcano and earthquake country, this was weird and wonderful stuff.

But the hells too hot to bathe in, though interesting to look at, are nothing compared to the endless variety of baths to enjoy from the inside. Beppu has everything for the spa enthusiast: from the lavish indoor ocean of the Sugino Hotel to the primitive thatched-roof shacks of Yu No Sato up in the Myoban hills area. There's a whole subculture of bathers here too, mostly elderly, who truly believe a daily dip in the hotsprings is the key to a long, healthy life. One of my favorite things to do when I'm here is just jump from bath to bath, asking the locals along the way what their favorite picks are. I can't think of any better way to truly connect with Japan's history and culture than to soak, chat and laugh with complete strangers in a 200-year old bath house.

I can't think of any better way to truly connect with Japan's history...

A Taste of the Tackiness at the Hell Tours
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Three of my favorite hotspring facilities are: 1) the ecclectic tile bath in Nagami Honkan Hotel near Takegawara Onsen, 2) the Korean spa-inspired saunas and newly remodeled rotemburo of Ebisu-ya Onsen in Myoban and 3) the "hidden" mudbath of Kodei Onsen in front of the original "Bozu Jigoku" hells (it's only open until noon, though). I tend to go for facilities that are either really old with lots of wooden, natural charm, or clean modern country-style spas that harmonize with the natural surroundings using lots of rocks and creative coloring.

Beppu Hell Poster
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Most of the touristy parts of Beppu are definitely tacky as the guidebooks say, but if you wander past into the quiet, flower-laden neighborhoods and peaceful mountainside, you'll be pleasantly surprised. I went to nearby Yufuin, another onsen town so heavily promoted and hyped up lately that it even has its own NHK drama. But the town was so full of fashionable high-heel clad beauty queens that I thought I was in Harajuku, Tokyo, not in Japan's underbelly. Beppu, on the other hand, looks and feels like its glory days have already passed, perpetually stuck in the seventies so it doesn't attract the young, cool crowds anymore. In that respect, Beppu's tackiness is part of its appeal and makes for a relaxing, uncrowded, unintimidating and fun place for a foreigner to spend time without the rude giggles and comments from behind. I always feel very comfortable in Beppu. I've since been here 6 times and hope to be back many more.