Beppu, Hot spring resort city in Oita Prefecture, Japan
Beppu is a city on Kyushu island at the western end of Beppu Bay with more than three thousand thermal springs spread across the urban area. The landscape shifts between densely built neighborhoods in the valley and forested slopes where steam rises from many spots.
The area became a health resort during the Kamakura period when samurai used the thermal waters for recovery and rehabilitation. In the twentieth century the city grew as railway connections expanded, drawing travelers from other parts of Japan.
The name Kannawa comes from a time when steam from the springs was used to cook food, a technique still practiced in some local restaurants today. Visitors can hear the bubbling and hissing of thermal vents while plumes of steam rise constantly around the streets.
Direct train connections reach Beppu Station from larger Japanese cities, while Oita Airport handles international arrivals. Many thermal districts lie within walking distance of each other, though city buses link the more distant neighborhoods.
The Jigoku Meguri circuit displays seven natural thermal pools with temperatures near boiling point, where water appears in different colors depending on mineral content. Visitors also watch regular geyser eruptions that shoot water several meters into the air.
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