eBike Tour: Beppu's Secret Hells & Hot Spring Wonders

his former tourist hotspot is now entirely reclaimed by nature. Despite sitting completely hidden from the public eye, its volcanic heart still beats, with scalding hot spring water visibly gushing and steaming out into the quiet forest air every single second.

These unique, triangular thatched-roof huts utilise a specialised Edo-period technique to cultivate 'yu-no-hana' ('hot spring flowers') - highly prized, therapeutic mineral crystals naturally grown by trapping rising volcanic steam against local clay. Walking among these historic, steaming huts feels like stepping straight back into traditional, rural Japan.

Perched high in the sulphur-scented hills of the Myoban district, this legendary establishment is world-famous for its 'Jigoku-mushi' - ('hell-steamed') puddings. Handcrafted using the intense, natural volcanic steam of the local springs, this rich, velvety caramel custard offers a delightfully bittersweet treat paired with unparalleled panoramic views of the steaming valley below.

The original, historical 'Mud Hell' that tells a gripping and tragic story. Frequently bypassed by mainstream tourists who confuse it with a more commercialised site nearby, this powerful geothermic park marks the exact spot of a catastrophic underground volcanic explosion in 1567. The violent eruption entirely consumed a local Buddhist temple and its monks alive, leaving behind massive, roaring pools of boiling grey mud that still bubble with immense, raw power.

The undisputed, breathtaking crown jewel of Beppu’s modern geothermal wonders. Designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty, this magnificent 'Sea Hell' features a colossal, boiling pool of mesmerising, cobalt-blue water created by natural iron sulphate minerals deep underground. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped spacious gardens and dramatic plumes of thick white steam, it stands as the ultimate, vivid symbol of the city's volcanic majesty.