Beppu has the largest yield of onsen in Japan and  the world's second-largest volume of hot spring discharge - only Yellowstone Park can boast of more. You can enjoy an featured scenery up on a hill - thousands of wisps of steam wafting from the city as there are more than 2500 springheads in this city! 

• Type of Onsens:

This onsen city Beppu has 10 types of onsen each featuring different quality on onsen. The major 8 onsen area named Beppu Onsen, Kannawa Onsen, Myoban Onsen, Kankaiji Onsen, Hamawaki Onsen, Kamegawa Onsen, Horita Onsen and Shibaseki Onsen, together they are known as 'Beppu Hatto' (8 hot spring areas of Beppu).

Other then the typical onsen water bath, you can enjoy various modes of onsen bath in Beppu like 'Open-air Sand Bath' (buried in naturally heated sand at the seaside) in Kamegawa Onsen, 'Hot Steam Bath' (heated by the steam of onsen) in Kannawa Onsen and Shibaseki Onsen, as well as 'Mud Bath' in Myoben Onsen.

• Things to Do:

Aside from enjoying different types of onsen in Beppu, there are a lot of things to do. The must-go activity is the mysterious hot springs called Beppu Jigoku. They are onsens for viewing than bathing. Because of the fuming gas and steaming hot water in this area,  people were fear to came and thought it was an accursed land, so it  is called Jigoku or Hell.

The king of Jigoku is Umi-jigoku which is in a beautiful crystal-clear cobalt blue color. Steams gushing out as the temperature can be as high as 98 degree celsius. You can try some famous onsen eggs and Jigoku pudding cooked by the steam of this Jigoku.  Foot steam bath 'Ashiyu' is free to enjoy here.

Another famous Jigoku is Chinoike Jigoku - Blood Pond Hell. It is the oldest Jigoku in Japan with bloody red boiling water because of the high iron contents. A famous ointment made of the red clay from here is said to be effective for skin diseases.

Oniishi Bozu Jigoku is a lovely or terrifying one as oniishi means shaven heads. The bubbling hot gray mud looks like the shaven heads of Buddhist monks.

Tatsumaki Jigoku is geyser rarely found in Japan. Boiling water and steam gush out every 30-40 minutes. 

• Suggested Ryokans:

A full range of onsen ryokans from simple to luxury stay. Here are some of the best onsen hotels: