Beppu Without a Car: Jigoku Mushi Cooking, Beppu Tower & Global Tower

After staying at

Galleria Midobaru

the night before,

we checked out and spent a full day sightseeing around Beppu.

We had already explored the

Beppu Hells,

and on this day we visited three more attractions:

Beppu Tower, Jigoku Mushi steam cooking in Kannawa, and Global Tower.

We were able to travel between them by local bus,

so the transportation costs were reasonable

and we did not need to rent a car.

The photo above shows the hand bath at Beppu Station.

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Leave Your Suitcase at Beppu Station Before Sightseeing

Galleria Midobaru is located on a hillside

and is some distance from Beppu Station,

so we first took a taxi to the station.

Beppu Station has coin lockers large enough to store bigger suitcases,

which was very convenient for sightseeing.

Payment by IC card was also available when we visited.

 

If you want to explore Beppu without carrying your luggage,

leaving your suitcase at Beppu Station is a good option.

At the time of our visit,

a large locker cost

¥800.

 

※Locker prices and payment methods may change.

Beppu Tower｜Panoramic Views over Beppu City and Beppu Bay

Our first sightseeing stop was

Beppu Tower.

I had previously visited Tsutenkaku in Osaka

and enjoyed seeing how observation towers reflect the character of each city,

so I was curious about Beppu Tower too.

Beppu Tower opened in

1957.

The tower is approximately

100 meters high,

and the observation area offers

360-degree views of Beppu city and Beppu Bay.

At the time of our visit,

admission was:

• Adults: ¥800
• Junior high and high school students: ¥600
• Children age 4 through elementary school: ¥400
• Children age 3 and under: Free

※Admission fees may change.

At the observation deck,

visitors could also take photos

with a Beppu Tower plush toy.

There was also an exhibition area introducing the history of Beppu Tower.

And unexpectedly,

we even saw baseball memorabilia on display.

It was funny to come all the way to Oita

and suddenly find something related to Shohei Ohtani.

This is the view from Beppu Tower.

We could see

Beppu Bay

stretching out in front of us.

After enjoying the view,

we stopped at the nearby Tokiwa Department Store

and then took a bus toward

Kannawa.

Taking a Local Bus to Kannawa

From the bus stop near Tokiwa Department Store,

we took a local bus toward Kannawa.

This is the area where

Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa

is located.

We boarded a bus bound for

Kannawa.

Suica and PASMO can be convenient for local transportation where accepted,

especially if you already use them while traveling in Japan.

For overseas visitors,

it is a good idea to check current payment options

before boarding.

We arrived at

Ideyu-zaka,

where Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa is located.

The restaurant is on the right-hand side.

Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa｜Steam Cooking with Geothermal Heat

Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa

is a popular place,

so it can get busy.

When we visited,

the wait was around

30 minutes.

First,

you choose the ingredients you want to steam.

There were vegetables,

meat,

seafood,

eggs,

steamed buns,

and other options.

I liked being able to choose exactly what we wanted.

We selected

a seafood set, buttered mushrooms, and eggs.

After choosing the ingredients,

we registered and waited for our turn.

Explore the Steam-Filled Streets While You Wait

Rather than sitting inside for 30 minutes,

we walked to nearby

Otani Park

to see Beppu’s famous geothermal steam up close.

Steam rose continuously from the ground.

It felt like the kind of scenery you can only see in a hot spring town like Beppu.

After that,

we visited the footbath next to Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa.

It was

free to use

when we visited.

The water felt pleasantly warm,

and after sitting there for a short time

I felt completely relaxed.

Towels were also available for purchase nearby.

We also found places where steam rose directly beside the road.

Nearby,

there was also the

Ippen Yukake Shonin

statue.

Visitors pour hot spring water over the part of the statue corresponding to an area they want to pray for.

I poured some over the head.

It was another unusual experience

that felt unique to Beppu’s hot spring culture.

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Our Jigoku Mushi Steam Cooking Experience

Before we knew it,

30 minutes had passed

and it was time for our

Jigoku Mushi cooking experience.

The geothermal steam was extremely hot!

The ingredients are placed inside a steam chamber

and cooked for around

15 minutes.

This was the finished food.

It looked delicious～～!

The food was moist,

perfectly steamed,

and very tasty.

We ate it with salt

and ponzu sauce.

The sweet potato was especially good,

with a naturally sweet flavor.

Because the cooking method uses steam rather than heavy frying,

it also felt like a lighter meal.

Visitors of many different ages were enjoying the experience,

from families with children

to older travelers.

The mushrooms were especially delicious!

If you visit Beppu,

I highly recommend trying

Jigoku Mushi geothermal steam cooking.

Global Tower｜Panoramic Views over Beppu

After enjoying the steam cooking,

we took another bus to

Global Tower.

The Kannawa bus stop has a comfortable waiting area,

which was nice between sightseeing stops.

The closest stop for Global Tower is

B-Con Plaza-mae.

After around 17 minutes on the bus,

we arrived.

This is

Global Tower.

Its shape is very distinctive.

The tower is located within the B-Con Plaza complex in Beppu

and stands approximately

124 meters high.

From the observation deck,

around 100 meters above ground,

you can enjoy panoramic views of

Beppu city,

Beppu Bay,

and Mount Tsurumi.

The distinctive design was created by architect

Arata Isozaki.

This is the view from Global Tower.

It gives you a different perspective from Beppu Tower,

and we could even see Beppu Tower from here.

 

For a wide panoramic view of the entire Beppu area, I personally preferred Global Tower.

This is the view toward the mountains.

Seeing the landscape from above

made me realize how large the surrounding mountains really are.

We could also see steam rising from different parts of the city,

which made the view feel unmistakably Beppu.

At the time of our visit,

admission was:

• Adults (high school age and over): ¥300
• Elementary and junior high school students: ¥200

The low admission price was another nice surprise.

※Admission fees may change.

After visiting Global Tower,

we stopped at a stylish Starbucks

for a break.

It was a full but very enjoyable day in Beppu.

Beppu Without a Car｜Our One-Day Route

This day showed us that

Beppu is surprisingly easy to explore without renting a car.

Our route included:

• Beppu Station
• Beppu Tower
• Kannawa
• Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa
• Global Tower

Using local buses between attractions

kept the day relatively simple.

The highlights for us were

the panoramic city views

and

the hands-on Jigoku Mushi cooking experience.

If you are traveling in your 60s or beyond,

being able to move between major attractions by bus

can also reduce the physical strain of sightseeing.

And because Kannawa itself is filled with steam,

footbaths,

and traditional hot spring culture,

the journey between attractions is part of the experience.