Beppu Onsen Hells
Beppu, Japan
- Location
- Beppu, Japan
- Water type
- sodium chloride, calcium-rich, bicarbonate
- Temperature
- 45 °C
- pH
- 7
Water profile
Thermicity
Sedative
LowHigh
Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.
Mineralisation
Restorative
LowHigh
Loaded with major ions — the essential minerals (Ca, Mg).
Buoyancy
Effortless float
LowHigh
Dense, salty water — you float without effort.
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In Beppu's Kannawa district, the 'Jigoku' — literally 'Hells' — have steamed and bubbled for over a thousand years. Too fierce to approach, these geysers of scalding water and gas were long avoided by locals, who believed the ground itself was cursed. Local legend credits the 13th-century monk Ippen Shonin with calming these 'hells' and laying the foundations of the Kannawa hot spring resort.
Insider tip — The 'jigoku' (hells) are spectacular coloured boiling springs — one cobalt blue, one blood red — meant to be admired, not bathed in. To actually soak, try a nearby hotel onsen or a sand bath (sunamushi), where you're buried up to your neck in naturally heated volcanic sand. The tour of all 7 hells is easily done by bus.
Nearby
Frequently asked questions
How hot is the water?
The water runs quite hot here, around 45 °C — a sedative water that brings immediate muscle release.
What type of water is found here?
This spot features sodium chloride & calcium-rich & bicarbonate water.
What is the best season to visit?
The most favourable period for this spot is: Toute l'année.