The ride from Fukuoka to Beppu Jigoku was pretty uneventful. At one point, Fafa asked me, “What’s in Beppu again?” and I told him we were going to the Beppu Seven Hells hot springs, which sounded a bit scary, even if it’s a bit gimmicky. I had no idea what to expect, but I packed the small towels we got from Kinosaki Onsen, just in case.
For some reason, I thought Beppu Jigoku’s seven “hells” would all be side by side, but they’re actually spread out around the area.
Kamado Jigoku, the Meanest Hell of Beppu Jigoku
The first one we visited was Kamado Jigoku, complete with a very mean-looking hell guard.
We did a few things there, including seeing the bright blue hot spring pool, the foot pool, and the hot steam shooting mud pool, which reminded me of Rotorua, but my favourite was the face steam. I tried it and genuinely felt a whole block of tension leave my body, despite the snowy -1 °C weather. It felt incredible, especially after being low-key sick for weeks.
Another fun, memorable activity was sipping 80 °C spring water that tasted rich in minerals. A small cup is enough experience for this lifetime.
I also loved the onsen eggs, eaten with their special green soy sauce—so good. Sad that I didn’t get to try the famous pudding, I had to skip it as the que in the shop was too long. I also regret not buying the soy sauce and volcanic face mask. But I managed to stamp my journal and got the Beppu Jigoku hell guard sticker sheet from the gift shop.
Umi Jigoku the Bluest Hell of Beppu Jigoku
Then we moved on to the second one, which had a less intimidating-looking hell guard. This place was bigger and more serene, with a bigger gift shop. This location was larger, with a bigger gift shop to explore. I picked up some bath salts and wandered around the area. I also added another sticker to my collection.
I also got another onsen egg, and I’m convinced they all taste slightly different depending on the hot spring water. This one, though, wasn’t as good. Meanwhile, Fafa got a blue beer, which tasted interesting too—how often can you say you’ve had blue beer?
Lastly, I offered a small prayer at the shrine in Umi Jigoku, leaving a coin as an offering and wishing for more happy travels and meaningful journeys throughout the year.
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Now that I’ve seen two out of the Beppu Jigoku seven hells, I kind of want to come back for the other five—just like I did when I covered all the onsens in Kinosaki Onsen.
I’m grateful to be able to go to “hell,” have the best time, and come back to write about it. Lucky me.
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