Beppu Private City Tour: Customized Itinerary with English Guide

Build your own Beppu day instead of following someone else's schedule

A private guided tour of Beppu with a dedicated English-speaking local guide and air-conditioned vehicle, lasting around 5 hours and visiting 3–4 attractions you choose from the city's geothermal sites, hot spring districts, and viewpoints. The itinerary is customized to your pace and interests, and the guide provides insider knowledge of the city and Oita Prefecture. Admission fees to individual attractions are separate. Onsen entry and meals are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Beppu's geothermal and cultural sites

• Visit Chinoike Jigoku red hot spring
• Ascend Yukemuri Observatory for views
• Discover Umi Jigoku blue hot spring
• Stroll through Kannawa hot spring district
• Observe monkeys at Takasakiyama Garden
• Enjoy views from Jumonjibaru Observatory
• Relax with traditional Onsen experience

The experience

What sets this tour apart is the flexibility built into it. Instead of a fixed route, you work with your guide to pick which attractions matter to you, whether that's Chinoike Jigoku with its striking red, iron-rich waters, the cobalt-blue expanse of Umi Jigoku, or the wild Japanese macaques at Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden. The guide knows which stops fit together geographically and which times of day work best for each one, so you're not wasting time backtracking or arriving when crowds peak.

The vehicle stays with you throughout, which opens up sites that are awkward or impossible to reach on public transit. Yukemuri Observatory and Jumonjibaru Observatory both sit on elevated ground with sweeping views of Beppu Bay and the city below. The guide can time your arrival to catch the light you want. Kannawa, the historic hot spring district where steam rises constantly from the ground, is walkable but easier to explore when you're not managing luggage or figuring out which direction to go next. Your guide speaks English and knows the neighborhoods as a local, so you get the kind of detail (which shops sell the best local crafts, where to stand for the best photographs, what the geothermal activity actually means) that a map or a standard tour script never covers.

The tour runs around 5 hours, which gives you time to linger at sites without feeling rushed. You'll cover 3 to 4 attractions depending on what you choose and how long you spend at each one. Admission to the "Hells" (the geothermal hot spring sites), entry to the zoological garden, and any onsen experience are booked and paid separately. The tour price covers the guide, the vehicle, fuel, highway tolls, and parking for the day.

What’s included

• Customized itinerary tailored to your interests and pace.
• English-speaking local guide with insider knowledge of Beppu and Oita Prefecture.
• air-conditioned private vehicle for the full tour.
• fuel, highway tolls, and parking fees as part of the agreed itinerary.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide-driven carUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English or Japanese · No fixed timeDuration: 5 hours. Private car with a guide at the wheel; the car holds up to 5 passengers. Pickup is included.

Chartered van for 6-8 peopleUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English or Japanese · No fixed timeDuration: 5 hours. A private van is hired together with a driver. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Kyushu Immersion

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to build your own day instead of following a fixed schedule. The private guide and vehicle let you linger at the sites that matter to you (whether that's watching steam rise in Kannawa or catching the light at an observatory) without waiting for a group or skipping stops because the itinerary says so.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

17 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

What are the "Hells" in Beppu and why do they have that name?

Beppu's "Hells" are geothermal hot spring sites with boiling water and distinctive colors caused by minerals in the water. Chinoike Jigoku, the oldest, glows red from iron-rich clay. Umi Jigoku appears cobalt blue and resembles a vast sea. They're called "Hells" because of their dramatic, otherworldly appearance: the intense heat and colors make them look like something from another realm. Each one has its own character and surrounding gardens or amenities.

Can I see the wild monkeys at Takasakiyama, and what's involved in visiting?

Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden is home to over 1,000 wild Japanese macaques that roam freely in a mountain setting. You observe them in their natural habitat up close, watching their behaviors without barriers. Admission to the garden is separate from the tour price, and your guide can advise on the best time to visit and what to expect when you arrive.

How much time do I spend at each stop, and can I skip any attractions?

You choose which 3 to 4 attractions to visit from the available sites, and your guide tailors the day to your pace. Some travelers spend more time at one location while skipping another entirely. Others move through several stops in a single afternoon. The guide helps you plan the sequence and timing so you see what matters to you without feeling rushed or wasting time in transit.

Is the onsen experience included, or do I need to arrange it separately?

A traditional onsen (hot spring bath) experience is available as an optional addition to your tour, arranged with your guide. The bath itself, towel rental, and any entry fees are separate from the tour price and booked at checkout if you want to include it.

What's the difference between the two tour options at checkout?

You can book the tour for a group of 6–8 people in a chartered van with a driving guide and car, or choose the same private tour format for a smaller group. Both include the English-speaking guide, customized itinerary, and air-conditioned vehicle. The difference is group size and vehicle type. Pick the option that matches your party size.