Private Beppu Hot Spring Tour: Umi Jigoku & Kannawa Onsen by Car

Steam-cooked food tastes different when the heat comes from the earth beneath your feet.

A private car tour of Beppu with an English-speaking local guide, including hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off. You visit Umi Jigoku's naturally heated blue springs, explore the historic steam baths and backstreets of Kannawa Onsen, relax around Shidaka Lake, and taste local specialties cooked over geothermal steam. The itinerary adjusts to your interests, and optional experiences like private onsen baths, sound meditation, and vegetarian meals are available. Children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Beppu hot springs and nature

• Visit Umi Jigoku blue hot springs
• Enjoy Japanese sweets at local cafes
• Experience steam-cooked food at Jigoku Mushi Kobo
• Ride ropeway to Tsurumi-dake summit
• Explore historic Kannawa Onsen streets
• Visit bamboo craft workshop
• Relax and walk around Shidaka Lake

The experience

What makes Beppu different from other hot spring towns is how the heat works its way into everything: the food, the air, the rhythm of the day. On this private tour, you move through the town by car with a guide who knows which quiet backstreets hold the best views and where locals actually eat. Pickup happens at your hotel or cruise port, so the logistics are already solved before you step into the car.

The tour builds around three main stops. Umi Jigoku, the "Blue Hell," is a natural hot spring where the water glows an electric blue. The site also has a Japanese garden, a red hot spring pool, and a cafe where you can sit and watch the steam rise. Kannawa Onsen is the historic heart of Beppu's geothermal culture. You walk through narrow streets lined with bathhouses and can try jigoku mushi, the local specialty where vegetables, meat, and rice cook in baskets suspended over natural steam vents. Shidaka Lake, nestled in the mountains outside the busy onsen district, offers a quieter moment: you can walk the shoreline, spot white swans and wild birds, and take in the seasonal landscape without the crowds.

The tour runs between three and six hours depending on what you choose to do. Japanese sweets paired with a hot spring bath, a stop at a scenic mountain viewpoint, or time at a bamboo crafts workshop can all be added. If you want a private onsen bath, sound meditation, or meals built around vegan or vegetarian preferences, those are options too. The guide adjusts the pace and the route to fit what interests you, and because it's private, you're not waiting for other groups or moving faster than you want to.

What’s included

• English-speaking local guide.
• private car pickup and drop-off at your hotel or cruise port.
• access to Umi Jigoku, Kannawa Onsen's historic district, and Shidaka Lake.
• optional private onsen baths, sound meditation, and vegetarian or vegan meal arrangements available at checkout.

Options for this experience

4 options

Best private Beppu tour, 3 hoursUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed time3-hour tour, duration 3 hours depending on the guest's flexibility, Prius or Volkswagen

Half-day private tour, only for youGuide in English · No fixed timeBeppu Ropeway private tour, duration 5 hours, Japanese food, nature and a beautiful location, Volkswagen Up

Private guide only, just for your crewGuide in English · No fixed timePrivate group, lasting 3 hours

Cozy Tour of Hot Spring Beppu Onsen and Blue HellUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed time

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Infant (3 to 11 years): free · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Your_beppu_tour

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move at your own pace and skip the group schedule. The private car and customizable itinerary let you linger at Shidaka Lake if the view holds you, try the steam-cooking workshop if it appeals, or head back early if you've had enough. A guide who knows Beppu's quiet corners and the town's food culture makes the difference between seeing the famous spots and understanding why locals love living here.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (3 to 11 years): free. Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is Umi Jigoku actually like when you get there?

Umi Jigoku is a natural hot spring with water so intensely blue it looks unreal. The site includes a Japanese garden, a red hot spring pool for soaking, a souvenir shop, and a cafe where you can sit and watch the steam and geothermal activity. It's one of Beppu's most photographed spots, but the guide knows the quieter angles and the best times to visit.

Can I actually cook food myself at Kannawa Onsen?

Yes. At the jigoku mushi workshop in Kannawa, you place vegetables, meat, seafood, or rice into baskets and suspend them over natural steam vents to cook. It's a hands-on way to taste Beppu's signature geothermal cuisine and understand how the town's food culture is built around the heat beneath the ground.

How long does the tour take, and can I customize it?

The tour runs between three and six hours depending on what you choose to do. The guide works with your interests. You can add time at Shidaka Lake, visit a bamboo crafts workshop, enjoy Japanese sweets after a bath, or stop at mountain viewpoints. Because it's a private tour, the schedule is yours to shape.

What's included, and what costs extra?

The tour includes the English-speaking guide, hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off, and access to the sites. Entrance fees to Umi Jigoku (about $10 per person), private onsen baths, food experiences like the steam-cooking workshop, and any snacks or drinks are separate. The guide can arrange these as you go.

When is the best time of year to visit Beppu?

Autumn, winter, and spring are ideal. Autumn brings mountain foliage, winter offers crisp air and frost-covered peaks, and spring brings wildflowers. Summer is warm but can be crowded. Each season changes how the landscape looks around Shidaka Lake and from the mountain viewpoints, and the hot springs feel different depending on the weather outside.