Begin your journey at the entrance area of Umi Jigoku, where you will step through the historic Nagayamon-style gate and enter one of Beppu’s most famous geothermal gardens, known for its vivid cobalt-blue hot spring pond created by naturally heated mineral-rich water.
As you walk from the smaller features such as Akaike Jigoku toward the main viewing areas, your guide explains why hot springs emerged so abundantly in Beppu, how geothermal water has been used in daily life and local industries, and why onsen culture holds a special place in Japanese society—not only as relaxation, but as a long-established social custom connected to health, etiquette, and regional identity.
At Umi Jigoku, enjoy key highlights such as the dramatic steaming pond itself, scenic viewpoints, and the atmospheric Shiraike Inari shrine, allowing you to appreciate both the raw power of nature and the carefully shaped landscape created for visitors. You will also have time to visit GALLERY AO, adding a contemporary cultural touch that contrasts beautifully with the primal geothermal scenery and reinforcing that Beppu is not only a hot spring town, but also a place where tradition and creativity coexist.
From there, continue on foot to Oniishibozu Jigoku, where bubbling gray mud pools rise and burst like living sculptures, offering a strikingly different geothermal expression from the blue waters of Umi Jigoku. Here, your guide highlights the science behind the mud’s movement, the meaning of the site’s name, and how Beppu’s “hells” are not places of fear but natural spectacles that have been observed, interpreted, and eventually opened to visitors as part of a unique local heritage.
Finally, walk to Shiraike Jigoku, a calmer and more refined garden setting whose pale blue pond is famous for its serene beauty, and where the atmosphere shifts from dramatic eruption to quiet contemplation. As you explore, see how each “hell” tells a different story through color, texture, sound, and temperature, and how these geothermal environments influenced Beppu’s development into one of Japan’s most celebrated hot spring destinations.
For added convenience, this experience is available in two meeting options: a local on-site meeting near the Umi Jigoku area for those already in the Kannawa district, and a Beppu Station departure option where you meet your guide near Beppu Station and travel together by local bus to the start of the tour, making it easy to join even if you are staying in central Beppu.
