Beppu, on the island of Kyushu, produces more hot spring water than almost anywhere else on earth. But its most famous attractions are the ones you can’t bathe in: the jigoku, or “Hells”, volcanic ponds and vents far too hot for soaking, each with its own character, colours and sounds. We walked all seven.
The seven hells
Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) is a striking cobalt-blue pond created by a volcanic eruption over a thousand years ago, beautiful and deceptive, since the water sits around 98°C. Oniishibozu Jigoku is a field of bubbling grey mud pools whose smooth domes resemble the shaven heads of Buddhist monks, plopping away in a rhythm of their own.
Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell) is milky-white from natural calcium deposits, set in a traditional garden. At Kamado Jigoku (Cooking Pot Hell), locals traditionally used the steam to cook rice, eggs and vegetables, several pools of different colours and temperatures sit side by side. Oniyama Jigoku is the strangest of the lot: the spring heat is used to house dozens of crocodiles.
Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell) may be the most famous, deep red water coloured by iron oxide, and the oldest recorded jigoku in Japan, mentioned in texts over a thousand years old. Finally Tatsumaki Jigoku (Spout Hell) is a geyser with unusually good manners, erupting reliably every 30–40 minutes.
Walking among the steaming vents and colours that look almost unreal, you feel the raw power sitting under this town. The hells are close to Beppu Station and easy to reach by bus, a perfect stop on any Kyushu itinerary, ideally paired with Yufuin just over the mountains.
If the full walk is more than you've got time for, this is the fast version. A minute through the jigoku of Beppu in Oita Prefecture: the steam, the colours and the landscape that earned the place its nickname. It's the clip to watch if you're still deciding whether the Hells are worth the bus fare. They are.
Photos from Beppu
A couple of stills from our November 2024 walk among the hells, plus the one bit of Beppu hot water you're actually allowed to touch.
There’s more from this trip on our YouTube channel, we film the real sights and sounds, no fluff. You’ll also find us on TikTok and Instagram.