When we lived in Tokyo, the idea of a “hot spring getaway” usually meant braving the traffic jams on the Tomei Expressway to get to Hakone, or fighting the crowds on the Romancecar. It was an event. It required spreadsheets.
Since moving to Fukuoka, the hot spring game has changed completely. Oita Prefecture—the “Onsen Prefecture”—is practically in our backyard.
This past weekend, we decided to tackle the two giants of Oita in one go: Beppu and Yufuin. My wife (the planner) wanted the aesthetic calm of Yufuin. My youngest daughter (the wild one) wanted to see “lions and steam.” My eldest daughter (the cautious one) just wanted to make sure we weren’t going to be boiled alive.
We packed the car, loaded up the snacks, and headed east. Here is exactly how we spent 3 days navigating the steam, the safari animals, and the street food, keeping both a kindergartner and an elementary schooler happy.
Day 1: The Steam & The Spectacle (Beppu)
The drive from Fukuoka to Beppu takes about two hours if you don’t hit traffic. We arrived just before lunch, greeted by the sight that never gets old: steam vents rising from the city streets like a scene from a sci-fi movie.
The Hells of Beppu (Jigoku Meguri)
We started with the classics. The “Hells” are viewing onsens—hot springs too hot to bathe in, but perfect for looking at.
“Why is it called Hell?” my eldest asked, clinging to my wife’s hand. She takes things literally. The concept of boiling blue water didn’t scream ‘fun vacation’ to her initially.
We focused on Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) because of its stunning cobalt blue color. It’s spacious, beautiful, and feels more like a manicured garden than a pit of doom. This was a win for the cautious sister. She even enjoyed the foot bath, once she was assured her toes wouldn’t melt.
However, the “Kamado Jigoku” (Cooking Pot Hell) was where the chaos started. The guide there does a little show, blowing smoke over the water to make the steam rise. My youngest, fearlessly, tried to mimic him, nearly climbing the railing to blow on the boiling mud.
“Get down!” I hissed, grabbing the back of her shirt. Beppu is fascinating, but you really have to watch the active kids here.
For a detailed breakdown of which Hells are stroller-friendly and safe for toddlers (because not all of them are!), check out our guide on Beppu Hells Tour with Toddlers: Stroller Tips & Safe Spots.
Check-in: The Vegas of Onsens
By 3:00 PM, we were ready to check in. When staying in Beppu with kids, there is one place that dominates the conversation: Suginoi Hotel.
It is huge. It is loud. It is essentially a cruise ship on land.
My wife usually prefers quiet, boutique ryokans (the kind we used to visit in Kyoto), but she admits that for sheer efficiency, Suginoi is unbeatable. The “Aqua Garden” (an outdoor hot spring where you wear swimsuits) was the highlight. We could all hang out together as a family, watching a laser show while soaking in warm water.
The buffet dinner was a military operation. My wife took the youngest to the kids’ section (nuggets, fries, corn), while I did rounds for sashimi and steak with the eldest.
If you are debating whether this massive hotel is right for your family style, I wrote a very honest review here: Suginoi Hotel Beppu Review: The Ultimate Family Stay in Kyushu.
Day 2: Lions, Tigers, and The Drive to Calm
African Safari (The Jungle Bus)
We woke up early, fueled by the hotel buffet, and headed straight to the mountains.
The African Safari in Oita is unique because you can drive your own car through the animal zones, or take the “Jungle Bus.” We chose the bus.
“I want to feed the lion!” the youngest declared.
The Jungle Bus has wire mesh windows, allowing you to use long tongs to feed meat to lions and bears. When the lion’s breath fogged up the window inches from our faces, my eldest daughter froze. She sat perfectly still, holding her tongs, eyes wide.
Meanwhile, the youngest was practically trying to pet the lion through the cage. “Here kitty, kitty!”
“It’s not a kitty,” I reminded her, pulling her back.
It was a visceral experience. Seeing the animals that close changed the energy of the trip from “relaxing” to “thrilling.” It’s pricey, but for us, it was worth it. We have a full guide on how to get discounts and navigating the bus system here: African Safari Oita with Kids: Jungle Bus Guide & Discount Tips.
The Shift to Yufuin
After the adrenaline of the safari, we drove about 30 minutes inland to Yufuin.
The transition is immediate. Beppu is neon lights, pipes, and large hotels. Yufuin is green mountains, low-rise buildings, and mist.
We checked into a smaller ryokan near Lake Kinrin. The change in pace was palpable. My wife let out a visible sigh of relief. “Finally,” she said. “Quiet.”
We spent the late afternoon just walking around Lake Kinrin. The mist was starting to settle on the water. My eldest daughter loved this. No loud noises, no scary steam vents, just ducks and calm water. She took about fifty photos with her kids’ camera.
Day 3: Eating Our Way Down Yunotsubo Kaido
If Day 1 was for the dad (adventure/weird stuff), and Day 2 was for the kids (animals), Day 3 was for the mom.
Yunotsubo Kaido (Street Food Street)
Yufuin’s main street is lined with boutiques, cafes, and street food stalls. It is pedestrian heaven, though it can get very crowded.
Our strategy was simple: Eat everything.
“I want the Snoopy chocolate,” the eldest said. Yufuin has a dedicated Snoopy Tea House and chocolate shop. It’s beautifully designed, mixing traditional Japanese aesthetics with Peanuts characters.
We grabbed:
- Bungo Beef Croquettes: Piping hot and savory.
- Gold Award Croquettes: We did a taste test. The jury is still out.
- Prit’s Burger: Giant shiitake mushroom burgers (I loved this; the kids, not so much).
- Snoopy Chocolates: The souvenir of choice.
The challenge here with kids is the crowds. The street is narrow. My youngest tried to dart into three different Ghibli stores and a Totoro shop. We had to implement the “hold hands or ride in the stroller” rule, which was met with some resistance.
We have a dedicated post on exactly what we ate (and where to find the bathrooms) here: Yufuin Street Food Guide for Families: Best Snacks Kids Will Love.
The “Tokyo Trauma” vs. Kyushu Reality
Driving home on Sunday afternoon, I braced myself for the traffic jam. In our old life in Tokyo, returning from a weekend trip meant sitting on the highway for hours, creeping along at 10km/h while the kids screamed in the back.
Here? We hit a little bit of slowdown near Dazaifu, but we were home in Fukuoka by 5:00 PM. We had dinner at our own table.
“That was easy,” I said, unloading the car.
“I liked the lion,” the youngest said. “I liked the Snoopy chocolate,” the eldest said. “I liked that we didn’t sit in traffic for four hours,” my wife said.
Practical Tips for Parents
- Car vs. Train: While you can do this trip by train (The Yufuin no Mori is iconic), with two kids and luggage, having a car was essential for us, especially for getting between the Hells in Beppu and driving up to the Safari.
- Strollers: Beppu is hilly. Yufuin is flat but crowded. We brought our lightweight travel stroller and used it mostly in Yufuin to contain the youngest.
- Crowd Control: Yufuin shuts down early. Most shops close by 5:00 PM. Eat lunch early (11:00 AM) to avoid the lines.
- Planning: If you are trying to figure out how this fits into a larger Kyushu trip, or want to see other options, check out our pillar guide: Kyushu Family Itineraries: The Complete Guide to Planning Your 3 to 7-Day Trip.
More Oita Guides
If you are planning to spend more time in Oita, there is so much more than just these two towns. We pulled a lot of our planning ideas from our broader guide to the prefecture:
Beppu and Yufuin offer two completely different sides of Japan within a 30-minute drive of each other. The chaos and the calm. For our family, getting a taste of both was the perfect weekend balance.