Jigoku Meguri: Beppu’s circuit of boiling hot springs

Jigoku Meguri in Beppu is a sightseeing circuit of dramatic hot springs where water, mud and steam turn an onsen town into a gallery of geothermal extremes. In the Kannawa and Shibaseki districts on Kyushu, the route links a series of “hells” whose colours, textures and temperatures are striking even in a country that knows hot springs well. Jigoku Meguri focuses not on bathing but on the spectacle of pools and vents driven by the volcanic energy beneath Oita Prefecture.

Boiling ponds and mud pits: the “hells” of Beppu

Jigoku Meguri is the Japanese name given to the collection of “hells” in Beppu, a group of hot springs shaped into individual sites with their own pools and layouts. The circuit concentrates in the Kannawa and Shibaseki neighbourhoods of Beppu City in Oita Prefecture on Kyushu, an area where geothermal activity breaks the surface in many places.Jigoku Meguri is the Japanese name of the eight hells Each hell is arranged as a compact park, with paths, viewpoints and planted areas set around the water or mud.

The most widely known hells include Umi Jigoku, Oniishibozu Jigoku, Shiraike Jigoku, Kamado Jigoku, Oniyama Jigoku, Chinoike Jigoku, Tatsumaki Jigoku and Yama Jigoku.Umi Jigoku, Kamado Jigoku, Chinoike Jigoku, Oniyama Jigoku, Oniishi Bozu Jigoku, Tatsumaki Jigoku, Shiraike Jigoku and Yama Jigoku Together they form a route that visitors can follow as a single outing through contrasting types of geothermal landscape.The tourist course that includes seven of the hells is known as Beppu Jigoku Meguri

Colour, steam and spectacle at individual hells

Umi Jigoku, or “Sea Hell”, centres on a main pool whose water appears milky blue, edged by gardens and secondary ponds.Umi Jigoku is described as having milky blue waters In contrast, Chinoike Jigoku is known for a reddish pond sometimes called a blood-coloured hell, its surface tinted by mineral-rich mud brought to the surface by the heat.Chinoike Jigoku is associated with a dramatic red blood pond Between these extremes lie white-toned Shiraike Jigoku and the shifting grey mud of Oniishibozu Jigoku, where bubbles form in rounded patterns.

Some hells incorporate additional elements alongside the hot springs themselves. Oniyama Jigoku, also known as Wani Jigoku, combines its steaming pond with enclosures that house crocodiles and alligators.Oniyama Jigoku is described as a reptile farm with many crocodiles Tatsumaki Jigoku is built around a geyser that erupts at regular intervals, sending water and steam up from a vent framed by stone seating and simple structures.Tatsumaki Jigoku is noted as the only hell with a spouting geyser

Beppu’s onsen town seen through its “hell tour”

Beppu is known across Japan for its concentration of onsen, with natural hot water feeding numerous public baths, hotels and ryokan; Jigoku Meguri presents another side of that geothermal wealth. In the Kannawa group of hells, sites such as Umi Jigoku, Oniishibozu Jigoku, Shiraike Jigoku and Kamado Jigoku sit within walking distance of each other, sharing streets lined with steam vents, bathhouses and local shops.Several hells cluster in Kannawa to the north-west of Beppu Station The Shibaseki group, with Chinoike and Tatsumaki Jigoku, lies further north, giving the circuit a sense of progression through the outskirts of the city.Chinoike and Tatsumaki Jigoku are located in the Shibaseki district

The hells themselves are not used for bathing, as their temperatures and mineral concentrations are far beyond normal onsen conditions.The Hells of Beppu are described as hot springs for viewing rather than bathing Instead, Jigoku Meguri offers an organised way to see the more extreme expressions of Beppu’s hot water, with pools, mud pits, geysers and steam plumes framed in compact grounds. The circuit reflects how the city has incorporated its geothermal conditions into both everyday life and sightseeing.

Visiting Jigoku Meguri: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Jigoku Meguri lies in the Kannawa and Shibaseki districts of Beppu, in Oita Prefecture on Kyushu Island in southern Japan. Beppu is reached by rail and road connections across Kyushu, and local buses run from Beppu Station towards the hells.
• The hells are arranged as small parks and compounds rather than hiking terrain, but paths can include steps, short slopes and areas of damp ground near the pools, so footwear with good grip is appropriate.
• The Kannawa group of hells sit close together, while the Shibaseki group lies further north; moving between the two areas involves a short journey along public roads by bus or other transport.
• The official language is Japanese and the currency is the yen.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Jigoku Meguri

Where is Jigoku Meguri located?

Jigoku Meguri is in Beppu City in Oita Prefecture on Kyushu, with the hells grouped in the Kannawa and Shibaseki districts on the urban fringe.

What can visitors expect on a circuit of the hells?

A visit to Jigoku Meguri centres on viewing hot spring ponds, mud pits and steam vents, arranged as compact parks with paths, planted areas and simple facilities.

What makes Jigoku Meguri distinctive among Japanese onsen towns?

Jigoku Meguri emphasises the visual drama of extreme hot springs, including coloured pools, bubbling mud and a geyser, rather than the bathing experience that defines many other onsen areas.