Yufuin Onsen
由布院温泉
A hot-spring destination where the bath itself is the sightseeing.
What this place is
Yufuin Onsen (由布院温泉, Yufuin Onsen) is an extensive hot spring system in the city of Yufu, Ōita Prefecture, Japan.Yufuin is famous for natural hot springs (温泉, onsen), resulting in a local economy based on domestic tourism, gift shops and hot-spring bathing.Some onsen are available to day tourists, but many are strictly for overnight guests.There are also sentō, which are the traditional public baths used by locals.One of these, the Shitanyu, can be used by tourists, while the others are for use by local residents only.Located in a green valley beneath the spectacular Mount Yufu (由布岳, Yufudake), a short walk from the town centre is a mix of paddy fields, housing and upmarket ryokan, with a few temples.Mount Yufu, or Yufu-dake, can be hiked in about 90 minutes.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Mineral-rich water that locals have soaked in for generations — each source has its own temperature, colour and smell.
- A bathing town you can wander in a yukata, with steam drifting between wooden inns and public baths.
- Open-air rotenburo tubs framed by mountains, river valleys or the sea, which change completely with the season.
What you can do here
- Take a day-use bath (higaeri onsen) even without staying overnight — most inns open their baths in the afternoon.
- Try the free foot baths (ashiyu) dotted around town for a quick warm-up between stops.
- Buy a bath-hopping pass and compare two or three different sources in one afternoon.
- Eat the local onsen specialities — steam-cooked eggs, puddings and vegetables sold near the sources.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
Getting there by public transport
Good to know before you go
- Wash and rinse at the shower stations before entering the tub; the bath water is shared.
- Some traditional baths still restrict tattoos — look for tattoo-friendly inns or private family baths (kashikiri).
- Bring a small towel; larger bath towels are usually rented or sold at the counter.
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