| Ōita (大分 (ja)) | |
 | |
| Mount Tsurumi at Beppu. | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kyushu |
| Regional capital | Ōita |
| Area | 6 340,71 km² |
| Population | 1 121 589 hab. () |
| Density | 176,89 inhab./km² |
| Spindle | UTC 09:00, Japan Standard Time |
| Location | |
&groups=aller,circuler,voir,faire,acheter,manger,sortir,loger,ville,destination,diplomatie,masque,around,buy,city,do,drink,eat,go,listing,other,see,sleep,vicinity,view,black,blue,brown,chocolate,forestgreen,gold,gray,grey,lime,maroon,mediumaquamarine,navy,red,royalblue,silver,steelblue,teal,fuchsia) 33 ° 14 ′ 24 ″ N 131 ° 36 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
Ōita is a prefecture japanese located on the island of Kyushu.
Understand
The onsens! This is certainly what this prefecture is famous for, but there is much more to see, from ancient Buddhist images to theme parks. With a much more laid back atmosphere compared to the big cities of Honshū, this is a good place to dive into rural Japan and think outside the box.
In addition to the official tourist site, that of the prefecture has a page (in English) also devoted to tourism.
Cities
- 1 Ōita (大分) – The capital of the prefecture and a hub of the region. It also offers plenty of bars and clubs grouped together in the Myakomachi district. It's also a good place to try the famous local mugi shōchū (a barley-based brandy) and a great opportunity to meet the friendly locals.
- 2 Beppu (別 府) – The showy and sumptuous capital of hot springs in Japan. On the contrary, the secret mountain onsens of Myōban allow a serene escape in a spectacular setting. Strangely enough, among the abundant onsens is a sex museum. Close by is the excellent Umi Tamago Aquarium showing everything from everything: walruses, local fish species and sea otters playing basketball! Next to it is the Takasakiyama monkey park. Close to Beppu also one of the only safari parks in Japan. Complete it all by going to a 1950s dance club ...
- 3 Yufuin (湯 布 院) – This is the antidote to Beppu, a stylish trendy place for onsen, and also to shop for local crafts. Nearby is the scenic Mount Yufu (由 布岳 Yufudake) which offers great hikes and beautiful views. Between Yufuin and Beppu is the picturesque traditional onsen market town of Yunohira. Set in mountains covered with dense forests, this is a great place to escape the crowds and get a taste of the Japanese countryside.
- 4 Hiji (日出) – A cozy little town with picturesque castle ruins and lovely views over Beppu Bay. Nearby, the Harmonyland theme park is a good place to keep young and old alike.
- 5 Hita (日 田) – A small town to the west, with onsens, festivals and the Sapporo brewery. The Gion district of Hita is described as the mini-Kyoto of Kyūshū.
- 6 Nakatsu (中 津) – A town on the Fukuoka-Ōita border, famous for being the birthplace of Fuzukawa Yukichi, a famous educator depicted on the 10 000 JPY. Near his birthplace is Nakatsu Castle. The nearby Yabekai Gorge features onsens, water sports like water skiing, ice skating in the winter, and ancient, hand-carved, natural caves you can drive or walk through.
- 7 USA (宇佐) – Usa's extensive sanctuary complex is a great place to relax and appreciate the history of the millennial shrines. In Ajimu you can taste the local wine for free and play golf.
- 8 Bungo Takada (豊 後 高田) – The astonishing Fuki-ji, the oldest wooden structure in Kyūshū and one of the oldest in Japan, is worth a visit. The nearby Taizo-ji has famous uneven steps. This city has good access to the Kunisaki Peninsula and its famous Buddhist sculptures.
- 9 Bungo-ōno (豊 後 大野) – Halfway between Aso-san and Ōita town are plenty of waterfalls, beautiful river pools, and vast limestone caves for you to explore.
- 10 Saiki (佐伯) – A fishing town in the south of the prefecture. Beautiful sunsets and exceptional restaurants with seafood and the best sashimi. Some of Japan's best beaches are nearby.
- 11 Usuki (臼杵) – A beautiful coastal town with a castle, famous for its many ancient stone Buddhas carved into rock walls at 4 km downtown.
- 12 Kitsuki
- 13 Tsukumi
Other destinations
- Kujū District – It is Kyūshū's rugged countryside, with mountains, wilderness and horseback riding. Also has one of the only ski resorts in Kyushu.
- Kunisaki Peninsula – Close to the airport this region offers excellent hiking trails and the largest stone Buddha in Japan: Dainichi Buddha, 6 m from above.
To speak
To go
By plane
Located approximately 40 km northeast of Beppu, Ōita Airport is the prefecture's main commercial airport and has daily connections to and from Tokyo, Osaka (Itami and Kansai) and Nagoya, both by JAL and ANA, as well only one international flight to Seoul in South Korea with Korean Air.
The journey between the airport and the surrounding towns is by bus and hovercraft, as there is no railway line. The bus takes approximately 45 and 60 min towards Beppu and Ōita. The hovercraft ride is significantly faster, taking only 25 min, and passengers at a pier in Ōita, just east of the Ōita River.
By train
Three JR Kyūshū train lines pass through Ōita station, located in the city center: the Nippō Honsen, the Hōhi Honsen and the Kyūdai Honsen. The Nippō Honsen could be considered the main one to Ōita, with JR Kyūshū's Sonic trains coming from Hakata station and going as far south as Miyazaki. Sonic Express trains take approx. 2 h to reach Hakata station. This line also serves Nakatsu, Usa, Hiji, Beppu, Usuki and Saiki. The Kyūdai Honsen is a local line going west to Yufuin and Hita and going to Saga Prefecture. Finally, the Hōhi Honsen has local and express trains passing through Bungo-ōno and going to Kumamoto Town, in Kumamoto Prefecture.
By bus
Buses from virtually all of Kyushu's major cities serve Ōita and Beppu, the main ones being the multiple highway buses running to and from Fukuoka. Ōita Bus, Ōita Kōtsu, Kamenoi Bus and a handful of others offer this service and the journey time is approximately 2 h, roughly identical to JR Kyūshū's Sonic.
Circulate
To get to some of the less important places, renting a car is a very good choice, if not the only one as public transport can be scarce and not particularly convenient. For cities, the train is the most convenient way to get around. the JR Kyushu Pass well worth it and gets around for a relatively low price.
Another option is to take the bike! With beautiful landscapes, friendly locals and many onsens, Ōita is an ideal place for cycling. Every year in March takes place the Oita Charity Bike Ride which goes around the prefecture.
Do
To buy
Eat
Chicken tempura or toriten and the dango jiru (udon soup with rice dumpling) are local specialties. The local fish sashimi is also exceptional here. Two particular types of mackerel, the seki-aji and the seki-saba are caught in and around the rapid currents of the Hōyo Strait between Kyūshū and Shikoku, are expensive but exquisite. Also available in the prefecture, but in rarer quantities than the special breeds of mackerel: the fugu (pufferfish), caught by fishermen in the town of Usuki.
Have a drink / Go out
The locally famous shōchū, and micro-brewed beer are well worth tasting.
