The Eight Hells of Beppu - Oita

25/08/2009

I just had the chance to go on a trip to enjoy the Beppu city of Oita prefecture in kyushu. It is famous for it s hot springs, various types of hot springs.We started our way with a 2000 yen ticket rounding up all the special hot springs of Beppu.
First it was the 「白池地獄」-shiraikejigoku- meaning the white pond hell. This hot water spring has a blueish white.The spring is always covered with the white mist like vapor and the water is said to be of a boiling 99 degrees. You can also enjoy a little aquarium inside the hot spring premises where the killer fish Piranha lives.

6.1 The Shiraike Hell

Then we next went to the ｢鬼山地獄」-oniyama jigoku- .This hot water spring has no special color. This water is also at 99 degrees and spraying a hot mist around the pool. This premise has some crocodile nests where various types of Malaysian crocodiles live. there are somewhere around 15 species. Normally crocodiles cannot live in Japan as the climate does not match their lifestyle. It is said that these crocodiles live under special temperature controls and food.

6.2 Oniyama Hell

Our next stop was at the 「かまど地獄」-kamado jigoku meaning the raccoon dog hell. I don`t know how or why it ended up with that name. On the way to the raccoon hell, you have to go through this souvenir shop where a magician performs various kinds of tricks. This shop also has the very nice towel in which two women clad in bath robes get nude when water is sprayed on to the art. When you move over to the spring, this spring is also blue when I was there but it is said that it changes it s color twice a year.
It also has some normal mud colored hot springs too.And also some little huts where you can inhale, drink and get warm footed with the hotness of the hot spring.

6.3 Kamado Hell

Fourth stop was at the ｢山地獄」-Yama jigoku-. This is where you find an African elephant and a hippo and also some peacocks. It`s nice to be in the zoo watching them . Yama jikoku means the mountain hell which proves it s name s origin by its natural location in some rocky stones.

6.4 Yama Hell

Next we went to the｢海地獄」-umijigoku- meaning the sea hell. It has the cool color of the sea which might have been the origin of its name. It also has this onsen tamago - eggs which has been boiled in the blue hot waters. This was really interesting as the entrance to this hell is decorated with a pond filled with large lotus leaves where a person who is less than 20 kg can stand on .

6.5 Umi Hell

Sixth stop was at ｢鬼石坊主地獄｣- oniishibouzu jigoku-. This place has a hot foot bath out-door. So refreshing once you put your legs inside. The hot spring here has a white mud hot spring. Such a different color.

6.6 Oniishi Bouzu Hell

Next we went to the ｢血池地獄」-chiike jigoku- meaning the blood pond hell. It has two colors. A different red in the middle and another near the banks. it is said that it had had a sudden blast some 40 years ago. It is said that the mud from this pond has special healing powers.

6.7 Chiike Hell

Finally, it was the spout hell ｢竜巻地獄」. This is hot water spring which spouts water once in every 30 to 40 minutes with an amazing speed. it is said that this has the highest temperature which is 105 degrees.

6.8 Spout Hell

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