10 Best Family Things to Do in Beppu

Oita Marine Palace is an aquarium offering up-close experiences with a wide range of oceanic life from the indigenous to the exotic. Besides sharks, anemones, jellyfish and other tropical fish, this spot has touch pools where you can pet sea creatures, as well as regular shows that feature dolphins, walruses and other big creatures. At the shows, you’ll see electric eels generate current, archerfish shoot water at targets and even fish doing acrobatics.

This is one of the largest aquariums around, with its biggest tank holding 1,250 tonnes of water. A play area is available for the littlest ones, and the aquarium has a gift shop. It’s southeast of the Beppu city centre.

Kijima Kogen Park offers a traditional amusement theme park experience with lots of thrill rides, food, games and fun for the entire family. This amusement park is located west of the city centre and features the very first wooden roller coaster in Japan. Other attractions include a wooden maze that stands 5 storeys high. All in all, the park features 34 different attractions, plus seasonal fare.

The park is open year-round. In the summer you can go swimming in a large pool, while in winter the park offers a skating rink. In addition, you can grab food at one of the many takeaway kiosks, and you can play a wide variety of games.

The Hells of Beppu are a famous park 10 minutes north of the city centre with hot springs to explore, offering unique properties and stark landscapes. These hot springs are the result of volcanic activity that began 30,000 years ago. You can explore all 8 of these 'Hells', including the Sea Hell, Blood Pond Hell, White Pond Hell, Spout Hell, Oniishi Shaven Head Hell, Mountain Hell, Cooking Pot Hell, and Monster Mountain Hell, also called Alligator Hell.

Each of these 'Hells' has its own attractions. Some are designated National Places of Scenic Beauty. Others offer food prepared using the hot spring steam from pudding and buns to sushi. Others offer wildlife viewing from flamingoes to hippos to alligators.

Beppu Ropeway is a cable car attraction offering astonishing panoramic views for miles in every direction as you ascend to the height of a mountain peak. This cable car connects 2 stations: Beppu Kogen, which stands 500 metres high, and Tsurumi Sanjo, which rises to 1,300 metres. The gondola can hold up to 101 people and offers spectacular scenery. At the station, grown-ups can visit a liquor store (Kyushu Shochu) where you can purchase more than 300 varieties of shochu and awamori.

This attraction offers a prime opportunity to have a family adventure with sights you’ll never forget. It’s also fantastic for those social media photo ops. It’s about 15 minutes west of the city centre.

Beppu Tower is a towering viewpoint in the heart of the city offering exciting panoramic views of the skyline, mountains and ocean beyond. This is one of Japan’s 6 'tower brothers', and rises to 90 metres high. It’s considered a symbol of Beppu city, which makes it a popular and iconic attraction for many visitors. The observatory is located on the tower’s 17th floor and offers 360-degree panoramic views.

It’s not all about taking photos here, however. While you are in the tower, you can enjoy a wide range of entertainment facilities and fun. The structure boasts karaoke bars, a foot bath, plenty of restaurants, shops and other attractions.

Beppu Park is an urban park offering peaceful, scenic strolls among tended flower beds, pine trees and a bamboo grove, along with stunning springtime cherry and plum blossoms. The park is directly in the Beppu city centre, where it was laid out in 1907 to celebrate the visit of Emperor Taisho. Many of the evergreens here are more than 100 years old. The parkland is lush with vegetation and trees, and is famed for its spring blossoms.

While here, you can explore the tree groves or relax around one of several ponds where ducks enjoy swimming in the waters. It’s as popular with locals as visitors, making it a solid place to soak up some regional culture.

Beppu Rakutenchi is an exciting theme park in the city centre offering carnival games, food and rides of every kind to thrill adults and children alike. This historic park has been running since 1929 and gives the feel of a classic old-fashioned trolley park. Rides here include the Super Chair and Frog Hopper, a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster that winds its way through the natural mountainous terrain. Besides the rides, kids enjoy petting goats, donkeys, monkeys and penguins at the petting zoo, and cheering on the duck race.

The park includes a water park area with splash rides galore. When you’re done, you can enjoy everything from carnival eats to sit-down restaurants serving food cooked from a hot spring.

The Yukemuri observatory offers the chance to catch stunning views of the night sky, illuminated mountains and the entire city district far below. Night is the time to visit this attraction to see the clear, endless night sky, and the magnificent illumination of Tsurumi dake and Ogi dake is sure to be a highlight of your Instagram feed. From the 2-storey domed viewing platform, you’ll see the entire Kannawa Onsen district, including steam from the hot springs rising up from the streets.

It’s designated as a Night View Heritage site, but whether you come during the night or day, the view is phenomenal. The observatory is a mere 10 minutes north of the city centre.

Suginoi Palace, also known as Suginoi Hotel, is a historic location offering a hot spring facility, entertainment, a water park, spa treatments, family fun and theme park experiences. The palace sits on a plateau 200 metres above sea level, with a hot spring facility and one of Japan’s largest open-air baths. It offers fantastic views of Beppu Bay. Nightly from 6 pm to 10 pm, visitors can see the Fountain Show, a fantastic display of light, sound and choreographed water spouts.

Other family attractions here include a bowling alley, darts, a video game arcade, karaoke events and table tennis. A souvenir shop lets you find that perfect keepsake. It’s all in the heart of the city centre.

Shidaka Lake is one of Beppu’s most family-friendly relaxing hidden gems offering mountains, forests, boating, hiking, camping, and barbecue and picnic facilities. It’s considered a must-see location for casual strolls and walks, but it also offers swan boats, canoes, bicycle hire and picnic areas. The grounds surrounding the area are full campsites, so you can stay the night here if you want. In addition, between December and March, the lake is open to fishing.

Even during the winter, the entire area is picturesque, and many people love to take a winter stroll here and follow it up with a hot spring bath. The lake is only a 15-minute drive southwest of the city centre.