10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Beppu

Beppu Tower is the highlight of Beppu’s skyline, rising to a height of 100 metres and standing tall above the rest of the skyline. Completed in 1957, it was initially constructed to boost tourism. Though it now primarily serves as a transmission tower, you can still take in panoramic views of Beppu and Beppu Bay from its observation deck at a height of 55 metres.

The observation deck at Beppu Tower stays open until 8 pm. After taking in the cityscape from the top of Beppu Tower, you can grab drinks and light bites from Creole Cafe on the tower’s ground floor. The café stays open until midnight every day except Thursday.

Genova is a longstanding, independent gelateria that makes all of its own ice cream on its premises. It often attracts a line of visitors until closing time at 9 pm. While there are countless flavours to choose from, we recommend trying something you’ll struggle to find elsewhere: Earl Gray or shine muscat. Some regulars claim that Genova boasts the best strawberry ice cream in Japan.

Genova is located near the waterfront in the Kitahama neighbourhood, not far from Beppu Station and many of the city’s famous hot springs. If you fancy eating your ice cream outdoors in a field of flowers, you’ll find plenty of places to sit and stroll in the nearby Beppu Park.

The Takegawara Onsen is a historic wooden bathhouse in Beppu with a striking karahafu gable that’s typical of traditional Japanese architecture. Founded in 1879, the public baths are fed by hot springs – extraordinarily hot springs – and are said to provide benefits ranging from pain relief to improved mental health. You can also try the famous suna-ya treatment, which entails being wrapped in a kimono and buried in hot sand.

Thanks to being near countless restaurants in the Motomachi neighbourhood and having a closing time of 10.30 pm, Takegawara Onsen is an ideal place to unwind after dinner. Motomachi is also one of Beppu’s best nightlife areas.

From the Yukemuri Observatory, you can enjoy unobstructed views of Beppu’s Kannawa district and its famous hot spring onsens. The views are backdropped by the volcanic peaks of Ogiyama and Tsurumi. At night, you can see the street lights shimmering in the steam rising from the bathhouses under the starry sky – a sight so enchanting that it has been designated a Night View Heritage site.

The Yukemuri Observatory remains open until 10 pm daily. It’s usually busiest around 3 pm, making it an ideal place to visit after dinner when the night views are breathtaking and the crowds have subsided. As it can be difficult to find, this observatory is best reached by taxi, which takes about 20 minutes from Beppu Station.

Shoningahama Park boasts greenery and a sandy strip by Beppu’s coast, where sand baths are the main attraction. Here, you can be buried up to your neck in sand that’s heated by hot spring waters bubbling beneath the surface. Shoningahama Park is also a great place to admire the view of Beppu Bay.

Shoningahama Park is conveniently located next to the Beppu International Tourism Port. It’s just a short walk from Beppudaigaku Station on the Nippō Main Line. Trains depart from Beppu Station to Beppudaigaku Station every 20 minutes and take just 4 minutes to arrive.

Sol Paseo Ginza is a narrow, sheltered street with a diverse assortment of bars and restaurants that attract crowds every night. Despite being a popular shopping, drinking and dining destination, Sol Paseo Ginza has retained its vintage style. Besides traditional izakaya pubs, this street is also home to many yakitori, toriten (tempura) and ramen restaurants.

Throughout the day, Sol Paseo Ginza primarily attracts shoppers. Visit after 9 pm to drink affordable local beverages in an izakaya pub when the nightlife scene is at its most vibrant. The street is just over 500 metres from Beppu Station.

Yasaka Street is one of the most popular narrow alleyways in Beppu lined with traditional izakaya bars. Here, you can grab inexpensive beers, whiskeys, sake and light bites while mingling with the locals until the early hours. You can also sing in karaoke venues and shop for local crafts.

Most venues along Yasaka Street open between 6 pm and 8 pm, making it the perfect spot to grab a few cheap beverages after a meal. If you want to eat dinner here, you’ll find plenty of restaurants serving Japanese, Chinese, Korean and western cuisine.

The Motomachi district is the beating heart of Beppu’s nightlife scene, home to traditional Japanese bars, western-style clubs and late-night diners. That’s not to mention hot springs, sand baths and shops galore. For a traditional experience, visit an izakaya pub along the bustling Yasaka Street. For a more familiar setting, try the Jiny House Irish pub or the HELL bar.

If you prefer peace and quiet over a rowdy atmosphere after dinner, you might want to head to the nearby Takegawara Onsen, which is a 19^th-century bathhouse. Alternatively, head to Shoningahama Park to enjoy a hot spring sand bath.

Beppu Social Bar is one of Beppu’s most popular nightlife venues that always seems to attract a crowd, particularly students from the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. On top of drinks aplenty, decent music and a dance floor, Beppu Social Bar is locally adored for its hookahs, board games, and beer pong events.

As a mecca for night owls in Beppu, the cool bar opens from 9 pm to 5 am, and it’s busiest between midnight and 2.30 am, particularly on Fridays. You’ll find the bar in the vibrant Motomachi neighbourhood, just a few minutes’ walk from Beppu Station.

BAR556 is a trendy and modern venue situated on the waterfront close to Beppu Tower. Here, you can drink unique cocktails that are made with ingredients such as cherry blossom, Oita sake, kabosu citrus and even local hot spring water. They also offer cocktail-making classes and Beppu nightlife tours.

BAR556 boasts an intimate and cosy atmosphere with English-speaking bartenders and a closing time of midnight. This makes it a great place to start a night out in the Motomachi neighbourhood. If you fancy a late-night snack, we highly recommend heading over the road to the independent gelateria Genova.